Residential comparison · 13 facts
Emporia, KS vs Garden City, KS
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Emporia needs about $85,500 in Garden City to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Garden City, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $84,500 in Emporia.
A few differences
- Garden City is higher on median household income ($72,865 vs $52,704).
- Emporia is lower on cost of living index (73 vs 78).
- Emporia is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($839/mo vs $1,007/mo).
Emporia vs Garden City · facet by facet
| Facet | Emporia, KS | Garden City, KS |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $132,700 | $192,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $839/mo | $1,007/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.34% | 1.34% |
| State & local income tax | 4.09% | 4.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.7% | 8.7% |
| Cost of living index | 73 | 78 |
| Groceries index | 95 | 95 |
| Utilities | $165/mo | $165/mo |
| Median household income | $52,704 | $72,865 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| Crime index | 48/100 | 48/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 230 days | 230 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Emporia, KS · Garden City, KS
Questions & answers
- Is Emporia cheaper than Garden City?
- Emporia has the lower day-to-day cost index (73 vs 78 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Garden City equals $85,000 in Emporia?
- A household earning $85,000 in Emporia needs about $85,500 in Garden City to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Garden City lifestyle costs about $84,500 in Emporia.