Rents are 10% above what Manhattan's 10-year trend predicts — running hotter than its own history.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,315 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
October. Asking rents in Manhattan usually run 1% below trend in October and 1.1% above it in February, about $28 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Manhattan is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Manhattan changed +5.3% over the year to September 2026. Across the 21 Kansas cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.2%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Manhattan rose 19.2% while median household income rose 19.1% ($50,537 to $60,172). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Manhattan is 32.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 12 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($60,172) is $1,504 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,460); a 4-bedroom is $1,800.
Junction City, 19 miles away, rents for 14% less ($1,132/mo), about $2,200 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Manhattan. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Manhattan, KS is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 53.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Manhattan, KS has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Manhattan, KS has climbed from $1,021 to $1,315, a 28.8% change over five years. On the earnings side, the typical household in Manhattan, KS now reports about $60,172, up from $52,747 in 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has contracted by 1.0% since 2021, moving from about 54,794 residents to roughly 54,239. Renters now make up 56.5% of households, compared with 58.3% five years ago. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Manhattan, KS reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Manhattan on your salary?
At $1,315/mo, how Manhattan rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Manhattan rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Manhattan. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Manhattan
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Manhattan is $1,315/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $870/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,070/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $875/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,460/mo.
At 26% of local median household income ($60,172/yr), Manhattan ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 5.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Manhattan rent compare to other cities in Kansas?
At $1,315/mo, rent takes ~26% of Manhattan's median household income ($60,172/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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