The 10 Best Small Towns In Kansas For 2025


The best small towns in Kansas are Mission Hills and Westwood for 2025 based on Saturday Night Science.

By: Chris Kolmar | About HomeSnacks
Last Updated: October 1, 2025

You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in Kansas. Best sururbs in Kansas. Best counties in Kansas.

Etc., etc., etc.

But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Sunflower State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.

Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in Kansas based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.

We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in Kansas ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.

Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table

The 15 Best Small Towns To Live In Kansas For 2025

  1. Mission Hills
  2. Westwood
  3. Fairway
  4. Hoxie
  5. Kechi
  6. North Newton
  7. Lindsborg
  8. Silver Lake
  9. Wamego
  10. Seneca
  11. Spearville
  12. Rose Hill
  13. Highland
  14. Andale
  15. Meade

Best Small Towns To Live In Kansas Map

What’s the best small town in Kansas? Mission Hills is the best small town in Kansas based on the most recent Census data. If you live in one of these small towns like Mission Hills, chances are, you’re not surprised. After all, you know how great you have it.

But for the rest of you–keep reading, and we’ll get to just why these small towns made our list.

For more reading on the Sunflower State check out:

The 15 Best Small Towns In Kansas For 2025

1. Mission Hills

Mission Hills, KS

Source: Wikipedia User Iknowthegoods | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 3,556
Median Income: $250,001 (1st Best)
Median Home Value: $1,183,200 (1st Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.5%

2. Westwood

Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 1,851
Median Income: $102,500 (4th Best)
Median Home Value: $384,500 (3rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.0%

3. Fairway

Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 4,177
Median Income: $159,821 (2nd Best)
Median Home Value: $626,600 (2nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.1%

4. Hoxie

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,191
Median Income: $68,750 (45th Best)
Median Home Value: $173,000 (23rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.3%

5. Kechi

Overall SnackAbility

9
/10

Population: 2,935
Median Income: $102,794 (3rd Best)
Median Home Value: $264,200 (4th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.7%

6. North Newton

North Newton, KS

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

9
/10

Population: 2,150
Median Income: $86,750 (11th Best)
Median Home Value: $202,700 (13th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.3%

7. Lindsborg

Lindsborg, KS

Source: Wikipedia User Swampyank | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 3,773
Median Income: $69,559 (43rd Best)
Median Home Value: $178,200 (21st Best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.5%

8. Silver Lake

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,549
Median Income: $56,857 (84th Best)
Median Home Value: $168,900 (25th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.6%

9. Wamego

Wamego, KS

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 4,205
Median Income: $82,756 (15th Best)
Median Home Value: $187,700 (18th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.6%

10. Seneca

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,139
Median Income: $70,221 (40th Best)
Median Home Value: $217,000 (10th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.5%

11. Spearville

Overall SnackAbility

/10

Population: 1,054
Median Income: $71,230 (34th Best)
Median Home Value: $185,400 (19th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.6%

12. Rose Hill

Rose Hill, KS

Source: Wikipedia User Art davis | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

9
/10

Population: 4,353
Median Income: $98,827 (6th Best)
Median Home Value: $213,400 (11th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.7%

13. Highland

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,047
Median Income: $77,500 (22nd Best)
Median Home Value: $121,800 (63rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.1%

14. Andale

Overall SnackAbility

/10

Population: 1,259
Median Income: $99,063 (5th Best)
Median Home Value: $255,800 (5th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.0%

15. Meade

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,274
Median Income: $73,990 (27th Best)
Median Home Value: $97,100 (86th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%

Best States In America

Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In Kansas

We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in Kansas possible.

Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2019-2023 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:

  • Population Density (Higher is better)
  • Lowest Unemployment Rates
  • Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
  • Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
  • Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
  • Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
  • Commute Times (Lower is better)

We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 133 to be exact.

We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 133, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Kansas. Top of that list — Mission Hills.

This is our tenth time ranking the best small places to live in Kansas.

Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones

We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these 15 small towns in Kansas are the best in which to live.

And who can argue with that?

The best small towns in Kansas are Mission Hills, Westwood, Fairway, Hoxie, Kechi, North Newton, Lindsborg, Silver Lake, Wamego, and Seneca.

If you’re curious, here are the worst small towns in Kansas:

  1. Cherryvale
  2. Horton
  3. Oswego

For more Kansas reading, check out:

