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Valley Center, Kansas

19 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1889 and the latest in 1990. It stands in Valley Center Township. It lies in ZIP code area 67147. It stands on Trails View Slough. The Survey maps it on the Valley Center quadrangle. 7,340 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,345 feet above sea level.

Valley Center within Sedgwick County

On record in Valley Center

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 1 record

Population over time

2 figures

Valley Center grew from 6,822 to 7,340 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
20106,822
20207,340+518 (+8%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

10 surveys from 19 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

91 since 2015

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 91 fires within 5 miles of Valley Center between 2015 and 2020, burning about 214 acres in total. 1 started naturally. 1 was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined46
Debris and open burning30
Smoking3
Misuse of fire by a minor2
Other causes2
Fireworks2
Equipment and vehicle use2
Power generation/transmission/distribution2
Natural1
Arson/incendiarism1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
20 September 2017Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreSedgwick County6771
9 July 2015Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresKansas Forest Service5223
3 July 2017Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresSedgwick County4634
26 July 2017Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreSedgwick County5290
22 July 2017Debris and open burning5.0 acresSedgwick County5183
1 July 2015Fireworksunder an acreKansas Forest Service419
5 June 2017Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreSedgwick County31588
30 June 2020Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreKansas Forest Servicenot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Sedgwick County

Mines and quarries near this place

1 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Valley Center: 1 past producer. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Miles Sand Inc. Pit & PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every working recorded in Sedgwick County

