A growing city in central Kansas surrounded by farms and prairies
Salina hugs the Smoky Hill River from the city’s northeast edge just beyond Salina Country Club to the city’s southernmost edge at East Schilling Road and the Marty Bender Nature Area. One of several small cities in north central Kansas, Salina, with about 47,000 people, is a “small city surrounded by farming communities,” says Kendra Kuchta, managing broker with J.P. Weigand & Sons for more than 10 years. “There’s a lot to love in this area—our sunsets and sunrises are simply gorgeous on the plains. But what many home buyers who have moved here recently tell me is that they came here because it is safe. I’d say that nine out of 10 buyers have mentioned safety as their top priority.”
“Newcomers can also commute to jobs in Wichita or McPherson,” says Kuchta. “Salina’s home prices are a bit lower. We have a nice mix of older and new homes, so residential buyers quickly find what they want.” Growth within existing businesses and the arrival of new businesses to Salina have spurred investment of about $25 million to build 250 new rental apartments near Magnolia Road and Interstate 135.
Salina is a small city located about one hour north of Wichita, Kansas.
Many homes in Salina are surrounded by farmland.
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Buyers can find historic and brand-new homes
“While most real estate sales here are city or suburban homes, we’ll occasionally have buyers looking for country properties,” says Kuchta. “There are beautiful rolling hills with incredible views between McPherson and Salina, and land for building a private estate on a few acres is not hard to find.” The median home price of $195,000 is less than half the national median. Home prices range from $25,000 for fixer-uppers to $500,000 for 4,000-square-foot Spanish-style retreats on one acre. Old house fans can find occasional farmhouses from the 1800s and well-preserved midcentury modern ranch-style homes.
Many of the homes in Salina are Craftsman and bungalow designs from the 1900s.
There are several new traditional homes throughout Salina as well.
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Oakdale Park hosts the annual Smoky Hill River Festival
Salina maintains 26 parks on nearly 1,000 acres. Visitors to Oakdale Park can enjoy a botanical garden, fishing, and tennis courts, as well as a large, modern playground and a 2-mile hiking trail. The park co-hosts the annual Smoky Hill River Festival, with several performance stages and acres of picnic sites. The Bill Burke Sports Complex, dedicated to youth softball and baseball, has eight baseball diamonds, a playground and concession stands.
Rolling Hills Zoo is Kansas’ newest zoo. Its environment differs from traditional zoos, with animals roaming in settings that evoke their native habitats. A 64,000-square-foot wildlife museum offers detailed displays about endangered wildlife in the African Plains, North America, the Middle East and the Arctic Tundra.
Oakdale Park has several pickleball courts for Salina residents to enjoy.
Stop by the Rolling Hills Zoo in Salina for some outdoor fun.
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Salina Unified School District serves students of Salina
Salina Unified School District 305, also known as Salina Public Schools, serves the city. It has a B grade from Niche and operates nine elementary schools, two middle and two high schools. Cornerstone Classical School offers preschool through 12th grade. Students who attend St. Mary’s Grade School might continue their education at Sacred Heart Junior/Senior High School. Kansas State University operates the Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus in town.
Meadowlark Ridge Elementary School is another school that younger students may attend.
Kansas State University's Salina campus has a focus on aerospace and technology engineering.
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Downtown Salina is a thriving shopping, dining and arts district
With more than 200 shopping, dining, professional services and entertainment venues in Downtown Salina, visitors and locals will enjoy finding new favorite spots year-round. Martinelli’s Little Italy’s corner location with floor-to-ceiling windows has thrived since 2001 and is known for its traditional Italian family-owned environment. Barolo Grille offers an unexpected but balanced mix of Italian, French and Japanese foods, as well as a small plates menu and an elegant bar. The Salina Symphony and the Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts are within walking distance of coffee shops, art galleries and after-hours bars.
The downtown Salina district has a plethora of local shops.
Stop by Barolo Grille in Salina for date night.
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Mild weather and low crime rates bring businesses and buyers
Salina’s summers are hot, humid and periodic rainfall is welcome. Snowfall is minimal in winter. Rates of reported violent crimes and property crimes have consistently been about twice that of the state and national averages since 2020 in Salina. There has been a downward trend in both types of crimes in 2022 and 2023. According to the Salina Police Department's most recent annual report, 84 of 129 sworn officers are either Hispanic, Black or of mixed ethnicities in a city with a population that is more than 80% Hispanic.
Getting around Salina
Salina sits alongside Interstate 135 near Interstate 70. Salina’s CityGo bus system operates five routes that serve about 80% of the city. All buses are wheelchair accessible. Salina Regional Airport offers flights on United, operated by Skywest, to Denver, Chicago and Houston. While there are 24 miles of bike lanes in the city, they primarily serve areas near city parks and Wesleyan University.
Professional indoor football and the Smoky Hill River Festival
Fans can head to Tony’s Pizza Events Center to watch the Salina Liberty professional indoor football team. The center holds 6,500 people and hosts other events throughout the year including Monster Truck shows, the Isis Shrine Circus, Equifest of Kansas and the Harlem Globetrotters. Music festivals are a big draw in Salina. The Smoky Hill River Festival is a four-day event with a two-day Fine Arts Show and the Four Rivers Craft Market. The festival takes place across several stages at the Tony’s Pizza Event Center and Oakdale Park.
Tony's Pizza Events Center hosts several different events throughout the year in Salina.
Oakdale Park in Salina offers a wide variety of outdoor activities to enjoy.
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Written By
Sarah Albiston
Photography Contributed By
Zach Manwell
Video By
Charlie Lingner
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Kevin Keller,
an experienced agent in this area.
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Mari LoderColdwell Banker Antrim Piper Wenger REALTORS
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