Jobs, pay and daily life in Manhattan, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Manhattan is a city in Kansas with 54,239 residents. The median household earns $60,172 a year and the median rent is $1,003 a month, which is 20.0% of the median household income. It is part of the Manhattan, KS metropolitan area, where BLS counts 53,500 jobs.
How Manhattan compares. Among the 60 largest places in Kansas, Manhattan is #9 by population, #59 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #7 for college degrees (#1 = most), #42 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Riley County, is #14 of 105 counties for average pay ($52,341).
Manhattan has 54,239 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.8% of the population of Kansas. It covers 20 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,660 people per square mile. The median age is 25.7, 31% younger than the state median (25.7 against 37.4).
The median gross rent is $1,003 a month (rent plus utilities), 5% below the state median ($1,003 against $1,060). Over a year that is 20.0% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $246,700, which is 4.1 times the median household income ($60,172). 43.5% of households own their home, 35% below the state average (43.5% against 67.2%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Manhattan, KS metropolitan area has 53,500 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $45,900 a year, 10% below the national median ($45,900 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (5,700 jobs, median $41,390); food preparation and serving related (5,660 jobs, median $28,530); educational instruction and library (5,610 jobs, median $49,970). The area is most specialised in educational instruction and library (1.8 times) and food preparation and serving related (1.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are educational instruction and library ($49,970) and office and administrative support ($41,390). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Riley County was 3.6%. 67.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Riley County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 68.4% drive alone, 0.2% use public transit, 6.7% walk, 12.6% work from home. 6.5% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 12% below the state average (6.5% against 7.4%).
53.3% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 50% above the state share (53.3% against 35.6%). 7.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 3% above the state share (7.6% against 7.4%). The poverty rate is 23.3%, 107% above the state rate (23.3% against 11.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 81°F (27.2°C), and the coolest is Jan at 29°F (-1.7°C). About 867 mm (34 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (126 mm) and Jan the driest (21 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Fort Riley (12 miles, rent 23% higher); Junction City (17 miles, similar rent); Abilene (38 miles, similar rent); Topeka (50 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Manhattan; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Kansas (341) →State guide: KansasCountry guideRiley CountyKansas rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 341 federal postings open in Kansas (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,190 | 1.65 | $27,130 | $21,540 | $33,300 | -13% |
| Cashiers | 1,620 | 1.52 | $27,870 | $21,820 | $33,290 | -15% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,390 | 1.04 | $29,540 | $23,120 | $45,960 | -17% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,230 | 2.10 | $40,460 | $27,080 | $53,700 | -15% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,100 | 2.24 | $31,020 | $24,040 | $35,690 | -16% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,020 | 1.05 | $30,990 | $28,480 | $44,290 | -17% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 940 | 1.20 | $33,140 | $16,330 | $60,820 | -6% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 930 | 0.91 | $36,070 | $29,970 | $45,650 | -10% |
| General and Operations Managers | 920 | 0.76 | $84,990 | $50,160 | $182,260 | -20% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 870 | 0.97 | $38,620 | $28,060 | $53,560 | -14% |
| Nursing Assistants | 840 | 1.68 | $36,080 | $31,290 | $46,790 | -15% |
| Registered Nurses | 810 | 0.69 | $78,960 | $61,260 | $98,740 | -19% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 720 | 0.94 | $30,220 | $27,150 | $38,550 | -18% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 690 | 1.84 | $75,120 | $50,820 | $112,260 | -10% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 580 | 0.39 | $30,420 | $27,090 | $34,950 | -15% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 570 | 1.08 | $46,370 | $30,750 | $64,230 | -6% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 570 | 1.18 | $49,520 | $48,000 | $60,630 | -23% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 560 | 1.19 | $45,570 | $29,910 | $61,480 | -10% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 520 | 1.06 | $32,280 | $23,700 | $37,790 | -14% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 510 | 1.21 | $36,460 | $28,560 | $60,190 | -17% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 920 | 0.76 | $84,990 | $50,160 | $182,260 | -20% |
| Registered Nurses | 810 | 0.69 | $78,960 | $61,260 | $98,740 | -19% |
