Are you thinking of picking up everything and moving to Kansas?
Whether you have decided to move as close as possible to the Jayhawks or couldn’t resist the burnt ends, we know it can be hard to find the ideal place to live. So we did the hard work for you.
We used Saturday Night Science to find the best place to live in Kansas. We compared data from the Census, FBI, and Zillow on factors like low crime, home prices, and incomes for the 57 cities over 5,000 people. After all, the data never lies.
It turns out you should pick up everything and move to Johnson County.
$185,625 median income · $777,578 median home · #1 best place in Kansas
Located in
Johnson County, Kansas
Not only is Leawood the best place to live in Kansas, but it’s also the only city on our top ten list to score a perfect 10/10 on our SnackAbility scale.
Leawood is used to being in the limelight as this is the second year in row that they have earned this rank–consistent strong numbers in areas like safety, affordability, education, and amenities, tend to do this to a city; and rightfully so as the crime rate here is below the national average. To put this in perspective, there were only 537 recorded last year.
In terms of cost of living, you will find savings comparable to the state average in transportation and utilities, but you’re going to pay the highest median home price at $777,578. On the flipside, the median household income here is $185,625/year. Not to mention, if you were wondering how Leawood would best support your family, just know that this city is one of the best places to raise your family in the state and it’s because they spend quite a bit per student.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$103,239 median income · $477,848 median home · #2 best place in Kansas
Located in
Johnson County, Kansas
Low crime and a low cost of living have transformed Kansas’ 2nd best place to live, Lenexa, into a Kansas hot spot. Up three spots from last year, it is now a top ten-er and a well deserving one at that.
First of all, the homes in Lenexa are the 2nd most expensive in the state of Kansas, with the average home worth a whopping $477,848.
Other numbers that stand out: the combined median household income for Lenexa’s residents is $103,239/year and the crime rate here is way below the national average. Basically, folks, it’s super safe here. In fact, it’s one of the safest cities in the state. And this is important when you are looking for a place with safe urban adventures for you and your family.
Speaking of adventures, Lenexa scored a 9/10 on our SnackAbility scale with its number of educated residents, its job market, commute times, and amenities at the forefront. Hop on the easily accessible concrete rivers here and enjoy Lenexa’s Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art or Shawnee Mission Park.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$104,834 median income · $482,295 median home · #3 best place in Kansas
Located in
Johnson County, Kansas
Overland Park is one of the biggest cities in Kansas with 200,306, so the fact that it is also the 3rd best place to live in the state and one of the best places to live in the United States is quite amazing.
So, how can the rest of the state as well as the rest of the country take a page from Overland Park’s book? Well, first you need to find out how to get your crime rate below the state average and below the national level like yours truly. You also need to figure out how to get your cost of living at a manageable level. Overland Park might have the 2nd highest median home price (because so many people want to move here), but the city’s median income of $104,834/year more than accounts for overall living expenses if you are part of the working class. And if you aren’t part of the working class here, you have no excuse as the unemployment rate in Overland Park is the 25th best unemployment rate at 3.6%.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$118,184 median income · $332,798 median home · #4 best place in Kansas
Located in
Douglas County, Kansas
The birthplace of Hugh Beaumont, who famously played Ward Cleaver in “Leave It to Beaver,” Eudora is a city where residents are thriving so much, you would think the economy boom of the 1950s was happening all over again.
People here are earning the 2nd highest median household income in the state. And not only do residents make a good living, they also do not have to dish out lots of dough to support their lifestyle thanks to the area’s affordable rates for housing, transportation, groceries and other everyday expenses.
With plenty of money left over after the necessities are covered, tastings at BlueJacket Crossing Vineyard & Winery could easily become a regular occurrence. And given that the median age of community members is 39, it is likely you will be surrounded by plenty of young professionals during the establishment’s happy hours. A bonus for those looking to make friends on the younger side. If you want to mingle even more, Lawrence, one of the most populous cities in Kansas, is only a short drive away.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$88,774 median income · $332,319 median home · #5 best place in Kansas
Located in
Johnson County, Kansas
Roeland Park is an inner ring suburb of Kansas City about 15 minutes away from downtown. Roeland Park is another great place to live in Kansas. It’s a family friendly town with easy commutes to the city and surrounding major suburbs. R Park is a great place to bring the kids. There’s also plenty of shopping around as the Roeland Park Shopping Center is located in town.
Housing is 14th highest in the state, which means that a ton of people want to live here. And you can see that people are willing to pay for a piece of real estate as incomes are 15th highest in the state too. Roeland Park is part of the Shawnee Mission School District, which consistently ranks in the top five for Kansas. Add to that a low crime rate, and you have a perennial contender for best place to live in Kansas.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$104,787 median income · $325,994 median home · #6 best place in Kansas
Located in
Sedgwick County, Kansas
Andover is located about 20 miles east of Wichita in central Kansas. And, as other places on this list, it’s not only one of the best Wichita suburbs, but one of the best places to live in Kansas.
