Silver Lake is a small town of 1,446 in Kansas, with a median household income of $54,799
and a 2.4% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 86 (US average = 100), which is
14% below the national average.
Strengths:
Silver Lake stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Silver Lake is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Silver Lake 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: 85.9
Silver Lake's overall cost of living index is 85.9,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Silver Lake costs roughly 14% less than the average American city.
Metric
Silver Lake, KS
National Avg
Median Home Value
$153,200
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$983
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
72.6%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$54,799
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Higher than Average
Silver Lake's violent crime rate is 655.8 per 100,000 residents
— 73% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
655.8 /100k
Property Crime
2912.8 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Silver Lake is served primarily by Silver Lake.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.5:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Silver Lake, KS
National Avg
School District
Silver Lake
—
Elementary Schools
1
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.5:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
34.7%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
99.4%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Silver Lake sees average highs of 39.9°F in January
and 88.5°F in July,
with 36.1 inches of annual precipitation
and 12.3 inches of snow per year.
Silver Lake's cost of living index is 86, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Silver Lake roughly 14% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $153,200 and median rent is $983/month.
Silver Lake's violent crime rate is 655.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2912.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Silver Lake are operated by Silver Lake.
The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.5:1. 34.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Silver Lake, KS has a population of 1,446, a median household income of $54,799, and an unemployment rate of 2.4%.
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.
Silver Lake averages 39.9°F in January and 88.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 36.1 inches
with about 12.3 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Silver Lake, KS is covered by 1 ZIP code: 66539.
The population of Silver Lake, Kansas is 1,446 with a median age of 39.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Silver Lake: cost of living index 86 (100 = US average), median home $153,200, median household income $54,799, crime index 159 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Silver Lake side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.