← All cities that pay you to move
Mankato Free Land Program
Mankato, KS
Non-cash / land · Active
Offer: Free residential lots in Johnson Addition neighborhood
Who it's for: homebuyers
Requirements: Begin construction within 6 months of acquiring property. Peaceful cul-de-sac development.
What it costs to live in KS
Before the incentive, KS itself is 3 of the 48 states we cover on cost of living, counting from the cheapest, with a typical index of 89.4 (US = 100). A typical home runs $225,557 and rent $1,201/mo.
KS levies a state income tax, so weigh the one-off award against the ongoing bill. Effective property tax is around 1.3% of home value.
How this compares
This is one of 8 non-cash offers we track — programs giving away land or lots rather than writing a cheque. They are harder to value than a cash award because the real cost is what you then have to build, but they can be the largest offers of all if you were planning to build anyway.
| Program | Place | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Free Land Program | Lincoln, KS | Active |
| Marne Free Land Program | Marne, IA | Active |
| Beatrice Homestead Act 2010 | Beatrice, NE | Active |
| Claremont Workforce Housing Program | Claremont, MN | Active |
| Osborne Free/Low-Cost Land Program | Osborne, KS | Active |
| Making It in Muskegon | Muskegon, MI | Active |
Other KS programs
| Program | Place | Award | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choose Topeka | Topeka | $15,000 | Active |
| Live and Work Remote in Labette County | Labette County | $9,550 | Active |
| Neodesha Relocation Incentive | Neodesha | $7,000 | Active |
| Live and Work Local in Riley County | Riley County | $7,000 | Active |
| Live and Work Remote in Salina | Salina | $5,750 | Active |
| Jobs in Salina. Life in Balance | Salina | $5,750 | Active |
Source: Verified 2025; population ~900. Programs change often — confirm current terms on the official page. SalaryCompareTool is not affiliated with this program.