Manhattan, Kansas Population 2023

55,204

Manhattan is a city located in Riley County Kansas. Manhattan has a 2023 population of 55,204. It is also the county seat of Riley County.Manhattan is currently growing at a rate of 0.4% annually and its population has increased by 1.21% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 54,544 in 2020.

The average household income in Manhattan is $75,791 with a poverty rate of 25.93%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Manhattan is 25 years, 24.9 years for males, and 25.1 years for females.

While the name may remind you of the borough in New York City, the Manhattan that we examine here is a city located in the state of Kansas. It is located in Riley County, with part of the city located in Pottawatomie. It is the county seat of Riley County. This city is most known for having a college-town vibe, as it is the location of Kansas State University.

It is also known by its nickname “The Little Apple” to New York City’s “Big Apple.” According to recent estimates, the population of Manhattan is {pop}.

The largest employer in Manhattan is Kansas State University. The school district, Fort Riley, and the Kansas Department of Agriculture are also significant employers in the area.

Manhattan Population Growth

Manhattan has seen consistent growth every decade since the census of 1870. The population surpassed 10,000 residents in 1930 and had more than doubled just 30 years later. At the time of the 2010 census, the population had grown to over 50,000. Since the 2010 census, current estimates show that the population has already increased by over 5%, indicating that this city will continue on its upward growth trend well into the future.

Native tribes originally inhabited what is now Manhattan. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Kansa people were the primary inhabitants. The tribe gave up their rights to the land with the signing of a treaty in 1846. Just a few years later, the Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed US citizens to settle the territory. George Park founded a settlement that year, naming it Polistra. A nearby area was also established and was named Canton.

In 1855, New England Free-Staters came into the area. The sites of Canton and Polistra were chosen for settlement. The same year, it was decided that the town settlements would be joined and named Boston. Dozens of settlers continued to come into the area. A steamer came ashore carrying 75 immigrants. They were stranded and decided to settle in the area but only if the name was changed, which it was. The city was incorporated just two years later.

Because Manhattan was Free-State, it was subject to violence. However, it was protected under neighboring Fort Riley, so it was spared much of the violence and destruction faced by other cities during the Bleeding Kansas period. Because of this, the area developed quite quickly. It was in the late 1850s when the city was selected as the county seat, and the same year, a college was established.

The population continued to grow as Fifty-Niners came to the area following the discovery of gold. The city flourished by selling supplies to miners. Later that year, the first newspaper was established. The population was continuing to grow, especially with the arrival of the Kansas Pacific Railroad.

The city of Manhattan has continued to expand, and its population has grown every decade. Today, the city has been named as one of the best places to retire and one of the best small communities for business and career. Public entities are the hub of the economy, and the city is home to many historic buildings and homes, Kansas State University, and cultural hotspots.

Manhattan Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Manhattan was:

  • White: 80.44%
  • Two or more races: 6.1%
  • Black or African American: 5.76%
  • Asian: 5.41%
  • Other race: 1.15%
  • Native American: 0.91%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.23%
State
Kansas
Land Area (mi²)
19.8 sq mi
Density (mi²)
2,781.20/sq mi
Growth Rate
0.4% (221)
Growth Since 2020
1.21% (660)
The current population of Manhattan, Kansas is 55,204 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 54,544.

Manhattan, Kansas Population 2023

Population by Race

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Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White44,07680.44%
Two or more races3,3456.1%
Black or African American3,1545.76%
Asian2,9665.41%
Other race6281.15%
Native American4980.91%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander1270.23%
showing: 7 rows

White

Two or more races

Black or African American

Asian

Other race

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Manhattan Population by Race

Manhattan Population Pyramid 2023

Manhattan Median Age

25

Total

24.9

Male

25.1

Female

Manhattan Adults

There are 46,464 adults, (4,881 of whom are seniors) in Manhattan.

