The Town FilesFort Riley, Kansas
Community in Riley County · population 9,230 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Household income
- $54,362
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 23.1
Fort Riley is a community of 9,230 people in Riley County, Kansas. It ranks more of a college town than 95% of Kansas towns, better for young professionals than 92% of Kansas towns, more vibrant than 70% of Kansas towns.
How Fort Riley ranks
Percentile among Kansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
Median rent is $1,234 a month. 1.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fort Riley | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $1,234 | $815 |
| Median household income | $54,362 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 1.8% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 2003 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Fort Riley
| People | Fort Riley | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 23.1 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 0.0% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.2% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.7% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 14.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.5% | — |
| Work from home | 4.4% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 7.6 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.1% | 89.2% |
Weather in Fort Riley
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 19.3°F. About 32.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 12.4 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 46 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Riley since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on June 11, 2008 about 5.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 15, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 154 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on June 2, 2008.
Severe weather in Riley County since 1996
Riley County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4940: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 17, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4640: Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3481: Covid-19 |
| June 20, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4449: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Riley County
Riley County had 30,349 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,341 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Fort Riley itself the ACS puts it at 18.6%.
Public schools in Fort Riley
5 public schools with 2,571 students, about 15.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ware Elem | PK-5 | 697 | 17.9 |
| LTG Richard J. Seitz Elementary | PK-5 | 631 | 17.5 |
| Fort Riley Middle School | 6-8 | 523 | 11.6 |
| Fort Riley Elem | PK-5 | 370 | 12.3 |
| Morris Hill Elem | PK-5 | 350 | 16.7 |
Towns near Fort Riley
- Junction City, KS5.9 mi · 22,932 people · home $171,500
- Manhattan, KS12.4 mi · 54,100 people · home $246,700
- Clay Center, KS25.4 mi · 4,199 people · home $143,600
- Abilene, KS25.6 mi · 6,460 people · home $131,500
- Wamego, KS27.8 mi · 4,841 people · home $198,300
Fort Riley questions
Is Fort Riley, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fort Riley scores better for retirees than 0% of Kansas towns and quieter than 11%. 0.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 23.1).
What is the weather like in Fort Riley?
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 19.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.9 inches of precipitation a year and 12.4 inches of snow.
Does Fort Riley get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Riley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on June 11, 2008. The typical Kansas town has had 26.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)