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Living in
Dodge City.
About
Life in Dodge City
If you're considering Dodge City, understand that this is a working town built on agriculture and industrial employment, not a tourism destination masquerading as home. The meat packing industry dominates the job market, which means stable employment but also that the city's character is shaped by that reality. Cost of living is genuinely affordable—median home values around $152,000 and rent averaging $1,045 a month—and the job market is tight with unemployment under 3 percent.
Dodge City at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
30.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.6%
Foreign-Born
28.5%
Broadband Internet
88.1%
of households
Population Growth
-0.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics28.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Dodge City: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Dodge City, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (59.2%), and 50.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
31.2%
of residents
65 and Older
9.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
46.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
23.7%
of households
Married Couples
40.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.96
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for KS
Rent, home values, and income in Dodge City
In Dodge City, home values are 30% below the KS average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
26.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
10.3%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,199
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
56.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1973
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $208,237 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below KS average
Unemployment in Dodge City
Unemployment in Dodge City is 0.7 percentage points lower than the KS average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Dodge City Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute11.6 min avg
How Dodge City residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Dodge City, most residents drive alone to work (81%), and 94% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Dodge City Regional Airport (DDC)
Regional airport · few flights9,108 passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 44% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Dodge City runs 44% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
184.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
987.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Dodge City Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 28 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
51.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Ford County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Ford County, which includes Dodge City, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 28 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28 | Hail | $7.5M |
| 2024 | 32 | Hail | $8,000 |
| 2023 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 34 | High Wind | $500,000 |
| 2021 | 19 | High Wind | $110,000 |
| 2020 | 22 | Hail | None reported |
| 2019 | 20 | Hail | $500,000 |
| 2018 | 39 | Thunderstorm Wind | $55,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Ford County, county-wide
Air Quality28 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Ford County, which includes Dodge City, is typically good — 325 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
28
Good Days
325
per year
Moderate Days
36
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Ford County, county-wide
Climate91°F summers, 22°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Dodge City has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and cold winters (avg low 22°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
69°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
71°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
47°/22°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
22.7"
Annual Snowfall
19.1"
Hot Days/Year
71
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
128
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
70
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°F | 20°F | 0.60" |
| Feb | 49°F | 23°F | 0.62" |
| Mar | 60°F | 31°F | 1.35" |
| Apr | 69°F | 40°F | 1.99" |
| May | 78°F | 51°F | 2.99" |
| Jun | 89°F | 62°F | 3.29" |
| Jul | 94°F | 66°F | 3.08" |
| Aug | 91°F | 65°F | 2.99" |
| Sep | 84°F | 56°F | 1.31" |
| Oct | 71°F | 43°F | 2.02" |
| Nov | 57°F | 30°F | 0.80" |
| Dec | 46°F | 22°F | 0.96" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Dodge City
Dodge City has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
17.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Centura St. Catherine-dodge City
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education21.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Dodge City
Dodge City's student/teacher ratio is 21.7:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 20.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
11
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
20.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
21.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Santa Fe National Historic Trail, 6 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Dodge City
Dodge City has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Santa Fe National Historic Trail (6 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Santa Fe National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
6 mi awayFort Larned National Historic Site
National Historic Site
52 mi awayPublic Libraries in Dodge City
Dodge City Public Library
1001 N. Second Ave, Dodge City
Cities Near Dodge City
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Dodge City?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Dodge City FAQ
Is Dodge City, Kansas affordable?⌄
Dodge City's median rent is $1,045/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $68,721/year. Median home value is $151,700.
Is Dodge City, Kansas safe?⌄
Dodge City's violent crime rate was 185 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 988 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Dodge City, Kansas?⌄
Dodge City has an unemployment rate of 3.1%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Dodge City, Kansas?⌄
The cost of living in Dodge City is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,045/month and median household income is $68,721/year. The median home value is $151,700. About 26% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Dodge City, Kansas?⌄
The average commute in Dodge City is 12 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from