Is Valley Center, KS a Good Place to Live?
Valley Center is a small town of 8,448 in Kansas, with a median household income of $70,531 and a 8.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is 10% below the national average.
Strengths: Valley Center stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Valley Center is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Valley Center 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: 89.5Valley Center's overall cost of living index is 89.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Valley Center costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Valley Center, KS | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $193,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $885 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $70,531 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeValley Center's violent crime rate is 174.2 per 100,000 residents — 54% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Valley Center is served primarily by Valley Center Pub Sch. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Valley Center, KS | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Valley Center Pub Sch | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 2 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 14.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 90.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Valley Center sees average highs of 43.2°F in January and 91.6°F in July, with 34.6 inches of annual precipitation and 12.7 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Valley Center, KS |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 43.2°F |
| Average High — July | 91.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 12.7" |
Demographics
| Metric | Valley Center, KS | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,448 | — |
| Median Age | 33.6 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 25.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 87.1% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.2% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 35.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 18.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Valley Center
Valley Center, KS is covered by 1 ZIP code: