What it's like to live in Gardner
Gardner is a small city in Kansas with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Gardner deals with cold winters and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Fast-growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Cold winters
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Gardner compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Gardner
Based on Gardner's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,612
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $52,240 a year
- 39% of Gardner renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$61,240
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $30,620
- Homes cost 3.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,306/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,306 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $306,200. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $306,200 · 39% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 16% below US
3.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 44% below US
185 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1269/100k · Gardner Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 12% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.9 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 14% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 87°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 23°F and snow a regular occurrence.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 11% below US
32% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 32% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Harry S Truman National Historic Site (23 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Gardner's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are cold winters and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit. A year of median rent ($1,306/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near Gardner
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