Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety36#593/924
Economy70#274/925
Housing81#178/925
Health60#368/925
Healthcare20#736/923
Environment68#297/917
Education12#811/925
Infrastructure69#284/925
Community33#624/925
Leisure & amenities48#478/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Garden City, KS micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Distance to an Amtrak station · low2 mi
100/100Kansas 30 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Rent as share of income · low19.7%
100/100Kansas 27.1%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071
Child care cost burden · low16.5%
99/100Kansas 18.9%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Income inequality (Gini index) · low0.392
99/100Kansas 0.457United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Average commute time · low14.7 min
99/100Kansas 19.7 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013
Rent-burdened households · low32.8%
98/100Kansas 43.5%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070

Weaknesses

High school diploma or higher · low71.8%
1/100Kansas 91.9%United States 89.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Distance to an airport · high189 mi
2/100Kansas 51 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Voter turnout · low49.3%
6/100Kansas 62.9%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionAggregated from counties
Public EV charging ports · low0.8 /10k
6/100Kansas 4.7 /10kUnited States 7.6 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of EnergyAggregated from counties
Pharmacies · low0.8 /10k
8/100Kansas 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Physical inactivity · high33.2%
8/100Kansas 27.1%United States 26.5%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

New homes permittedImproving
1.5 /1k (2021) → 6.1 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
+304%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Drought exposureWorsening
31% (2021) → 48% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+17 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Access to exercise opportunitiesImproving
66.7% (2010 & 2021) → 80.9% (2022 & 2024)
+14 pts3 yearsUS 79.8% → 84.5%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
79.4% (2015-2019) → 91.6% (2020-2024)
+12 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Firearm deathsImproving
31.5 /100k (2021) → 13.4 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−57%5 yearsUS 14.7 /100k → 12.1 /100k
Suicide rateImproving
36.8 /100k (2021) → 18.1 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−51%5 yearsUS 14.5 /100k → 14.1 /100k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Garden City, KS micropolitan area improved on 11 of 29 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 11 moved within the margin of error and 6 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved11

Suicides−31%26.1 /100k → 18.1 /100k
Restaurants+18%6.8 /10k → 8.0 /10k
Broadband+12 points79.4% → 91.6%
Real income+37%$46,701 → $63,858
Property crime−50%3,114 /100k → 1,550 /100k

Declined1

Arts & recreation−6.4%3.1 /10k → 2.9 /10k

All 29 measures

Change of every measure of Garden City, KS micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	3.1 /10k2020	2.9 /10k2025	−6.4%	Declined	18%
Average commute time	14.1 min2015-2019	14.7 min2020-2024	+0.5 min	Within the margin of error	45%
Bachelor's degree or higher	16.8%2015-2019	19.0%2020-2024	+2.1 points	Within the margin of error	35%
Broadband subscriptions	79.4%2015-2019	91.6%2020-2024	+12 points	Improved	78%
Child poverty rate	16.6%2015-2019	13.8%2020-2024	−2.8 points	Within the margin of error	55%
Distance to an airport	189 mi2020	189 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	12.2 /100k2020	9.6 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−21%	Improved	47%
Effective property tax rate	1.39%2015-2019	1.36%2020-2024	−0 points	Within the margin of error	17%
Firearm deaths	16.3 /100k2020	13.4 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−18%	Improved	80%
Grocery stores	2.1 /10k2020	2.1 /10k2025	+2.1%	Little change	59%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.8 /10k2020	0.8 /10k2025	+2.1%	Little change	48%
High school diploma or higher	71.5%2015-2019	71.8%2020-2024	+0.4 points	Within the margin of error	12%
Home price to income ratio	2.5×2015-2019	2.8×2020-2024	+0.2×	Within the margin of error	77%
Income adjusted for local prices	$46,7012019	$63,8582024	+37%	Improved	80%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3952015-2019	0.3922020-2024	−0.003	Within the margin of error	63%
Median household income	$59,4772015-2019	$73,0092020-2024	+23%	Improved	27%
New business applications	6.8 /1k2020	10.2 /1k2025	+49%	Improved	55%
Pharmacies	0.8 /10k2020	0.8 /10k2025	+2.1%	Little change	78%
Poverty rate	13.0%2015-2019	11.1%2020-2024	−2 points	Within the margin of error	72%
Property crime rate	3,114 /100k2020	1,550 /100k2025	−50%	Improved	85%
Public libraries	0.3 /10k2019	0.3 /10k2024	−3.8%	Little change	31%
Rent as share of income	23.0%2015-2019	19.7%2020-2024	−3.3 points	Within the margin of error	94%
Rent-burdened households	35.9%2015-2019	32.8%2020-2024	−3.1 points	Within the margin of error	80%
Restaurants and bars	6.8 /10k2020	8.0 /10k2025	+18%	Improved	91%
Suicide rate	26.1 /100k2020	18.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−31%	Improved	93%
Traffic deaths	13.1 /100k2015-2019	11.6 /100k2020-2024	−11%	Improved	78%
Unemployment rate	3.5%2020	2.9%2025	−0.6 points	Little change	2%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	14.0%2015-2019	14.3%2020-2024	+0.3 points	Within the margin of error	33%
Violent crime rate	531 /100k2020	433 /100k2025	−18%	Improved	54%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Garden City, KS micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Garden City, KS micropolitan area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Garden City, KS micropolitan area itself moved +3.1 points in standing on average over the same 30 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

