How many renters live in Riley County, Kansas?
The County of Riley County has 71,108 people living in 27,884 households.
There are 32,471 renters living in 15,992 renter households in this County. Renters make up 45.66 percent of the population living in Riley County.
What is the rental market like in Riley County, Kansas?
There are an estimated 30,595 housing units in the Riley County area. Of these, 16,837 units are rental homes, making up 55 percent of the housing market. For every renter household in Riley County, Kansas, there are 1 rental units.
What is the vacancy rate for rentals in Riley County?
The rental vacancy rate in Riley County is 8 percent. This is a higher than average vacancy rate. When rental vacancy rates are high it means that there are a lot of available units and rents tend to be lower.
How many rental units are in Riley County for each bedroom size?
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Riley County
| Studio | One-Bedroom | Two-Bedroom | Three-Bedroom | Four+ Bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 790 | 3,162 | 5,236 | 3,691 | 1,644 |
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Riley County
A large number of apartments in Riley County have two or fewer bedrooms. Seniors and young professionals especially may have more success finding an apartment that meets their needs.
How many renter households in Riley County are overburdened by housing costs?
Among renter households in this market, 57 percent have housing cost burden. Further, 29 percent of households are extremely rent overburdened. When renters pay too much for their housing, it leaves little money for other necessities like food, clothes, or medicine.
The federal government says that renters are cost-burdened if they pay more than a third of their monthly income for rent and utilities.
How Much Is Rent in Riley County
Depending on size, the Fair Market Rent - HUDs measurement of the cost of an average housing unit - ranges from $812 to $1,712. FMRs are updated annually by HUD for every city and county nationwide.
| Bed Size | 2024 Fair Market Rents |
| Studio | $812 |
| One BR | $817 |
| Two BR | $1,009 |
| Three BR | $1,347 |
| Four BR | $1,712 |
2024 Fair Market Rents in Riley County, Kansas
How many units are rented at Fair Market Rent (FMR) in Riley County?
Renters with a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher must select a home that is at or below the area’s Fair Market Rent. Markets with a large share of units above FMR tend to have longer search times to find a qualified unit, while those with a large share of units below FMR tend to have more choices and shorter search times. The share below FMR can vary by size of unit, as shown in the table below.
These are the approximate number of units renting below the FMR in this market:
| Unit Size | Count of Units Below FMR | Percentage of Total Units Below FMR |
| Studio | 244 | 31 percent |
| One BR | 1,610 | 51 percent |
| Two BR | 2,926 | 56 percent |
Rental Units Below FMR in Riley County, Kansas
How many affordable rental units are in Riley County?
There are a variety of federal affordable housing programs serving households in Riley County, Kansas including the following:
| Federal Program | Unit Count |
| Low Income Housing Tax Credit | 412 |
| Public Housing | 226 |
| Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance | 104 |
| Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly | 26 |
| USDA Section 515 Rural Rental Housing | 48 |
Tracked Units by Federal Program in Riley County, Kansas
Rental units may be funded in part by multiple federal programs.
Income Based Apartments in Riley County, Kansas
Riley County features 72 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.
Low Rent Apartments in Riley County, Kansas
There are 112 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Riley County.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Riley County, Kansas
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Riley County landlords $600 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $300 towards rent in Riley County.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Riley County, Kansas for a two-bedroom apartment is between $908 and $1,110.
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.
