Manhattan receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Junction City
Manhattan
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 11%
vs50 · Bottom 37%
Growth
31 · Bottom 19%
vs58 · Top 36%
Climate
61 · Bottom 17%
vs61 · Bottom 17%
Physical resilience
58 · Top 50%
vs64 · Top 44%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 19%
vs83 · Top 46%
Schools
65 · Top 33%
vs81 · Top 13%
Access
60 · Bottom 7%
vs67 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 34%
vs49 · Bottom 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Junction City | Manhattan | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,331 | 54,239 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,181 | $60,172 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,389 | $36,557 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,934/sq mi | 2,660/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $171,500 | $246,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,024 | $1,003 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.4% | 43.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.7% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.6% | 53.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.5% | 23.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 59 | 176 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 3.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -35.9% | 11.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.2" | 32.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 64 mi | 53 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.9 min | 18.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 28.8 | 25.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.49 | 14.46 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 34.8% | 39.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 39.3% | 47.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 59.8% | 44.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Junction City
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Manhattan
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave, strong wind.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Junction City
57
Your Score
55
Area Score
Manhattan
64
Your Score
64
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Junction City, KS · Manhattan, KS · How this is calculated: methodology