In Kansas, yes, you ‘kan’ have everything. And lucky for you, HomeSnacks is here to tell you how your family can live their best life in the Sunflower State’s best places for families for 2026.
How did we determine Kansas’ most family friendly places? We consulted the US Census on places in The Jayhawker State with more than 10,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 27 family friendly Kansas places that any family would be lucky to call home.
No, it’s not a coincidence that most of Kansas’ family friendly places are centered around two of Kansas biggest cities: Kansas City and Wichita. There’s more to do in these places and jobs with competitive salaries are plentiful. But that’s not all we discovered, folks. Kansas has a ton of family friendly activities that are sure to keep your family entertained for weeks. Matter of fact, you can have your family at Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead in Overland Park, Clinton Lake in Lawrence and the Evil Knievel Museum in Topeka, all in the same weekend.
So, if you’re looking for safe, family friendly cities and neighborhoods, amazing schools, large green spaces, good BBQ, and just overall good family friendly fun, keep reading.
$104,787 median income · 49.4% households with kids
Located in
Sedgwick County, Kansas
Andover is a city in Butler County, Kansas, United States, and a suburb of Wichita. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,791.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$102,786 median income · 40.8% households with kids
Located in
Leavenworth County, Kansas
Lansing is a city situated along the Missouri River in the eastern part of Leavenworth County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,265. It is the second most populous city of Leavenworth County and is a part of the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$54,474 median income · 34.0% households with kids
Located in
Atchison County, Kansas
Atchison is a city and county seat of Atchison County, Kansas, United States, and situated along the Missouri River. As of the 2010 census, its population was 11,021. The city is named in honor of David Rice Atchison, United States senator from Missouri, and was the original eastern terminus of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Atchison was the birthplace of aviator Amelia Earhart, and the Amelia Earhart Festival is held annually in July. Atchison is also home of Benedictine College, a Catholic liberal-arts college.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$71,699 median income · 33.3% households with kids
Located in
Franklin County, Kansas
Ottawa is a city in, and the county seat of, Franklin County, Kansas, United States. It is located on both banks of the Marais des Cygnes River near the center of Franklin County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,649.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$114,009 median income · 38.2% households with kids
Located in
Johnson County, Kansas
Olathe is a city in, and is the county seat of, Johnson County, Kansas, United States. Located in northeastern Kansas, it is the fourth most populous city in Kansas, with a population of 125,872 persons as of 2010. Olathe is also the fourth-largest city in the Kansas City metropolitan area. It is bordered by the cities of Lenexa to the north, Overland Park to the east, De Soto to the northwest, and Gardner to the southwest.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$185,625 median income · 31.8% households with kids
Located in
Johnson County, Kansas
Leawood is a city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States, and part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 31,867.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$104,834 median income · 28.7% households with kids
Located in
Johnson County, Kansas
Overland Park is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas. Located in Johnson County, it is also the second most populous city in the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 173,372.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$59,180 median income · 31.5% households with kids
Located in
Butler County, Kansas
El Dorado EL-d-RAY-doh) is city and county seat of Butler County, Kansas, United States. It is situated along the Walnut River in the central part of Butler County and located in south-central Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 13,021.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$96,818 median income · 46.2% households with kids
Located in
Johnson County, Kansas
Gardner is a city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 19,123.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$77,529 median income · 29.6% households with kids
Located in
McPherson County, Kansas
McPherson is a city in and the county seat of McPherson County, Kansas, United States, in the central part of the state. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 13,155. The city is named after Union General James Birdseye McPherson, a Civil War general. It is home to McPherson College and Central Christian College.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Kansas’s statewide median.
Kansas statewide median: $74,275
Kansas statewide median: $244,761
On the map
Where Kansas’s most family-friendly cities are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Kansas anyways?
To give you the places in Kansas that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Kansas, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Kansas, that meant a total of 27 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in Kansas.
The full plate
Best Places For Families In Kansas
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | % Households w/ Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andover | 15,965 | $104,787 | $325,994 | 49.4% |
| 2 | Lansing | 11,246 | $102,786 | $321,293 | 40.8% |
| 3 | Atchison | 10,785 | $54,474 | $166,546 | 34.0% |
| 4 | Ottawa | 12,678 | $71,699 | $235,346 | 33.3% |
| 5 | Olathe | 145,057 | $114,009 | $433,117 | 38.2% |
| 6 | Leawood | 33,809 | $185,625 | $777,578 | 31.8% |
| 7 | Overland Park | 200,306 | $104,834 | $482,295 | 28.7% |
| 8 | El Dorado | 12,769 | $59,180 | $169,661 | 31.5% |
| 9 | Gardner | 24,526 | $96,818 | $352,182 | 46.2% |
| 10 | McPherson | 13,995 | $77,529 | $217,268 | 29.6% |
| 11 | Shawnee | 68,542 | $109,940 | $424,763 | 32.4% |
| 12 | Haysville | 11,117 | $67,740 | $207,754 | 33.3% |
| 13 | Lenexa | 58,384 | $103,239 | $477,848 | 28.3% |
| 14 | Liberal | 19,316 | $63,706 | $145,107 | 39.9% |
| 15 | Hays | 21,143 | $58,459 | $252,838 | 27.0% |
| 16 | Winfield | 11,711 | $56,656 | $137,701 | 31.9% |
| 17 | Leavenworth | 37,195 | $72,987 | $260,124 | 29.8% |
| 18 | Great Bend | 14,479 | $54,139 | $124,919 | 29.2% |
| 19 | Lawrence | 96,051 | $65,009 | $331,113 | 20.6% |
| 20 | Pittsburg | 20,637 | $43,419 | $133,322 | 32.3% |
| 21 | Newton | 18,397 | $68,885 | $171,182 | 27.4% |
| 22 | Wichita | 397,945 | $64,620 | $202,720 | 28.9% |
| 23 | Hutchinson | 39,709 | $58,687 | $146,981 | 27.7% |
| 24 | Emporia | 24,131 | $52,704 | $169,150 | 25.7% |
| 25 | Salina | 46,307 | $61,783 | $173,120 | 26.6% |
| 26 | Merriam | 11,085 | $73,600 | $326,709 | 19.4% |
| 27 | Topeka | 125,786 | $56,956 | $190,096 | 26.0% |
Source: U.S. Census data via Saturday Night Science. 27 Kansas cities with more than 10,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Kansas
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Kansas ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Kansas are Andover, Lansing, Atchison, Ottawa, Olathe, Leawood, Overland Park, El Dorado, Gardner, and McPherson.
