11 Photos
Aggieville is an historic shopping and entertainment district in Manhattan, KS with strong K State culture. (Photo Cred: Visit Manhattan Kansas)
Aggieville is an historic shopping and entertainment district in Manhattan, KS with strong K State culture. (Photo Cred: Visit Manhattan Kansas)
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Enjoy some baked goods from Varsity Donuts on your way to a K-State tailgate (Photo Cred: Varsity Donuts)
Manhattan is the kind of place where vibrant college energy meets scenic landscapes and friendly Midwestern hospitality. (photo cred: Visit Manhattan Kansas)
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Life In Riley County, Kansas

They call it the Little Apple — but life here feels anything but small. Manhattan is for the professional ready to trade traffic for tallgrass, without giving up what makes a city worth living in. Work remotely from a K-State library, grab dinner on Poyntz Ave, then wake up Saturday five minutes from 8,600 acres of ancient Konza Prairie. All in a city where your commute is twelve minutes and your neighbors actually know your name. That's Manhappiness — and once you feel it... 

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Live like a local in the Little Apple

Things to do in Manhattan
Colorful beer cans and a "Manhattan Brewing Co" glass set the scene for a festive watch party, evoking community and excitement.
Vibrant evening view of the Museum of Art + Light showcasing colorful digital artwork, evoking community and creativity.
A hand pours golden, bubbly beer into a glass, evoking joy, relaxation, and community in a lively bar setting.
A vintage yellow and white convertible shines in a classic car showroom filled with polished vehicles, evoking nostalgia.
Flint Hills Discovery Center with modern design, vibrant flowers, and welcoming pathway, evokes curiosity and community engagement.
Colorful beer cans and a "Manhattan Brewing Co" glass set the scene for a festive watch party, evoking community and excitement.
Vibrant evening view of the Museum of Art + Light showcasing colorful digital artwork, evoking community and creativity.
A hand pours golden, bubbly beer into a glass, evoking joy, relaxation, and community in a lively bar setting.
A vintage yellow and white convertible shines in a classic car showroom filled with polished vehicles, evoking nostalgia.
Flint Hills Discovery Center with modern design, vibrant flowers, and welcoming pathway, evokes curiosity and community engagement.
Flint Hills Discovery Center with modern design, vibrant flowers, and welcoming pathway, evokes curiosity and community engagement.
Local Employers & Careers

Major employers in Manhattan that are actively hiring roles across healthcare, education, and biodefense.

Kansas State University

Kansas State University is one of the region’s largest and most influential employers, driving innovation, research, and education in Manhattan and across Kansas. As a major public research institution and land grant university, Kansas State prepares students for careers in fields ranging from engineering and agriculture to business, education, and the sciences.

See Open Roles →

The university offers a wide range of career opportunities across academic departments, student services, research and extension, administration, IT, facilities, finance, HR, communications, and more. With roles spanning faculty, professional staff, and operational teams, Kansas State provides diverse options for professionals at every stage of their careers.

Kansas State’s culture is rooted in collaboration, discovery, and service. Employees are supported through professional development, competitive benefits, and a shared mission to advance knowledge while strengthening communities throughout Kansas and beyond.


Ft. Riley / U.S. Army

One of the largest Army installations in the country and the single biggest economic driver for the greater Manhattan metro, Ft. Riley employs thousands of active-duty soldiers alongside 3,000+ civilian and contractor personnel. Civilian roles span IT, engineering, logistics, healthcare, education, and base operations. The installation injects over $2B annually into the local economy.


See Open Roles →

(Photo Cred: U.S. Army)

#employers

Ascension Via Christi

Ascension Via Christi is Manhattan's primary acute-care hospital and one of the city's largest employers in clinical healthcare. Part of the national Ascension network, it hires extensively in nursing, medical imaging, surgery, pharmacy, and patient care support. Its Catholic mission and nonprofit status shape a culture oriented around whole-person care, with access to Ascension's wide internal career mobility.