Best Small Towns In Kansas

Rank City Population Median Income Median Home Value Unemployment Rate
1 Mission Hills, KS 3,556 $250,001 0.5%
2 Westwood, KS 1,851 $102,500 2.0%
3 Fairway, KS 4,177 $159,821 2.1%
4 Hoxie, KS 1,191 $68,750 0.3%
5 Kechi, KS 2,935 $102,794 0.7%
6 North Newton, KS 2,150 $86,750 5.3%
7 Lindsborg, KS 3,773 $69,559 4.5%
8 Silver Lake, KS 1,549 $56,857 0.6%
9 Wamego, KS 4,205 $82,756 1.6%
10 Seneca, KS 2,139 $70,221 0.5%
11 Spearville, KS 1,054 $71,230 0.6%
12 Rose Hill, KS 4,353 $98,827 3.7%
13 Highland, KS 1,047 $77,500 2.1%
14 Andale, KS 1,259 $99,063 5.0%
15 Meade, KS 1,274 $73,990 0.0%
16 Moundridge, KS 1,654 $72,130 1.8%
17 Plainville, KS 1,766 $60,526 1.5%
18 Sedgwick, KS 1,702 $81,912 0.5%
19 Baldwin City, KS 4,881 $81,838 5.5%
20 Scott City, KS 3,955 $54,026 1.5%
21 Wakeeney, KS 1,838 $74,000 1.4%
22 Sabetha, KS 2,326 $67,794 0.5%
23 St. George, KS 1,115 $90,556 1.2%
24 Overbrook, KS 1,015 $63,750 1.0%
25 Buhler, KS 1,311 $65,833 1.2%
26 Ness City, KS 1,136 $65,982 0.6%
27 Ellsworth, KS 3,098 $65,357 1.4%
28 St. Marys, KS 2,795 $71,723 3.0%
29 Cimarron, KS 1,942 $92,762 3.1%
30 Garden Plain, KS 1,055 $90,000 4.7%
31 La Crosse, KS 1,081 $50,872 0.3%
32 Chapman, KS 1,244 $72,699 2.8%
33 Colwich, KS 1,616 $88,468 7.2%
34 Hesston, KS 3,747 $72,620 5.3%
35 Inman, KS 1,425 $61,083 3.2%
36 Sterling, KS 2,396 $51,304 1.9%
37 Norton, KS 2,704 $51,266 0.0%
38 Atwood, KS 1,388 $66,473 0.6%
39 Holcomb, KS 2,582 $85,938 3.1%
40 Hillsboro, KS 2,716 $57,792 2.8%
41 Wathena, KS 1,463 $84,531 0.2%
42 Conway Springs, KS 1,597 $70,469 1.8%
43 Cheney, KS 2,386 $75,263 0.9%
44 Wakefield, KS 1,031 $66,250 2.1%
45 Lyndon, KS 1,184 $70,625 0.0%
46 Marysville, KS 3,423 $61,607 2.0%
47 Lakin, KS 2,069 $84,286 2.8%
48 Perry, KS 1,085 $82,589 3.9%
49 Clearwater, KS 2,536 $72,266 3.0%
50 Ogden, KS 1,628 $61,953 9.1%
51 Towanda, KS 1,748 $71,048 2.1%
52 Halstead, KS 2,435 $68,750 0.7%
53 Ellis, KS 2,145 $70,274 3.5%
54 Edgerton, KS 1,787 $81,858 1.7%
55 Phillipsburg, KS 2,132 $58,125 3.6%
56 Carbondale, KS 1,361 $67,578 0.7%
57 Plains, KS 1,308 $75,500 1.6%
58 Oakley, KS 2,049 $69,778 1.6%
59 Washington, KS 1,199 $56,875 2.1%
60 Clay Center, KS 4,148 $56,422 1.6%
61 Oskaloosa, KS 1,172 $79,250 0.8%
62 Goodland, KS 3,878 $53,929 0.1%
63 Frontenac, KS 3,381 $56,867 2.6%
64 Marion, KS 2,010 $60,756 0.0%
65 Medicine Lodge, KS 1,518 $54,663 3.3%
66 Fredonia, KS 2,113 $61,250 0.4%
67 Haven, KS 1,394 $59,258 3.1%
68 Rossville, KS 1,183 $58,287 10.1%
69 Wellsville, KS 2,003 $67,292 1.6%
70 Oberlin, KS 1,763 $47,813 2.2%
71 Smith Center, KS 1,585 $53,963 2.3%
72 Johnson City, KS 1,244 $69,081 1.9%
73 Lyons, KS 3,562 $66,769 6.3%
74 Council Grove, KS 2,487 $56,211 2.1%
75 Sublette, KS 1,397 $69,784 2.9%
76 Hill City, KS 1,536 $49,899 5.2%
77 Burlington, KS 2,615 $52,083 5.1%
78 Leoti, KS 1,461 $64,732 0.1%
79 Stockton, KS 1,521 $60,964 1.0%
80 Herington, KS 2,105 $68,214 0.1%
81 Belle Plaine, KS 1,486 $62,727 2.2%
82 Douglass, KS 1,523 $70,735 5.3%
83 Minneapolis, KS 2,101 $65,694 4.9%
84 St. Francis, KS 1,268 $45,324 1.7%
85 Valley Falls, KS 1,305 $43,333 2.1%
86 Larned, KS 3,328 $51,957 1.7%
87 Hoisington, KS 2,660 $50,344 7.4%
88 Syracuse, KS 1,706 $54,615 1.2%
89 Auburn, KS 1,185 $63,382 5.7%
90 Hiawatha, KS 3,223 $65,058 6.8%
91 Yates Center, KS 1,381 $43,433 1.7%
92 Americus, KS 1,147 $81,125 4.2%
93 Russell, KS 4,258 $51,347 0.9%
94 Belleville, KS 2,036 $51,136 1.9%
95 Beloit, KS 3,141 $50,865 1.6%
96 Neodesha, KS 2,311 $48,532 4.8%
97 Ellinwood, KS 2,117 $55,332 2.4%
98 Holton, KS 3,384 $51,390 1.7%
99 Edwardsville, KS 4,721 $76,847 5.8%
100 St. John, KS 1,247 $71,726 2.8%
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.

 Best Small Towns, Rankings