The Town FilesRiley, Kansas
City in Riley County · population 938 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $163,100
- Household income
- $93,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 13 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 37.3
Riley is a city of 938 people in Riley County, Kansas. The median home is worth $163,100, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks better for families than 97% of Kansas towns, better for retirees than 96% of Kansas towns, more upscale than 93% of Kansas towns.
How 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
The median home in Riley is worth $163,100, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $93,750, which is more affordable than 74% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $1,203 a month. 89.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Riley | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $163,100 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $1,203 | $815 |
| Median household income | $93,750 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 89.6% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.5% | — |
Who lives in Riley
| People | Riley | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.8% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 28.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.3% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 12.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 11.8% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.5% | 89.2% |
Weather in Riley
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 16.3°F. About 33.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 13.2 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 45 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 134 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Riley since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 8, 1966 about 3.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 4, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 105 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 15, 2012.
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 Riley itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Riley
2 public schools with 712 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riley County Grade School | PK-8 | 499 | 14.7 |
| Riley County High School | 9-12 | 213 | 13.3 |
Towns near Riley
- Wakefield, KS11.7 mi · 858 people · home $172,700
- Fort Riley, KS13.4 mi · 9,230 people · home —
- Manhattan, KS14.1 mi · 54,100 people · home $246,700
- Ogden, KS14.6 mi · 1,661 people · home $156,800
- Clay Center, KS17.0 mi · 4,199 people · home $143,600
- Grandview Plaza, KS18.5 mi · 1,697 people · home $62,100
- Junction City, KS18.8 mi · 22,932 people · home $171,500
- Westmoreland, KS23.1 mi · 740 people · home $145,500
Riley questions
Is Riley, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Riley scores better for retirees than 96% of Kansas towns and quieter than 92%. 17.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.3).
How much does a house cost in Riley?
The median owner-occupied home in Riley is valued at $163,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $93,750, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $1,203 a month.
What is the weather like in Riley?
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 16.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.8 inches of precipitation a year and 13.2 inches of snow.
Does Riley get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Riley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 8, 1966. 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)