See Open Roles →

(Photo Cred: Acension Via Chrisit)

#employers

USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden Schools

The public school district serves Manhattan and Ogden with 20+ schools and roughly 1,500 employees, making it one of the city's largest non-university employers. Hiring spans classroom teaching at all grade levels, special education, counseling, paraprofessionals, and district administration. The district benefits from strong community investment and consistent enrollment driven by the university and military base.


See Open Roles →

(Photo Cred: USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden Schools)

#employers)

Stormont Vail Health

A leading regional health system based in Topeka with a presence serving the greater Manhattan area, Stormont Vail employs physicians, specialists, and care coordinators across outpatient and specialty clinic settings. As a nonprofit academic health system affiliated with the University of Kansas School of Medicine, it offers roles that blend clinical practice with teaching and research.


See Open Roles →

(Photo Cred: Stormont Vail Health)

#employers

Pawnee Mental Health Services

The primary community mental health center serving a 10-county north-central Kansas region, Pawnee Mental Health employs licensed therapists, case managers, psychiatrists, and crisis workers. Known for integrated care models combining outpatient therapy, crisis intervention, and residential services, it's a top healthcare employer for social work and counseling professionals.


See Open Roles →

(Photo Cred: Pawnee Mental Health Services)

#employers

Kansas State University

Kansas State University is one of the region’s largest and most influential employers, driving innovation, research, and education in Manhattan and across Kansas. As a major public research institution and land grant university, Kansas State prepares students for careers in fields ranging from engineering and agriculture to business, education, and the sciences.

See Open Roles →

The university offers a wide range of career opportunities across academic departments, student services, research and extension, administration, IT, facilities, finance, HR, communications, and more. With roles spanning faculty, professional staff, and operational teams, Kansas State provides diverse options for professionals at every stage of their careers.

Kansas State’s culture is rooted in collaboration, discovery, and service. Employees are supported through professional development, competitive benefits, and a shared mission to advance knowledge while strengthening communities throughout Kansas and beyond.


Ft. Riley / U.S. Army

One of the largest Army installations in the country and the single biggest economic driver for the greater Manhattan metro, Ft. Riley employs thousands of active-duty soldiers alongside 3,000+ civilian and contractor personnel. Civilian roles span IT, engineering, logistics, healthcare, education, and base operations. The installation injects over $2B annually into the local economy.


See Open Roles →

(Photo Cred: U.S. Army)

#employers

Ascension Via Christi

Ascension Via Christi is Manhattan's primary acute-care hospital and one of the city's largest employers in clinical healthcare. Part of the national Ascension network, it hires extensively in nursing, medical imaging, surgery, pharmacy, and patient care support. Its Catholic mission and nonprofit status shape a culture oriented around whole-person care, with access to Ascension's wide internal career mobility.


See Open Roles →

(Photo Cred: Acension Via Chrisit)

#employers

USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden Schools

The public school district serves Manhattan and Ogden with 20+ schools and roughly 1,500 employees, making it one of the city's largest non-university employers. Hiring spans classroom teaching at all grade levels, special education, counseling, paraprofessionals, and district administration. The district benefits from strong community investment and consistent enrollment driven by the university and military base.


See Open Roles →

(Photo Cred: USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden Schools)

#employers)

Stormont Vail Health

A leading regional health system based in Topeka with a presence serving the greater Manhattan area, Stormont Vail employs physicians, specialists, and care coordinators across outpatient and specialty clinic settings. As a nonprofit academic health system affiliated with the University of Kansas School of Medicine, it offers roles that blend clinical practice with teaching and research.


See Open Roles →

(Photo Cred: Stormont Vail Health)

#employers

Pawnee Mental Health Services

The primary community mental health center serving a 10-county north-central Kansas region, Pawnee Mental Health employs licensed therapists, case managers, psychiatrists, and crisis workers. Known for integrated care models combining outpatient therapy, crisis intervention, and residential services, it's a top healthcare employer for social work and counseling professionals.


See Open Roles →

(Photo Cred: Pawnee Mental Health Services)

#employers

Kansas State University

Kansas State University is one of the region’s largest and most influential employers, driving innovation, research, and education in Manhattan and across Kansas. As a major public research institution and land grant university, Kansas State prepares students for careers in fields ranging from engineering and agriculture to business, education, and the sciences.

