Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Manhattan, Kansas
A $244,000 home here costs
$2,111per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,254. The real number is $856 higher every month — 68% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Manhattan against Riley County and Kansas
| Measure | Manhattan | Riley County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $243,700 | $231,200 |
| Median property tax | $3,672 | $3,317 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.507% | 1.435% |
| Median gross rent | $1,019 | $1,065 |
| Population | 53,951 | 71,710 |
Manhattan extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Riley County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Manhattan sits in Riley County, which averages a high of 91.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 17.8°F in its coldest, with 32.17" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,490 cooling and 5,104 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Riley County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Riley County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Manhattan?
A $244,000 home in Manhattan, Kansas costs approximately $2,111 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,254 principal and interest, $306 property tax, $142 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $203 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Manhattan?
Manhattan has an effective property tax rate of 1.507%, based on a median home value of $243,700 and median real estate taxes of $3,672. That is higher than the Riley County average of 1.435%.
What is the average home price in Manhattan?
The median owner-occupied home value in Manhattan, Kansas is $243,700, against $231,200 across Riley County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Manhattan?
Median gross rent in Manhattan is $1,019 a month, against $2,111 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Manhattan — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Kansas.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.