© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Salina.
About
Life in Salina
Salina offers an affordable Midwestern lifestyle with a cost of living about 20 percent below the national average—median home values hover around $173,200 and median rent runs $959 monthly. The job market is stable with unemployment around 3.3 percent, driven by solid manufacturing, education, and healthcare sectors; most commutes clock in at just 14 minutes. The community feels grounded with about 46,400 residents, median household income near $61,783, and a family-friendly makeup where roughly 28 percent of households have children.
Salina at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
13.0%
Foreign-Born
5.0%
Broadband Internet
90.3%
of households
Population Growth
-1.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Salina: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Salina, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (36.3%), and 5.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.2%
of residents
65 and Older
18.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.4%
of households
Married Couples
41.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.30
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 10% below KS average
Rent, home values, and income in Salina
In Salina, rent runs 10% below the KS average, and home values are 20% below the KS average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
36.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.8%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,317
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
64.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1965
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $176,659 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below KS average
Unemployment in Salina
Unemployment in Salina is 0.4 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 Salina Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute14.8 min avg
How Salina residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Salina, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 88% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 mi
Salina Municipal Airport (SLN)
Regional airport · few flights35k 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 36% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Salina runs 36% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
448.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,308
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Salina Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 20 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
66.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Saline County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Saline County, which includes Salina, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 20 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | Hail | None reported |
| 2024 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 18 | Drought | None reported |
| 2022 | 24 | Winter Weather | $120,100 |
| 2021 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $102,000 |
| 2020 | 19 | High Wind | $8,600 |
| 2019 | 24 | Flood | $241,100 |
| 2018 | 16 | Drought | $500,000 |
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.
18 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Saline County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Data not yet available
Climate90°F summers, 22°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Salina has hot summers (avg high 90°F) and cold winters (avg low 22°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
67°/43°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
90°/67°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
69°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
44°/22°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
32.0"
Annual Snowfall
15.5"
Hot Days/Year
68
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
116
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
89
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41°F | 20°F | 0.71" |
| Feb | 46°F | 24°F | 0.87" |
| Mar | 57°F | 33°F | 1.82" |
| Apr | 67°F | 42°F | 2.72" |
| May | 77°F | 53°F | 5.04" |
| Jun | 88°F | 64°F | 3.75" |
| Jul | 93°F | 69°F | 3.92" |
| Aug | 90°F | 67°F | 3.71" |
| Sep | 82°F | 58°F | 2.65" |
| Oct | 69°F | 45°F | 2.16" |
| Nov | 55°F | 32°F | 1.22" |
| Dec | 43°F | 23°F | 1.12" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Salina
Salina has 2 hospitals, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
12.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Salina Regional Health Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Salina Surgical Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals
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.
Education13.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Salina
Salina's student/teacher ratio is 13.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 28.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
13
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
28.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Salina
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 956 students · in-state tuition $36,214 · 40% graduate · median earnings $57,332 (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: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, 62 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Salina
Salina has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (62 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
National Preserve
62 mi awayFort Larned National Historic Site
National Historic Site
97 mi awayPublic Libraries in Salina
Salina Public Library
301 W. Elm Street, Salina
Cities Near Salina
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Salina?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Salina FAQ
Is Salina, Kansas affordable?⌄
Salina's median rent is $959/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $61,783/year. Median home value is $173,200.
Is Salina, Kansas safe?⌄
Salina's violent crime rate was 449 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2308 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Salina, Kansas?⌄
Salina has an unemployment rate of 3.4%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Salina, Kansas?⌄
The cost of living in Salina is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $959/month and median household income is $61,783/year. The median home value is $173,200. About 36% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Salina, Kansas?⌄
The average commute in Salina is 15 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