Trying to find the cheapest places to live in Kansas is a whirlwind.
With so many affordable options, finding the places where your money goes the furthest can be like trying to find the Wizard of Oz.
Lucky for you, we’re here to dispel the magic behind Kansas’s most affordable places for 2026 using Saturday Night Science. Our methodology is simple. We rank all the places in Kansas based on median home prices, average incomes, and cost of living.
Living in Kansas’s cheapest places frees up cash to catch a Kansas City Royals game or Louisburg’s Dancefestopia Music Festival instead of paying more rent. Or a stroll down the yellow brick road.
$52,428 median income · $774 median rent · #2 home prices in Kansas
Located in
Labette County, Kansas
There’s good news and bad news when it comes to Parsons, our most affordable city in Kansas. The good news is that Parsons has the second cheapest homes for sale statewide at a median price of $78,523 and residents have the second easiest time paying off their mortgage. The bad news is that Parsons population has been steadily dwindling in recent years, and not without reason. Parsons ranks as one of the worst places to live in Kansas, due to a 20%+ poverty rate and a crime rate 75% over the national average.
Parsons is the second most populous city in southeastern Kansas.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$50,882 median income · $717 median rent · #4 home prices in Kansas
Located in
Neosho County, Kansas
Chanute, located in the heart of Kansas, is an affordable place to live. The median home value is $96,749, while the median rent is $717, both of which are significantly lower than the state average. Chanute offers plenty to do, with a strong sense of community and ample amenities. The city is home to Neosho County Community College and boasts several parks and recreational facilities. With a population of 8,598, Chanute provides residents with a small-town feel while still offering access to nearby larger cities.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$45,670 median income · $716 median rent · #1 home prices in Kansas
Located in
Montgomery County, Kansas
Coffeyville, located in southeastern Montgomery County, is an affordable place to live in Kansas. With a median home value of $62,588 and median rent of $716, the overall cost of living in Coffeyville is about 25% lower than the national average. Coffeyville, situated along the Verdigris River, boasts scenic parks and trails, making it perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. Its small-town charm also extends to its community events and festivals, such as the Inter-State Fair and Rodeo.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$52,159 median income · $755 median rent · #11 home prices in Kansas
Located in
Bourbon County, Kansas
At one point, Fort Scott was an actual fort. Named for Mexican War hero General Winfield Scott, the community first took root in the 1840s. Nowadays, it houses more than soldiers. In fact, the town represents the number 4 most affordable places to live in Kansas.
Looking for a good value on a housing purchase? Check out Fort Scott. The median home value sits at $127,119. That equates to the 11th cheapest price in the state. If you’re not ready for that kind of commitment, you can still get a good deal on an apartment as well. The median rent in town stands at $755 per month.
Bolstered by these reasonable housing expenses, the cost of living in Fort Scott comes in at just 70% of the national average. Along with the break on your living space, you can also find inexpensive services and transportation.
Fort Scott is located in the far eastern part of the state, about an hour and a half south of Kansas City, the largest urban area in the region. The median income in town is $52,159 and the unemployment rate is 6.33%.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$43,419 median income · $854 median rent · #12 home prices in Kansas
Located in
Crawford County, Kansas
Pittsburg is a city in Crawford County, Kansas, United States, located in Southeast Kansas near the Missouri state border. It is the most populous city in Crawford County and southeastern Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 20,233.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$49,629 median income · $781 median rent · #5 home prices in Kansas
Located in
Cowley County, Kansas
The first thing to know when you show up in Arkansas City — pronounce the “s” at the end of Arkansas, or you’ll surely be put down as a carpetbagger. Once you’ve got that down and you’re ready to buy a home, you’re in luck, because Arkansas City has the fifth least expensive homes for sale in Kansas at a median price of $97,615. Even more importantly, residents of Arkansas City pay the sixth lowest proportion of their income on homes statewide. With all these awesome statistics, why isn’t Arkansas City ranked higher? Unfortunately, it’s the least affordable place for renters on this list. Regardless of your housing situation, everyone will appreciate the gorgeous trails and excellent fishing opportunities at Cowley Lake Waterfall.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$51,069 median income · $789 median rent · #7 home prices in Kansas
Located in
Montgomery County, Kansas
In the heart of Montgomery County, {place_name} will offer your wallet independence as it is the seventh cheapest place in Kansas. A manageable 83 overall cost of living index is 8.0 points lower than the state average.
While you’re a solid trek to any major city, the savings on everyday costs will put some extra money in your pocket for a long weekend in Kansas City or Wichita.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$50,333 median income · $733 median rent · #6 home prices in Kansas
Located in
Sumner County, Kansas
Ranking as the eighth most affordable place in Kansas is Wellington, a city about 30 miles south of Wichita. Homes in Wellington go for around $110,051, the sixth cheapest in the state. Having a median income of $50,333 gives Wellington the seventh best home price to income ratio in Kansas. And don’t worry that living in such an affordable place must be boring; between three museums, a golf course, and a water park, there’s plenty to do in Wellington.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$54,221 median income · $767 median rent · #3 home prices in Kansas
Located in
Allen County, Kansas
Iola is a city situated along the Neosho River in the northwestern part of Allen County, located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,704. Iola is the county seat of Allen County. It is named in honor of Iola Colborn.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$52,704 median income · $815 median rent · #18 home prices in Kansas
Located in
Lyon County, Kansas
Between Topeka and Wichita, Emporia ranks as Kansas’s tenth least expensive city. As the county seat of Lyon County, Emporia’s cost of living index at 84 falls well below the state average. Housing is affordable with a $169,150 average home price and $815 average rent.
Home to Emporia State University and Flint Hills Technical College, Emporia has plenty to do on the weekends that’s free or low cost — college kids are broke, after all.
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: $244,761
Kansas statewide median: $74,275
On the map
Where your money goes furthest in Kansas
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Sunflower State for 2026
Determining affordability for places in Kansas boils down to how much it costs to live here.
You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.
With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 for Kansas using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Services
- Groceries
- Healthcare
- Utilities
These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.
We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in Kansas to figure out which is the least expensive.
The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 64 places in Kansas that have more than 5,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.
The place in Kansas with the lowest cost of living according to the data is Parsons.
We updated this article for 2026. This report reflects our eleventh time ranking the cheapest places to live in Kansas.
The full plate
Cheapest Places To Live In Kansas
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Of Living Index | Median Income | Home Prices | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parsons | 9,425 | 79 | $52,428 | $78,523 | $774 |
| 2 | Chanute | 8,598 | 79 | $50,882 | $96,749 | $717 |
| 3 | Coffeyville | 8,662 | 80 | $45,670 | $62,588 | $716 |
| 4 | Fort Scott | 7,555 | 80 | $52,159 | $127,119 | $755 |
| 5 | Pittsburg | 20,637 | 82 | $43,419 | $133,322 | $854 |
| 6 | Arkansas City | 11,884 | 82 | $49,629 | $97,615 | $781 |
| 7 | Independence | 8,422 | 83 | $51,069 | $114,893 | $789 |
| 8 | Wellington | 7,615 | 83 | $50,333 | $110,051 | $733 |
| 9 | Iola | 5,348 | 83 | $54,221 | $87,715 | $767 |
| 10 | Emporia | 24,131 | 84 | $52,704 | $169,150 | $815 |
| 11 | Atchison | 10,785 | 84 | $54,474 | $166,546 | $737 |
