Jobs, pay and daily life in Valley Center, 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.
Valley Center is a city in Kansas with 8,590 residents. The median household earns $77,020 a year and the median rent is $883 a month, which is 13.8% of the median household income. It is part of the Wichita, KS metropolitan area, where BLS counts 308,570 jobs.
How Valley Center compares. Among the 60 largest places in Kansas, Valley Center is #44 by population, #55 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #16 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #17 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Sedgwick County, is #4 of 105 counties for average pay ($60,652).
Valley Center has 8,590 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Kansas. It covers 8 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,060 people per square mile. The median age is 33.8, 10% younger than the state median (33.8 against 37.4).
The median gross rent is $883 a month (rent plus utilities), 17% below the state median ($883 against $1,060). Over a year that is 13.8% 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 $227,700, which is 3.0 times the median household income ($77,020); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 72.4% of households own their home, 8% above the state average (72.4% against 67.2%).
The Wichita, KS metropolitan area has 308,570 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,630 a year, 7% below the national median ($47,630 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (34,310 jobs, median $43,740); production (33,420 jobs, median $59,450); food preparation and serving related (28,710 jobs, median $28,300). The area is most specialised in production (2.0 times) and architecture and engineering (1.5 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($105,260) and computer and mathematical ($84,790). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Sedgwick County was 4.1%. 61.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Sedgwick County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 82.9% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 0.0% walk, 5.8% work from home. 13.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 79% above the state average (13.2% against 7.4%).
36.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, about the same as the state share (36.1% against 35.6%). 2.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 70% below the state share (2.2% against 7.4%). The poverty rate is 3.6%, 68% below the state rate (3.6% against 11.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 82°F (27.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 31°F (-0.5°C). About 826 mm (33 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (132 mm) and Jan the driest (20 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: Park City (3 miles, rent 22% higher); Maize (6 miles, rent 58% higher); Bel Aire (8 miles, rent 87% higher); Wichita (10 miles, rent 10% higher). Rent differences are against Valley Center; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Kansas (341) →State guide: KansasCountry guideSedgwick 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 | 11,580 | 1.51 | $27,420 | $21,530 | $30,010 | -12% |
| Retail Salespersons | 7,530 | 0.97 | $30,760 | $23,000 | $45,150 | -13% |
| Registered Nurses | 7,460 | 1.11 | $76,540 | $60,300 | $99,530 | -22% |
| Cashiers | 7,070 | 1.15 | $28,430 | $22,450 | $35,150 | -14% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 6,290 | 1.86 | $41,480 | $29,960 | $58,240 | -13% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 5,950 | 1.16 | $39,330 | $29,280 | $56,190 | -12% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 5,850 | 0.68 | $30,600 | $27,470 | $36,190 | -15% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 5,710 | 1.02 | $34,510 | $28,980 | $45,000 | -8% |
| Nursing Assistants | 5,220 | 1.82 | $37,290 | $31,840 | $44,930 | -12% |
| General and Operations Managers | 5,060 | 0.73 | $85,230 | $48,910 | $191,600 | -19% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 4,740 | 1.68 | $30,870 | $21,860 | $41,910 | -16% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 4,570 | 1.01 | $37,300 | $17,300 | $63,560 | +6% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 3,890 | 0.95 | $57,930 | $39,610 | $75,630 | -1% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 3,690 | 0.63 | $37,750 | $29,470 | $48,750 | -6% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 3,650 | 0.83 | $32,510 | $27,320 | $45,490 | -12% |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 3,590 | 3.03 | $63,030 | $41,100 | $88,450 | +30% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 3,120 | 1.08 | $79,270 | $52,810 | $133,460 | -5% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 3,070 | 1.13 | $46,500 | $35,710 | $61,080 | -8% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 2,940 | 1.07 | $58,640 | $48,470 | $65,150 | -8% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 2,930 | 1.05 | $44,090 | $32,070 | $62,840 | -1% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 550 | 0.41 | $156,130 | $94,730 | $241,830 | -11% |
| Financial Managers | 1,060 | 0.63 | $155,060 | $81,590 | $250,650 | -7% |
| Physicians, All Other | 1,170 | 1.71 | $151,470 | $64,630 | $408,370 | -43% |
| Pharmacists | 580 | 0.91 | $142,400 | $107,230 | $165,940 | +1% |
