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Living in
Gardner.
About
Life in Gardner
Gardner is a community of 24,020 people in Kansas. The median household income is $96,818, median rent runs about $1,296 per month, and median home values are around $306,000. Unemployment is low at 3.6%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Gardner at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
30.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.3%
Foreign-Born
6.1%
Broadband Internet
95.1%
of households
Population Growth
+12.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Gardner: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Gardner, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (32.8%), and 8.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
31.4%
of residents
65 and Older
8.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
46.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
19.3%
of households
Married Couples
58.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.93
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 23% above KS average
Rent, home values, and income in Gardner
In Gardner, rent runs 23% above the KS average, and home values are 41% above the KS average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
39.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
14.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
92.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,464
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
67.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2003
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $350,639 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for KS
Unemployment in Gardner and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Gardner is close to the KS average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Gardner Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Kansas City, MO-KS metro area
Commute22.9 min avg
How Gardner residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Gardner, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 69% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 36 mi
Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
Medium hub5.6M 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 Gardner runs 44% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
185.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,268.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Gardner Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 13 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
94.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Johnson County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Johnson County, which includes Gardner, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 13 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $110,000 |
| 2024 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 12 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 17 | Hail | $100,000 |
| 2020 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20,000 |
| 2018 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
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.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Johnson County, county-wide
Gardner is about 4% of Johnson County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Johnson County, which includes Gardner, is typically good — 250 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
250
per year
Moderate Days
112
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Johnson County, county-wide
Gardner is about 4% of Johnson County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate87°F summers, 23°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Gardner has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and cold winters (avg low 23°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
66°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
42°/23°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
37.5"
Annual Snowfall
13.8"
Hot Days/Year
44
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
110
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
105
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 20°F | 1.05" |
| Feb | 44°F | 24°F | 1.50" |
| Mar | 56°F | 34°F | 2.31" |
| Apr | 66°F | 44°F | 3.76" |
| May | 75°F | 54°F | 5.08" |
| Jun | 85°F | 64°F | 5.26" |
| Jul | 89°F | 68°F | 4.21" |
| Aug | 88°F | 67°F | 3.95" |
| Sep | 80°F | 58°F | 3.74" |
| Oct | 68°F | 46°F | 3.27" |
| Nov | 54°F | 34°F | 1.91" |
| Dec | 43°F | 24°F | 1.50" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Gardner
Uninsured
5.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Gardner's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
University of Kansas Health System Olathe Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.1 mi away · Olathe
Cottonwood Springs Llc
Psychiatric · 9.7 mi away · Olathe
Minimally Invasive Surgery Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 11.4 mi away · Lenexa
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.
Education13.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Gardner
Gardner's student/teacher ratio is 13.8:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 32.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
32.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Gardner (within 15 miles)
Johnson County Community College
13.1 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 11,332 students · in-state tuition $2,424 · 31% graduate · median earnings $49,934 (10 yrs after entry)
MidAmerica Nazarene University
8.8 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 983 students · in-state tuition $38,620 · 69% graduate · median earnings $70,804 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Harry S Truman National Historic Site, 23 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Gardner
Gardner has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Harry S Truman National Historic Site (23 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Harry S Truman National Historic Site
National Historic Site
23 mi awayBrown v. Board of Education National Historical Park
National Historical Park
44 mi awayFort Scott National Historic Site
National Historic Site
68 mi awayTallgrass Prairie National Preserve
National Preserve
92 mi awayPublic Libraries in Gardner
Gardner Library
137 E Shawnee Street, Gardner
Cities Near Gardner
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Gardner?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Gardner FAQ
Is Gardner, Kansas affordable?⌄
Gardner's median rent is $1,306/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $96,818/year. Median home value is $306,200.
Is Gardner, Kansas safe?⌄
Gardner'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 1269 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Gardner, Kansas?⌄
Gardner has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Gardner, Kansas?⌄
The cost of living in Gardner is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,306/month and median household income is $96,818/year. The median home value is $306,200. About 39% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Gardner, Kansas?⌄
The average commute in Gardner is 23 minutes, which is about 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