Riley County
The Riley County Appraiser’s Office has completed all studies and analysis for 2025 property valuations. The annual Change of Value Notices (CVNs) will be mailed on February 26th to property owners. The CVNs reflect changes in property values due to fluctuations in the local real estate market and/or changes made to individual properties, such as additions, demolitions, classification changes, or other improvements.
The real estate market in Riley County reflects an overall upward trend, with residential property values increasing by an average of 4% to 10%, while commercial property values show an average increase of 2% to 6%. The average price of all valid home sales in 2024 was $275,000 while in 2023 the average price was $265,000. The median home price in Riley County for 2024 was $250,000 while in 2023 it was $238,000.
Riley County Appraiser Anna Burson explains “The median is the middle price when all home sales are listed from lowest to highest, meaning half of the homes sold for more and half sold for less. The median price is a more reliable reference point because it is less affected by outliers. It’s also important to note that Values on specific properties may not follow the general trends because of changes to the property, a correction of descriptive information, or the sales in the market area indicate values outside of the typical range,” said Burson.
As in previous years the upcoming CVN mailing will contain a form for requesting a valuation appeal. To ensure appeals are initiated by individuals authorized under Kansas Statue, all forms must be filled out, signed, and either emailed, dropped off or faxed back to the Riley County Appraisers Office within 30 days of the mailing date. The email address the forms can be emailed to is valuationappeal@rileycountyks.gov. The appeal phone line is only set up for general questions and to request information and will no longer be used to set up appeals. Once the completed and signed forms are received, the Appraiser’s Office will contact property owners or their representative(s) to schedule an appeal meeting.
“It’s important to note that just because the property value increases does not mean the taxes will,” said Burson.
Appraisers are tasked with valuing homes at fair market value based on sales. Appraisers do not set tax rates. The tax bills received in December reflect an individual property’s share of the established yearly budget. The budget itself is determined by the Riley County Board of County Commissioners, school districts, municipalities, and other taxing authorities. The tax dollars needed to meet the budget are represented by the mill levy.
“As you may have heard before, the valuation of your property determines your piece of the pie, not the size of the pie itself. Which is why it’s so important to ensure all property is valued fairly and equitably,” said Burson.
For more information about the relationship between valuation and property tax, visit the Appraiser section of the Riley County website at https://www.rileycountyks.gov/Appraiser.
“Property data for all parcels in Riley County can be accessed through the County’s website, values will update online by noon on February 28th” said Burson “If you are in need of any additional information, please feel free to contact our office.”
Find more information about Riley County online at www.RileyCountyKS.gov by calling (785) 565-6200, or by visiting 110 Courthouse Plaza in Manhattan.
