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Living in
Grain Valley.
About
Life in Grain Valley
This Kansas City suburb about 23 miles east of downtown offers the kind of stable, family-friendly environment where people actually put down roots—the median household income sits around $87,000, and the poverty rate is just under 5%, suggesting economic stability without the intensity of urban living. The school system reflects this focus—Grain Valley R-V operates multiple elementary and middle schools plus a high school, serving over 4,000 students across parts of four counties. Your commute to downtown KC averages about 25 minutes, which is manageable if you're working in the metro but not a daily grind into the urban core.
Grain Valley at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.7%
Foreign-Born
2.9%
Broadband Internet
95.1%
of households
Population Growth
+8.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Grain Valley: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Grain Valley, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (37.5%), and 3.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
29.9%
of residents
65 and Older
11.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
38.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.9%
of households
Married Couples
50.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.66
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 35% above MO average
Rent, home values, and income in Grain Valley
In Grain Valley, rent runs 35% above the MO average, and home values are 23% above the MO average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
35.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
7.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
92.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,182
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
65.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2002
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $332,369 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for MO
Unemployment in Grain Valley and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Jackson County, which includes Grain Valley, is close to the MO average.
Unemployment rate
Grain Valley: Jackson County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Jackson County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Grain Valley is about 2% of Jackson County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Grain Valley 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
Commute25.8 min avg
How Grain Valley residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Grain Valley, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 57% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 34 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 72% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Grain Valley runs 72% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
93.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
792.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Grain Valley Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Jackson County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Jackson County, which includes Grain Valley, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | Not estimated |
| 2024 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10,000 |
| 2023 | 13 | Drought | None reported |
| 2022 | 20 | Drought | $10,000 |
| 2021 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $7,000 |
| 2019 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.0M |
| 2018 | 26 | Thunderstorm Wind | $240,000 |
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.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Jackson County, county-wide
Grain Valley is about 2% of Jackson County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality47 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Jackson County, which includes Grain Valley, is typically good — 209 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
47
Good Days
209
per year
Moderate Days
153
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Jackson County, county-wide
Grain Valley is about 2% of Jackson County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate86°F summers, 25°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Grain Valley has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 25°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
65°/46°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/68°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/47°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
42°/25°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
43.5"
Annual Snowfall
13.2"
Hot Days/Year
38
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
96
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
88
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 22°F | 0.96" |
| Feb | 44°F | 26°F | 1.43" |
| Mar | 55°F | 35°F | 2.14" |
| Apr | 66°F | 46°F | 4.19" |
| May | 75°F | 56°F | 5.70" |
| Jun | 84°F | 65°F | 4.95" |
| Jul | 88°F | 70°F | 4.57" |
| Aug | 87°F | 68°F | 4.54" |
| Sep | 79°F | 59°F | 3.07" |
| Oct | 67°F | 47°F | 3.39" |
| Nov | 54°F | 36°F | 2.05" |
| Dec | 43°F | 26°F | 1.35" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Grain Valley
Uninsured
4.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Grain Valley's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
St Mary's Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3 mi away · Blue Springs
Centerpoint Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.8 mi away · Independence
University Health Lakewood Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.7 mi away · Kansas City
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.
Education13.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Grain Valley
Grain Valley's student/teacher ratio is 13.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 27.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
27.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Harry S Truman National Historic Site, 18 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Grain Valley
Grain Valley has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Harry S Truman National Historic Site (18 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Harry S Truman National Historic Site
National Historic Site
18 mi awayBrown v. Board of Education National Historical Park
National Historical Park
79 mi awayFort Scott National Historic Site
National Historic Site
85 mi awayPublic Libraries in Grain Valley
Grain Valley Branch
101 Sw Eagles Pkwy, Grain Valley
Cities Near Grain Valley
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Grain Valley?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Grain Valley FAQ
Is Grain Valley, Missouri affordable?⌄
Grain Valley's median rent is $1,398/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $89,649/year. Median home value is $283,800.
Is Grain Valley, Missouri safe?⌄
Grain Valley's violent crime rate was 93 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 792 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Grain Valley, Missouri?⌄
Jackson County, which includes Grain Valley, has an unemployment rate of 4.2%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Grain Valley, Missouri?⌄
The cost of living in Grain Valley is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,398/month and median household income is $89,649/year. The median home value is $283,800. About 35% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Grain Valley, Missouri?⌄
The average commute in Grain Valley is 26 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