| Sales Managers | 960 | 0.76 | $134,650 | $76,390 | $221,090 | -9% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 1,430 | 10.66 | $130,720 | $81,100 | $167,400 | -3% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 510 | 1.03 | $127,360 | $85,380 | $210,960 | +1% |
| Lawyers | 690 | 0.46 | $121,510 | $76,380 | $209,200 | -24% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 690 | 1.07 | $116,100 | $95,600 | $145,620 | -12% |
| Construction Managers | 730 | 0.97 | $108,180 | $72,190 | $159,140 | -6% |
| Software Developers | 2,040 | 0.61 | $105,980 | $62,860 | $152,500 | -22% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 920 | 0.78 | $104,410 | $73,990 | $181,840 | -16% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 520 | 0.80 | $102,480 | $81,570 | $131,140 | -3% |
| Industrial Engineers | 1,110 | 1.53 | $101,510 | $75,940 | $137,160 | -1% |
| Physical Therapists | 580 | 1.10 | $97,400 | $71,960 | $118,780 | -5% |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 620 | 0.60 | $94,790 | $62,000 | $175,700 | -10% |
| Mechanical Engineers | 800 | 1.36 | $94,610 | $65,840 | $139,660 | -9% |
| Project Management Specialists | 1,140 | 0.54 | $89,170 | $53,420 | $139,990 | -13% |
| General and Operations Managers | 5,060 | 0.73 | $85,230 | $48,910 | $191,600 | -19% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 2,160 | 1.00 | $84,460 | $51,240 | $135,500 | +2% |
These figures are for the whole Wichita, KS metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,630 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.1% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 30.1% |
| Construction | 10.9% |
| Manufacturing | 10.7% |
| Retail trade | 10.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 5.7% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.4% |
| Other services | 4.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.5% |
| Public administration | 3.3% |
| Information | 1.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Valley Center lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sedgwick County | 528,226 | $41,525 million | $78,612 | 264,782 | 14,427 | $60,652 | +1.3% | 4.1% | 271,861 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 46,745 | 20.1% | $81,135 | 2.15 |
| Health care and social assistance | 36,652 | 15.8% | $55,284 | 0.97 |
| Retail trade | 26,987 | 11.6% | $36,385 | 1.02 |
| Accommodation and food services | 24,853 | 10.7% | $22,091 | 1.03 |
| Administrative and waste services | 16,265 | 7.0% | $60,948 | 1.04 |
| Construction | 15,000 | 6.5% | $68,031 | 1.08 |
| Professional and technical services | 12,304 | 5.3% | $83,934 | 0.67 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 9,907 | 4.3% | $54,784 | 0.88 |
| Wholesale trade | 9,179 | 3.9% | $80,721 | 0.88 |
| Finance and insurance | 7,449 | 3.2% | $82,185 | 0.69 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 6,768 | 2.9% | $46,708 | 0.85 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 4,309 | 1.9% | $23,351 | 0.97 |
| Management of companies | 4,217 | 1.8% | $168,408 | 0.94 |
| Real estate and rental | 3,707 | 1.6% | $53,601 | 0.90 |
| Educational services | 3,534 | 1.5% | $48,079 | 0.65 |
| Information | 3,309 | 1.4% | $72,413 | 0.67 |
| Utilities | 632 | 0.3% | $116,049 | 0.63 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 441 | 0.2% | $88,000 | 0.44 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 132 | 0.1% | $37,657 | 0.06 |
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 | 82.9% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 0.0% |
| Work from home | 5.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 13.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $77,020 |
| Income per person | $34,270 |
| Median gross rent per month | $883 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 13.8% |
| Median home value | $227,700 |
| Homeowners | 72.4% |
| Poverty rate | 3.6% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 88.9 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $47,630 |
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 | 33.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 36.1% |
| Born abroad | 2.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -0.5 | 31 | 20 |
| Feb | 1.1 | 34 | 31 |
| Mar | 7.7 | 46 | 54 |
| Apr | 13.4 | 56 | 75 |
| May | 19.0 | 66 | 132 |
| Jun | 24.8 | 77 | 118 |
| Jul | 27.6 | 82 | 92 |
| Aug | 26.2 | 79 | 108 |
| Sep | 21.6 | 71 | 66 |
| Oct | 13.8 | 57 | 72 |
| Nov | 6.9 | 44 | 27 |
| Dec | 0.8 | 33 | 31 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park City | KS | 3 mi | 7,673 | $74,301 | $1,077 |
| Maize | KS | 6 mi | 6,824 | $72,024 | $1,399 |
| Bel Aire | KS | 8 mi | 9,043 | $97,795 | $1,649 |
| Wichita | KS | 10 mi | 397,945 | $64,620 | $975 |
| Newton | KS | 14 mi | 18,397 | $68,885 | $903 |
| Goddard | KS | 16 mi | 6,030 | $94,004 | $1,758 |
| Andover | KS | 16 mi | 15,965 | $104,787 | $1,450 |
| Haysville | KS | 18 mi | 11,117 | $67,740 | $1,064 |
| Derby | KS | 20 mi | 26,062 | $84,112 | $1,136 |
| Augusta | KS | 23 mi | 9,216 | $64,919 | $865 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
8,590 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$883 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 13.8% of the median household income.
$77,020 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.1% (BLS county, Sedgwick County (latest month 2026M09)).
Kansas. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.