| Human Resources Specialists | 500 | 1.59 | $76,400 | $49,940 | $115,720 | +1% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 690 | 1.84 | $75,120 | $50,820 | $112,260 | -10% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 570 | 1.18 | $49,520 | $48,000 | $60,630 | -23% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 570 | 1.08 | $46,370 | $30,750 | $64,230 | -6% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 560 | 1.19 | $45,570 | $29,910 | $61,480 | -10% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,230 | 2.10 | $40,460 | $27,080 | $53,700 | -15% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 870 | 0.97 | $38,620 | $28,060 | $53,560 | -14% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 510 | 1.21 | $36,460 | $28,560 | $60,190 | -17% |
| Nursing Assistants | 840 | 1.68 | $36,080 | $31,290 | $46,790 | -15% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 930 | 0.91 | $36,070 | $29,970 | $45,650 | -10% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 940 | 1.20 | $33,140 | $16,330 | $60,820 | -6% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 520 | 1.06 | $32,280 | $23,700 | $37,790 | -14% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,100 | 2.24 | $31,020 | $24,040 | $35,690 | -16% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,020 | 1.05 | $30,990 | $28,480 | $44,290 | -17% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 580 | 0.39 | $30,420 | $27,090 | $34,950 | -15% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 720 | 0.94 | $30,220 | $27,150 | $38,550 | -18% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,390 | 1.04 | $29,540 | $23,120 | $45,960 | -17% |
| Cashiers | 1,620 | 1.52 | $27,870 | $21,820 | $33,290 | -15% |
These figures are for the whole Manhattan, KS metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $45,900 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.8% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 37.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 13.3% |
| Retail trade | 10.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.4% |
| Construction | 5.2% |
| Public administration | 4.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.7% |
| Manufacturing | 4.7% |
| Other services | 3.6% |
| Information | 2.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 2.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.9% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Manhattan lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Pottawatomie County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riley County | 71,946 | $3,814 million | $53,008 | 30,349 | 2,032 | $52,341 | +0.5% | 3.6% | 36,434 |
| Pottawatomie County | 26,204 | $1,591 million | $60,698 | 10,028 | 747 | $51,426 | +2.7% | 3.4% | 13,456 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 3,673 | 17.6% | $20,174 | 1.33 |
| Health care and social assistance | 3,592 | 17.2% | $47,349 | 0.83 |
| Retail trade | 3,446 | 16.5% | $30,658 | 1.14 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,916 | 9.2% | $72,748 | 0.91 |
| Construction | 1,796 | 8.6% | $70,621 | 1.13 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,438 | 6.9% | $58,796 | 1.57 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,190 | 5.7% | $75,876 | 0.97 |
| Administrative and waste services | 812 | 3.9% | $48,968 | 0.45 |
| Manufacturing | 721 | 3.5% | $57,606 | 0.29 |
| Real estate and rental | 531 | 2.5% | $46,532 | 1.13 |
| Educational services | 466 | 2.2% | $38,720 | 0.74 |
| Wholesale trade | 461 | 2.2% | $99,216 | 0.39 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 417 | 2.0% | $19,474 | 0.82 |
| Information | 274 | 1.3% | $51,851 | 0.48 |
| Management of companies | 153 | 0.7% | $63,065 | 0.30 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 68.4% |
| Public transit | 0.2% |
| Walk | 6.7% |
| Work from home | 12.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.5% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,172 |
| Income per person | $36,557 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,003 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.0% |
| Median home value | $246,700 |
| Homeowners | 43.5% |
| Poverty rate | 23.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 90.2 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $45,900 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.58%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 25.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 96.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 53.3% |
| Born abroad | 7.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 67.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.7 | 29 | 21 |
| Feb | -0.1 | 32 | 31 |
| Mar | 6.7 | 44 | 51 |
| Apr | 12.9 | 55 | 85 |
| May | 18.6 | 65 | 126 |
| Jun | 24.4 | 76 | 123 |
| Jul | 27.2 | 81 | 102 |
| Aug | 25.9 | 79 | 119 |
| Sep | 21.1 | 70 | 77 |
| Oct | 13.2 | 56 | 68 |
| Nov | 6.2 | 43 | 31 |
| Dec | -0.2 | 32 | 33 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Riley | KS | 12 mi | 8,606 | $54,362 | $1,234 |
| Junction City | KS | 17 mi | 22,331 | $61,181 | $1,024 |
| Abilene | KS | 38 mi | 6,449 | $57,924 | $1,022 |
| Topeka | KS | 50 mi | 125,786 | $56,956 | $979 |
| Emporia | KS | 59 mi | 24,131 | $52,704 | $815 |
| Salina | KS | 60 mi | 46,307 | $61,783 | $959 |
| Lawrence | KS | 74 mi | 96,051 | $65,009 | $1,091 |
| Beatrice | NE | 75 mi | 12,225 | $57,264 | $758 |
| McPherson | KS | 80 mi | 13,995 | $77,529 | $925 |
| Falls City | NE | 81 mi | 4,077 | $51,706 | $714 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
54,239 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,003 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.0% of the median household income.
$60,172 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.6% (BLS county, Riley County (latest month 2026M09)).
Kansas. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.