Andover ranks well because of the quality of the economy and the quality of the schools. The median income in Andover comes in at $104,787 which ranks as the 8th highest in the state. The town of some 15,965 people has an unemployment rate that ranks 11th lowest in the Sunflower State. And the Andover Public Schools earn a cool A- from Niche.
In terms of things to do in Andover, you can take your kids to Andover Central Park and then grab dinner at Poplar Restaurant with friends. For more grown ups things to do, there’s always Terradyne Country Club to spend a saturday morning.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$114,009 median income · $433,117 median home · #7 best place in Kansas
Located in
Johnson County, Kansas
If you’re thinking about Olathe as your forever home, you better start thinking about it now as this city is not only the 7th best place to live in Kansas, it’s one of the fastest growing cities in America.
The homes in Olathe are the 5th highest in the state. We’re not elitists, nor are we saying that big homes mean a better place to live, but price reflects demand, and simply put, a lot of people want to live in Olathe if they can afford it. And one way you can afford it is to get a job that pays the city’s median income of $114,009/year to cover your cost of living. But, you can expect to find a job pretty easily in Olathe as the job market here is pretty strong and the unemployment rate is the 10th at 2.7%.
Olathe is also crazy safe. The crime rate here is very low. And surprisingly, for a city of 145,057 residents, there were only 1,700 reported last year and a majority of them were property related–so lock your doors!
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$96,818 median income · $352,182 median home · #8 best place in Kansas
Located in
Johnson County, Kansas
Here’s an update on why Gardner is the 8th best places to live in Kansas and why it continues to be one of The Wheat State’s best of the best year after year.
Not only does Gardner have the youngest population in the state (31) running around keeping the city’s energy up and spending money on all of the fun things that Gardner has to offer: like, visiting the quaint coffee shops downtown and the annual Grand Slam Beer and Wine Festival, but the cost of living here is super manageable for anyone just starting out. And if you’re a youngster trying to date in one of the best places for singles in the state, you’re going to need the extra cash.
But, we’re not worried that Gardner’s 24,526 residents will figure it out–this small town did score a 9/10 for education on our SnackAbility scale with one of the highest high school graduation rates in the state. Not to mention, smart people know a good deal when they see one; and for Gardner, that deal looks like a median home price of $352,182. They also know how to earn the city’s median income of $96,818–the unemployment rate here is 3.8% and the poverty level is 6.3%.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$94,004 median income · $300,790 median home · #9 best place in Kansas
Ranked 1st for low poverty statewide, Goddard is one of the best places to live in Kansas. With a 1.9% poverty rate and a $94,004 median income, this suburb delivers the economic stability families want.
Just west of Wichita, the Goddard’s school district anchors the community. The median age of 31 reflects a younger population putting down roots.
Home values sit around $300,790 and a 3.6% unemployment rate seals the deal. Families are choosing Goddard as one of the best towns to live in Kansas.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$112,428 median income · $419,142 median home · #10 best place in Kansas
Located in
Miami County, Kansas
Spring Hill, located in Johnson County, Kansas, is ranked as the 10th best place to live in the state. This charming city offers a high quality of life and is known for its low cost of living. The median home price in Spring Hill is $419,142, which is quite affordable compared to other cities in the area.
The highlights of living in Spring Hill include an abundance of recreational activities and attractions. The city provides access to numerous parks, trails, and sports facilities, providing ample opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and beautiful surroundings. Spring Hill is conveniently located near larger cities like Olathe and Kansas City, offering easy access to a wide range of entertainment options, including shopping centers, restaurants, and cultural events.
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
Kansas statewide median: 3.9%
On the map
Mapping The Best And Worst Places To Live in Kansas
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Calculated The Best Cities To Live In Kansas
Before we even started to collect data on the best places to live in Kansas, we had to answer a tough question: Is it fair to pit cities with populations over 100,000 against places with a population of 18?
We firmly decided no, that just isn’t fair.
So, to create our ranking, we broke the best places to live into three tiers:
- Cities — Populations over 5,000
- Towns — Populations between 1,000 and 5,000
- Small Towns — Populations below 1,000
We then decided no matter how much anyone loves their town, the best cities to live in Kansas have more of everything, and therefore, you need over 5,000 people to truly be ‘the best.’
Now that we had our set of the best possible cities, it was time to rank them using Saturday Night Science.
We ranked each place in Kansas across a number of criteria from one to 57, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, crowning the city posting the lowest overall score, the “Best Place To Live In Kansas.”
The criteria we looked to determine the best places were:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Unemployment Rate
- