Riley is a small town of 875 in Kansas, with a median household income of $76,731
and a 1.4% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is
10% below the national average.
Strengths:
Riley stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A-).
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Riley is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Riley city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 90.3
Riley's overall cost of living index is 90.3,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Riley costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
Metric
Riley, KS
National Avg
Median Home Value
$163,800
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,071
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
86.9%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$76,731
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Riley's violent crime rate is 241.1 per 100,000 residents
— 37% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
241.1 /100k
Property Crime
1189.5 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Riley is served primarily by Riley County.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.1:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Riley, KS
National Avg
School District
Riley County
—
Elementary Schools
1
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.1:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
35.3%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
97.7%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Riley sees average highs of 39.1°F in January
and 89.5°F in July,
with 34.1 inches of annual precipitation
and 13.7 inches of snow per year.
Riley's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Riley roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $163,800 and median rent is $1,071/month.
Riley's violent crime rate is 241.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1189.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Riley are operated by Riley County.
The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.1:1. 35.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Riley, KS has a population of 875, a median household income of $76,731, and an unemployment rate of 1.4%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Riley averages 39.1°F in January and 89.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 34.1 inches
with about 13.7 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Riley, KS is covered by 1 ZIP code: 66531.
The population of Riley, Kansas is 875 with a median age of 35.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Riley: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $163,800, median household income $76,731, crime index 61 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Riley side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.