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.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
When you choose to live in one of Kansas’ best places for families, you are choosing to live where you can keep your family safe, happy, and healthy. You are choosing to live where your Kansas salary will go the furthest for your family. And that, Kansans, makes perfect sense.
So, what’s the best place for families to live in Kansas for 2026? Drum roll… the number one best place for families in The Free State is Andover based on the most recent Census data.
To learn more about our methodology and to see why Kansas’ top ten best places to raise a family are truly the best of the best, look at the list below. And if you don’t find your favorite there head to the bottom.
More reading about Kansas and the best places for families in the country:
- Best Places To Live In Kansas
- Cheapest Places To Live In Kansas
- Best Cities To Raise A Family In America
- Best States To Raise A Family In America
The 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In Kansas For 2026
/10
Population: 15,965
Median Income: $104,787
Average Home Price: $325,994
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 42
Closest Major City: Wichita
Households with kids: 49.4%
More on Andover: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 11,246
Median Income: $102,786
Average Home Price: $321,293
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 51
Closest Major City: Overland Park
Households with kids: 40.8%
More on Lansing: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 10,785
Median Income: $54,474
Average Home Price: $166,545
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 64
Closest Major City: Overland Park
Households with kids: 34.0%
More on Atchison: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 12,678
Median Income: $71,699
Average Home Price: $235,345
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 65
Closest Major City: Overland Park
Households with kids: 33.3%
More on Ottawa: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 145,057
Median Income: $114,009
Average Home Price: $433,116
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 45
Closest Major City: Overland Park
Households with kids: 38.2%
More on Olathe: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 33,809
Median Income: $185,625
Average Home Price: $777,578
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 33
Closest Major City: Overland Park
Households with kids: 31.8%
More on Leawood: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 200,306
Median Income: $104,834
Average Home Price: $482,294
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 56
Households with kids: 28.7%
More on Overland Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 12,769
Median Income: $59,180
Average Home Price: $169,660
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 54
Closest Major City: Wichita
Households with kids: 31.5%
More on El Dorado: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 24,526
Median Income: $96,818
Average Home Price: $352,182
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 34
Closest Major City: Overland Park
Households with kids: 46.2%
More on Gardner: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 13,995
Median Income: $77,529
Average Home Price: $217,268
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 46
Closest Major City: Wichita
Households with kids: 29.6%
More on Mcpherson: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
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.
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.
Here’s a look at the best cities for singles Kansas according to the data:
- Topeka
- Merriam
- Salina
For more Kansas reading, check out:
Best Places For Families In Kansas
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Amenities Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andover, KS | 15,965 | $104,787 | $325,994 | 47 |
| 2 | Lansing, KS | 11,246 | $102,786 | $321,293 | 34 |
| 3 | Atchison, KS | 10,785 | $54,474 | $166,545 | 40 |
| 4 | Ottawa, KS | 12,678 | $71,699 | $235,345 | 39 |
| 5 | Olathe, KS | 145,057 | $114,009 | $433,116 | 58 |
| 6 | Leawood, KS | 33,809 | $185,625 | $777,578 | 42 |
| 7 | Overland Park, KS | 200,306 | $104,834 | $482,294 | 61 |
| 8 | El Dorado, KS | 12,769 | $59,180 | $169,660 | 62 |
| 9 | Gardner, KS | 24,526 | $96,818 | $352,182 | 56 |
| 10 | Mcpherson, KS | 13,995 | $77,529 | $217,268 | 41 |