See Open Roles →

The university offers a wide range of career opportunities across academic departments, student services, research and extension, administration, IT, facilities, finance, HR, communications, and more. With roles spanning faculty, professional staff, and operational teams, Kansas State provides diverse options for professionals at every stage of their careers.

Kansas State’s culture is rooted in collaboration, discovery, and service. Employees are supported through professional development, competitive benefits, and a shared mission to advance knowledge while strengthening communities throughout Kansas and beyond.


Ft. Riley / U.S. Army

One of the largest Army installations in the country and the single biggest economic driver for the greater Manhattan metro, Ft. Riley employs thousands of active-duty soldiers alongside 3,000+ civilian and contractor personnel. Civilian roles span IT, engineering, logistics, healthcare, education, and base operations. The installation injects over $2B annually into the local economy.


See Open Roles →

(Photo Cred: U.S. Army)

#employers

Ascension Via Christi

Ascension Via Christi is Manhattan's primary acute-care hospital and one of the city's largest employers in clinical healthcare. Part of the national Ascension network, it hires extensively in nursing, medical imaging, surgery, pharmacy, and patient care support. Its Catholic mission and nonprofit status shape a culture oriented around whole-person care, with access to Ascension's wide internal career mobility.


See Open Roles →

(Photo Cred: Acension Via Chrisit)

#employers

USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden Schools

The public school district serves Manhattan and Ogden with 20+ schools and roughly 1,500 employees, making it one of the city's largest non-university employers. Hiring spans classroom teaching at all grade levels, special education, counseling, paraprofessionals, and district administration. The district benefits from strong community investment and consistent enrollment driven by the university and military base.


See Open Roles →

(Photo Cred: USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden Schools)

#employers)

Stormont Vail Health

A leading regional health system based in Topeka with a presence serving the greater Manhattan area, Stormont Vail employs physicians, specialists, and care coordinators across outpatient and specialty clinic settings. As a nonprofit academic health system affiliated with the University of Kansas School of Medicine, it offers roles that blend clinical practice with teaching and research.


See Open Roles →

(Photo Cred: Stormont Vail Health)

#employers

Pawnee Mental Health Services

The primary community mental health center serving a 10-county north-central Kansas region, Pawnee Mental Health employs licensed therapists, case managers, psychiatrists, and crisis workers. Known for integrated care models combining outpatient therapy, crisis intervention, and residential services, it's a top healthcare employer for social work and counseling professionals.


See Open Roles →

(Photo Cred: Pawnee Mental Health Services)

#employers


Awards & Press

Manhattan – “#1 of 16 Midsize U.S. Cities You Do Not Want To Miss” (TravelAwaits, 2023)

Manhattan – “#1 of 16 Midsize U.S. Cities You Do Not Want To Miss” (TravelAwaits, 2023)

Kansas State University – “Best Value College in Kansas” (SmartAsset, 2022)

Kansas State University – “Best Value College in Kansas” (SmartAsset, 2022)

Manhattan - #65 Best Small Places in the U.S. for Business and Careers (Forbes, 2019)

Manhattan - #65 Best Small Places in the U.S. for Business and Careers (Forbes, 2019)

Manhattan - #81 Top 100 Best Places to Live in America (Livability.com, 2021

Manhattan - #81 Top 100 Best Places to Live in America (Livability.com, 2021


Activities in Riley County

Cost of Living Comparison

See how your current cost of living compares to life in Riley County, Kansas. Sign up to save your details and auto-load results next time.

MakeMyMove sources all Cost of Living Data from COLI, published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER), without any modification or bias.

COLI data is recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and CNN Money. The data and methodology are described in detail and completely transparent to users, found in the COLI Manual. Both data and methodology are reviewed by an Advisory Board composed of academic researchers and government officials. The Cost of Living Index is referenced in the Census Bureau's Statistical Abstract of the U.S.

According to the COLI Manual, composite differences of <4% and categorical differences of <5% are not statistically significant and should not be treated as necessarily accurate.

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Riley County Community Feed

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