38,084 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 40–49 men (+1.0 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

38,084 residents

Garden City, KS micropolitan area
United States share

White37%14,093
Black4.4%1,672
Hispanic or Latino53%20,246

Education

22,709 residents (±106)

Garden City, KS micropolitan area
United States share

No high school diploma28%6,394
High school or GED24%5,368
Some college19%4,243

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

13,229 households (±257)

Garden City, KS micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k12%1,611
$25k–50k17%2,270
$50k–75k23%2,978
$75k–100k12%1,522
$100k–150k22%2,851
$150k–200k9.3%1,236
$200k or more5.8%761

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $100k–150k (+7.2 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

13,229 households (±257)

Garden City, KS micropolitan area
United States share

Own65%8,589
Rent35%4,640

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

4,428 households (±407)

Garden City, KS micropolitan area
United States share

Under $75017%770
$750–1,00026%1,157
$1,000–1,50048%2,118

Home values

8,589 homes (±413)

Garden City, KS micropolitan area
United States share

Under $150k31%2,678
$150k–250k35%3,003
$250k–400k25%2,151

Age of homes

14,355 homes (±39)

Garden City, KS micropolitan area
United States share

2010 or later7.2%1,033
2000–20098.4%1,201
1980–199930%4,368

Size of homes

14,355 homes (±39)

Garden City, KS micropolitan area
United States share

Studio2.0%†281
1 bedroom6.1%872
2 bedrooms31%4,428

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

18,426 workers (±551)

Garden City, KS micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone79%14,571
Carpool15%2,676
Public transit0.2%†43
Walk1.3%†235
Bike0.2%†32
Work from home3.9%722
Other0.8%†147

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

17,704 workers (±537)

Garden City, KS micropolitan area
United States share

Under 15 min57%10,016
15–29 min33%5,917
30–44 min5.9%1,039

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes no occupation wages for Garden City, KS micropolitan area.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Garden City, KS has 1,044 employer establishments, 276 for every 10,000 residents (1.11× the US rate of 248), with 15,181 paid employees at an average annual pay of $48,097. The Census Bureau also counts 2,723 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,044; 2,723 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 276; US 248
Paid employees: 15,181
Average annual pay: $48,097; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Garden City, KS by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Truck transportation	81	21.4	4.23×More than typical	250	$58,472	357
Restaurants and other eating places	72	19	1.04×About typical	1,389	$18,892	18
Specialty trade contractors	64	16.9	1.09×About typical	548	$61,339	210
Ambulatory health care services	59	15.6	0.75×Fewer than typical	742	$60,880	70
Lessors of real estate	38	10	0.81×About typical	126	$34,730	202
Automotive repair and maintenance	36	9.5	1.89×More than typical	147	$43,517	69
Full-service restaurants	31	8.2	1.07×About typical	562	$21,171	9
Limited-service restaurants	27	7.1	0.89×About typical	633	$17,850	8
Building equipment contractors	26	6.9	1.14×About typical	279	$66,419	27
Construction of buildings	26	6.9	0.91×About typical	151	$53,265	102
Services to buildings and dwellings	26	6.9	1.02×About typical	426	$24,624	170
Religious organizations	23	6.1	1.10×About typical	155	$22,471	—

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $1,058 on contracts performed in Garden City, KS micropolitan area: $0.03 per resident (US $1,995).

Obligations: $1,058; −99% vs FY2025
Per resident: $0.03; US $1,995
Sole-source: 0.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Drug Enforcement Administration$1,058100%

Top recipients

ATT MOBILITY LLC$1,058100%

Spending by fiscal year

46.7KFY2017
361.4KFY2018
312.1KFY2019
429.9KFY2020
117.3KFY2021
308.1KFY2022
410.7KFY2023
323.8K

Top industries (NAICS)

Wired and wireless telecommunications carriers · 5173$1,058100%

Largest awards

AT&T MOBILE DEVICES$1,058
ATT MOBILITY LLC· Finney County, KS· IT & telecom· Mar 10, 2026 – Mar 10, 2026· 15DDSL26F00000016

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 6, 2026, loaded Oct 6, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $178.2M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Garden City, KS micropolitan area: $4,752 per resident (US $12,957).

Assistance · FY2026: $178.2M; −13% vs FY2025
Per resident: $4,752; US $12,957
Loan face value: $5.1M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 17%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$95.1M53%
10.990 · Farmer Bridge Assistance Program$15.7M8.8%

Counties in Garden City, KS

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Finney CountyCentral county5637,505

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

Garden CityPrincipal city27,819

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Kansas

Areas based in Kansas, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M23780

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved11

Declined1

Metro and micro areas like Garden City, KS micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Getting to work

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Counties in Garden City, KS

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Kansas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved11

Declined1

Household income

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Top programs

What was bought

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

By type

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates