Town guide

Bala, Kansas

Bala is a community in Riley County, Kansas across 0.4 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 66531.

Homes sold for a median of $144 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.

Price per sq ft$144Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking0%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Bala

1 ZIP code, 1 shared with neighboring towns

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Bala. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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We’re writing up Bala’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.

  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

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Around Bala

Distances

Nearest major airportKansas City International Airport (MCI)113 miles away
Closer regional airportManhattan Regional Airport (MHK)14 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Lincoln, NE105 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Dallas, TX449 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Bala; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Bala

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Riley County grew from 13,828 residents in 1900 to 71,959 in 2020.

Riley County, 1900–2020

Riley County population, 1900 to 20201900: 13,828, 1910: 15,783, 1920: 20,650, 1930: 19,882, 1940: 20,617, 1950: 33,405, 1960: 41,914, 1970: 56,788, 1980: 63,505, 1990: 67,139, 2000: 62,843, 2010: 71,115, 2020: 71,95914K’00’1021K’20’3021K’40’5042K’60’7064K’80’9063K’00’1072K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 90°F in summer, and winter lows average 16°F. About 33.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near BalaJan: high 39°F, low 16°F, 0.6 in; Feb: high 44°F, low 20°F, 1.2 in; Mar: high 55°F, low 30°F, 1.9 in; Apr: high 66°F, low 41°F, 3.3 in; May: high 75°F, low 52°F, 5.1 in; Jun: high 85°F, low 62°F, 5.3 in; Jul: high 90°F, low 67°F, 4.3 in; Aug: high 88°F, low 65°F, 4.2 in; Sep: high 81°F, low 55°F, 2.8 in; Oct: high 68°F, low 42°F, 2.4 in; Nov: high 54°F, low 30°F, 1.6 in; Dec: high 43°F, low 20°F, 1.2 in39°16°Jan0.644°20°Feb1.255°30°Mar1.966°41°Apr3.375°52°May5.185°62°Jun5.390°67°Jul4.388°65°Aug4.281°55°Sep2.868°42°Oct2.454°30°Nov1.643°20°Dec1.2Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Tuttle Creek Lake, KS weather station (12 miles away).

Jobs in Riley County

20,580 jobs at 1,620 businesses in Riley County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Riley CountyHotels and restaurants: 3,984 jobs; Retail trade: 3,884 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 3,546 jobs; Other services: 1,456 jobs; Construction: 1,246 jobs; Information: 1,040 jobs; Professional services: 1,010 jobs; Finance and insurance: 867 jobsHotels and restaurants 19% Retail trade 19% Health care and social assistance 17% Other services 7% Construction 6% Information 5% Professional services 5% Finance and insurance 4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

Nearest hospitals

  • Manhattan Surgical Hospital LLCGeneral hospital · no emergency room · Manhattan13.8 miles
  • Ascension Via Christi Hospital Manhattan, INCGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Manhattan13.8 miles
  • Clay County Medical CenterCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Clay Center17.3 miles

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances.

Places in and around Bala

Parks (2 nearby)

  • Riley City West Park · 4 acres0.4 mi

Libraries (2 nearby)

  • Riley City Library0.2 mi
  • Riley County Library0.2 mi

Museums (1 nearby)

  • Arts & Memories Museum0.3 mi

Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Schools in Bala

Public schools here are run by Riley County. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (2)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Riley County Grade SchoolRileyPre-K–8514Public0.3 mi
Riley County High SchoolRiley9–12232Public2.4 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Where Bala is

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Towns near Bala

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Shares ZIP codes with Riley.

Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.