States › Kansas › Abilene

Is Abilene, KS expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 23 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,19932% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$62,471about $5,206/month · 28% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$131,50060% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 76% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $47,960 a year. That is $23 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Kansas cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Kansas. It is number 29 of 65 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Abilene
$1,199
De Soto
$2,022
Pratt
$883
Mulvane
$1,122
Roeland Park
$1,750
Eudora
$1,351
Maize
$1,547

How much do households earn in Abilene?

Under $25k
13.2%
$25k–50k
32.7%
$50k–100k
26.9%
$100k–150k
16.7%
$150k+
5.5%

Share of households by yearly income. 22.2% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Abilene

SizeAbileneU.S. average
Studio$854$1,338
1 bedroom$666$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,254$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,397$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Abilene overall?

Everyday prices in Kansas overall are 10% below the U.S. average (index 90.1, U.S. = 100).

Housing
71
Goods (food, clothes…)
94
Utilities
88
Other services
94
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Abilene, so the Kansas figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Abilene

🏛️ Property tax$2,140a year · 1.63% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$150a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Abilene

Commute to work20.2 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree22.3%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home73.9%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line6.8%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment3.2%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Abilene?

Buying is cheaper month to month: about $287 a month less than renting.

Renting
$1,199
Owning
$912

Owning assumes a typical $131,500 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $13,150 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Abilene, KS?

Renting in Abilene costs a median of about $1,199 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Kansas median is $1,222.

How much do I need to make to live in Abilene?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $47,960 a year, or $23 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Abilene cheap or expensive?

Abilene is rated OK: rent takes 23.0% of the typical household income of $62,471. It ranks 29th cheapest of 65 Kansas cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Abilene?

The median homeowner in Abilene pays $2,140 a year in property taxes, about 1.63% of the median home value.

Is Abilene more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Kansas are 10% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Abilene?

The median home value in Abilene is $131,500, about 2.1 times the typical yearly household income.

6,449 people live in Abilene. Numbers are typical (middle) values.