Storms near this place

60 of 79 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Valley Center in 79 storm reports between 1994 and 2026: 32 thunderstorm wind, 32 hail, 5 flash flood, 5 heavy rain. The reports record 1 death and 3 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
September 2008Flash FloodValley Center1 killed, 1 hurt, $7,000Widespread heavy rains of 8 to 10 inches caused flooding of numerous county roads across Northern Sedgwick County. One fatality occurred to the south of the town of Sedgwick, near the 11200 block of North West, when a stalled motorist apparently attempted to flee his vehicle and was swept into the ditch by the fast moving water and drowned.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindValley Center2 hurt, $250,000An isolated thunderstorm produced severe downburst winds along with hail up to quarter size along and near Interstate 135 roughly between 109th Street and 101st Street. Four semis traveling on the interstate were blown over, blocking traffic for several hours. Various power lines and trees were downed. Additionally, copious amounts of pea to quarter size hail pummeled the same location for several minutes, producing hail drifts up to 6 inches deep. The hail in tandem with the wind shattered dozens of vehicle windows, producing two minor injuries due to flying glass. Additionally, at a nearby residence, a garage roof was peeled off, and a camper suffered major damage from the wind and hail.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindValley Center$50,000,000Hurricane-force winds blew across the county as thunderstorms rumbled through. Eighty-two mph winds were recorded in Valley Center where a metal shed was blown over and fences were damaged. The winds were not as strong when they went across Wichita and were about 65 mph. Damage in Wichita was mainly broken tree limbs and downed fences. Winds were clocked at 101 mph in Goddard where three trailers blew over and 70 feet of sheet metal was peeled off the side of the Rubbermaid plant. Clearwater was the hardest hit where the fire department lost its roof and ceiling and half of the lumber company building was blown away. Damage just to power lines and poles was $10 million. One hundred fifty thousand Kansas Gas and Electric customers were without power--some for four days. One Andale farmer lost ten percent of his corn crop, otherwise there was no major crop loss.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindValley Center$400,000Long track microburst moved northeast into the southern sections of Valley Center causing extensive damage.
September 2008Flash FloodValley Center$135,000Rainfall amounts of 10.80 inches caused widespread flooding across Valley Center. Hit the hardest was the Praire Lakes subdivision, where the large amount of rain caused the retention pond around the subdivision to rise rapidly and flood basements and stall cars. The Valley Center school district dismissed students early due to the high water and blocked access in and out of Valley Center.
July 2005Thunderstorm WindValley Center$10,000Downed trees and power lines.
June 2000Thunderstorm WindValley Center$10,000Travel trailer blown over and power lines downed.
June 2000Thunderstorm WindValley Center$5,000Fences blown down with debris blown across four-lane road.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindValley Center$5,000High winds from thunderstorms blew across Sedgwick County with the northern portion receiving the brunt of the winds. Fifty-two knots was reported in Valley Center, 58 was measured in northeast Wichita, while 52 knot winds were in southwest Wichita.
May 2020HailValley Center$1,000At least one window was broken by hail. Reported was relayed via Kake-TV.
October 2016Thunderstorm WindValley Center$500A tree fell on a 300 gallon propane tank, knocking the valve off.
July 2009Thunderstorm WindValley Center$250A four inch diameter tree limb was blown down.
September 2018FloodValley Center$100Highway 81 was closed due to high water in several sections from 101st Street north to 125th Street north.
October 2018FloodValley Center$100Numerous flooded roads were reported across Valley Center and Park City.
April 2026Thunderstorm WindValley Center-A trained spotter estimated up to 60 mph wind gusts.
June 2025FloodValley Center-Flooding reported at the intersection of Colby and Main Street.
June 2025Flash FloodValley Center-Vehicles stuck in high water near the intersection of Main and Emporia. Broadway was closed from 69th to 125th Street North. A small sedan was washed off of the roadway and in the ditch.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindValley Center-A roof was blown off of a metal outbuilding.
April 2024Thunderstorm WindValley Center-Power poles were down at 125th and Meridian.
June 2024Heavy RainValley Center-Twenty-four hour rainfall of 1.89 inches.
June 2024FloodValley Center-Flooding reported along North Meridian Street.
August 2023Heavy RainValley Center-Rainfall in the past 24hours of 2.97 inches.
July 2023Heavy RainValley Center-A Cocorahs station reported 3.68 inches of rainfall.
November 2022Heavy RainValley Center-A Cocorahs observer reported 2.82 inches of rainfall.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindValley Center-An estimated 65 to 70 mph downburst was reported.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindValley Center-Local media relayed the report of a window being blown out of a home.
June 2018HailValley Center-Though not reported, it's likely the tennis ball-sized hail caused damage.
June 2016HailValley Center-Report via Twitter.
June 2016HailValley Center-Report was courtesy KWCH Channel 12.
June 2016HailValley Center-Report sent via Twitter.
June 2016HailValley Center-Report was sent in via Twitter.
June 2016HailValley Center-Report was sent in via Twitter.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindValley Center-Relayed via social media.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindValley Center-The wind speed was estimated by a trained spotter.
October 2016Thunderstorm WindValley Center-A trained spotter reported the gust.
May 2015FloodValley Center-In Valley Center, law enforcement reported Meridian Avenue was closed.
August 2015HailValley Center-The quarter-sized hail was reported, via face book, on the west of side of Valley Center. The time of occurrence is estimated from radar.
March 2012HailValley Center-Relayed through spotternetwork.org.
March 2012HailValley Center-Relayed through spotternetwork.org.
March 2012HailValley Center-Relayed through spotternetwork.org.
May 2012Thunderstorm WindValley Center-No damage reported.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindValley Center-A metal shed was blown over at Hoover and 53rd.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindValley Center-A trained spotter reported the gust along with pea sized hail.
April 2009Thunderstorm WindValley Center-Winds were estimated at 60 to 70 mph.
September 2009Heavy RainValley Center-Valley Center West Elementary reported 3.20 inches of rainfall. Report courtesy of KSN TV weatherlab.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindValley Center-Pea size hail occurred with the wind.
July 2008HailValley Center-Winds of 60 to 70 mph occurred with the hail, producing extensive damage. Refer to the Thunderstorm Wind entry for the same date, time and location for more details.
August 2006Thunderstorm WindValley Center-Several tree limbs were blown out of trees. Report via KSNW Channel 3.
June 2000Flash FloodValley Center-A road was flooded with a car completely submerged.
July 1999Flash FloodValley Center-Street flooding.
April 2026HailValley Center-no account filed
April 2026Thunderstorm WindValley Center-no account filed
September 2025HailValley Center-no account filed
May 2021HailValley Center-no account filed
May 2020HailValley Center-no account filed
May 2020HailValley Center-no account filed
May 2020HailValley Center-no account filed
May 2016HailValley Center-no account filed
May 2016HailValley Center-no account filed
May 2012HailValley Center-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Sedgwick County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Trails View2.0 miles19
Park City3.8 miles19
Wichita Heights4.2 miles19
Riverview4.2 miles19
Sunnydale4.6 miles19
Childs Acres5.0 miles20
Coleman5.2 miles20
Kechi5.7 miles19

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on Valley CenterAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q2355683The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 473852. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.