| 12 | El Dorado | 12,769 | 85 | $59,180 | $169,661 | $844 |
| 13 | Concordia | 5,015 | 85 | $51,138 | $125,724 | $808 |
| 14 | Kansas City | 155,135 | 86 | $62,401 | $198,195 | $1,123 |
| 15 | Topeka | 125,786 | 86 | $56,956 | $190,096 | $979 |
| 16 | Winfield | 11,711 | 86 | $56,656 | $137,701 | $786 |
| 17 | Haysville | 11,117 | 86 | $67,740 | $207,754 | $1,064 |
| 18 | Pratt | 6,577 | 86 | $63,819 | $123,111 | $798 |
| 19 | Hutchinson | 39,709 | 87 | $58,687 | $146,981 | $881 |
| 20 | Great Bend | 14,479 | 87 | $54,139 | $124,919 | $759 |
| 21 | Mulvane | 6,171 | 87 | $74,039 | $235,791 | $1,015 |
| 22 | Dodge City | 27,613 | 88 | $68,721 | $210,132 | $1,045 |
| 23 | Newton | 18,397 | 88 | $68,885 | $171,182 | $903 |
| 24 | Ottawa | 12,678 | 88 | $71,699 | $235,346 | $1,032 |
| 25 | Augusta | 9,216 | 88 | $64,919 | $214,258 | $865 |
| 26 | Abilene | 6,449 | 89 | $57,924 | $184,105 | $1,022 |
| 27 | Colby | 5,387 | 89 | $63,494 | $180,598 | $750 |
| 28 | McPherson | 13,995 | 90 | $77,529 | $217,268 | $925 |
| 29 | Ulysses | 5,476 | 90 | $63,857 | $153,433 | $717 |
| 30 | Salina | 46,307 | 91 | $61,783 | $173,120 | $959 |
| 31 | Liberal | 19,316 | 91 | $63,706 | $145,107 | $900 |
| 32 | Wichita | 397,945 | 92 | $64,620 | $202,720 | $975 |
| 33 | Junction City | 22,331 | 92 | $61,181 | $207,588 | $1,024 |
| 34 | Park City | 7,673 | 92 | $74,301 | $220,147 | $1,077 |
| 35 | Leavenworth | 37,195 | 93 | $72,987 | $260,124 | $1,229 |
| 36 | Hays | 21,143 | 94 | $58,459 | $252,838 | $922 |
| 37 | Maize | 6,824 | 94 | $72,024 | $307,838 | $1,399 |
| 38 | Goddard | 6,030 | 94 | $94,004 | $300,790 | $1,758 |
| 39 | Tonganoxie | 5,891 | 94 | $80,109 | $373,875 | $1,224 |
| 40 | Paola | 5,770 | 94 | $74,662 | $371,666 | $1,091 |
| 41 | Garden City | 27,819 | 95 | $72,865 | $233,702 | $1,052 |
| 42 | Derby | 26,062 | 96 | $84,112 | $282,214 | $1,136 |
| 43 | Valley Center | 8,590 | 96 | $77,020 | $260,221 | $883 |
| 44 | Bonner Springs | 7,839 | 97 | $83,218 | $300,304 | $1,165 |
| 45 | Lawrence | 96,051 | 98 | $65,009 | $331,113 | $1,091 |
| 46 | Merriam | 11,085 | 98 | $73,600 | $326,709 | $1,181 |
| 47 | Mission | 9,915 | 98 | $75,534 | $330,951 | $1,194 |
| 48 | Bel Aire | 9,043 | 98 | $97,795 | $278,866 | $1,649 |
| 49 | Gardner | 24,526 | 99 | $96,818 | $352,182 | $1,306 |
| 50 | Eudora | 6,119 | 99 | $118,184 | $332,798 | $1,222 |
| 51 | Manhattan | 54,239 | 100 | $60,172 | $288,518 | $1,003 |
| 52 | Lansing | 11,246 | 100 | $102,786 | $321,293 | $1,406 |
| 53 | Louisburg | 5,094 | 101 | $68,824 | $400,547 | $1,439 |
| 54 | Roeland Park | 6,763 | 103 | $88,774 | $332,319 | $1,582 |
| 55 | De Soto | 6,414 | 103 | $104,000 | $425,984 | $1,158 |
| 56 | Spring Hill | 9,120 | 104 | $112,428 | $419,142 | $1,108 |
| 57 | Shawnee | 68,542 | 106 | $109,940 | $424,763 | $1,322 |
| 58 | Basehor | 7,491 | 106 | $116,769 | $439,342 | $1,257 |
| 59 | Olathe | 145,057 | 107 | $114,009 | $433,117 | $1,314 |
| 60 | Andover | 15,965 | 108 | $104,787 | $325,994 | $1,450 |
| 61 | Lenexa | 58,384 | 110 | $103,239 | $477,848 | $1,454 |
| 62 | Overland Park | 200,306 | 112 | $104,834 | $482,295 | $1,515 |
| 63 | Prairie Village | 22,874 | 117 | $113,530 | $488,597 | $1,794 |
| 64 | Leawood | 33,809 | 134 | $185,625 | $777,578 | $1,983 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, cost-of-living data. 64 places with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Kansas Affordability Summary
This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in Kansas for 2026, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in Kansas.
The cheapest cities in Kansas are Parsons, Chanute, Coffeyville, Fort Scott, Pittsburg, Arkansas City, Independence, Wellington, Iola, and Emporia.