Manhattan Age Dependency

31.8

Age Dependency Ratio

11.7

Old Age Dependency Ratio

20

Child Dependency Ratio

Manhattan Sex Ratio

Female26,86449.03%
Male27,93050.97%

Manhattan Population by Age

Manhattan Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All20,8152.3541.758.3
Non Family11,1741.7824.175.9
Married7,2102.9173.126.9
Female1,5553.3525.574.5
Male8763.236.363.7
showing: 5 rows

2.91

Average Family Size

2.35

Average Household Size

41.7%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Manhattan Households and Families

Male

Female

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Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Manhattan Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Manhattan Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

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The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 89.29%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 63.24%.

Manhattan Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

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$41,339

Average Earnings

$43,740

Average Male

$37,910

Average Female

Manhattan Earnings by Educational Attainment

Manhattan Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Manhattan Language

89.64% of Manhattan residents speak only English, while 10.36% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Asian and Pacific Island languages, which is spoken by 4.92% of the population.

Manhattan Language

Manhattan Poverty by Race

rate

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Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White37,1529,38225.25%
Hispanic3,8201,09828.74%
Multiple2,92195032.52%
Black2,92893131.8%
Asian2,82273726.12%
Native49315531.44%
Other56810117.78%
Islander1276551.18%
showing: 8 rows

25.93%

Overall Poverty Rate

24.67%

Male Poverty Rate

27.26%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Manhattan

The race most likely to be in poverty in Manhattan is Islander, with 51.18% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Manhattan is Other, with 17.78% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 6.18%. Among those working part-time, it was 51.6%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 29.07%.

Manhattan Poverty

rate

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Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade26.48%
High School17.24%
Some College13.27%
Bachelors or Greater5.74%
showing: 4 rows

Manhattan Poverty Rate by Education

rate

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Rate
Poverty
Male Unemployed48.1%
Female Unemployed28.46%
Female Employed26.9%
Male Employed21.39%
showing: 4 rows

Manhattan Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Manhattan Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

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mean

median

Income by Household Type

Manhattan Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

32.5%

Overall Marriage Rate

32.1%

Male Marriage Rate

32.8%

Female Marriage Rate

Manhattan Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Manhattan Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.

Manhattan Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Manhattan Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

3,441

Number of Veterans

2,868

Male Veterans

573

Female Veterans

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Manhattan Veterans by War

count

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Manhattan Veterans by Age

count

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Manhattan Veterans by Race

Manhattan Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

13.4%

Veteran Poverty Rate

21.73%

Veteran Disability Rate

Manhattan Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

70.4%

Labor Force Participation

65.2%

Employment Rate

4.5%

Unemployment Rate

Manhattan Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Manhattan Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Manhattan Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

56.96%

Born in Manhattan

103.11%

Native Born

8.78%

Foreign Born

6.43%

Non Citizen

2.35%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

103.11% of Manhattan residents were born in the United States, with 56.96% having been born in Kansas. 6.43% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.

Manhattan Place of Birth

Note: data after 2021 is projected based on recent change

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Year
Population
Growth
Growth Rate
18903,004-53,5432.13%
19003,4384341.36%
19105,7222,2845.23%
19207,9892,2673.39%
193010,1362,1472.41%
194011,6591,5231.41%
195019,0567,3975.04%
196022,9933,9371.9%
197027,5754,5821.83%
198032,6445,0691.7%
199037,7125,0681.45%
200044,8317,1191.74%
201052,281
201152,4631820.35%
201252,6451820.35%
201352,8271820.35%
201453,0091820.34%
201553,1911820.34%
201653,3731820.34%
201753,5551820.34%
201853,7371820.34%
201953,9191820.34%
202054,5446251.16%
202154,7632190.4%
202254,9832200.4%
202355,2042210.4%
202455,4262220.4%
202555,6492230.4%
202655,8722230.4%
202756,0962240.4%
202856,3212250.4%
202956,5472260.4%
showing: 32 rows

Manhattan Population by Year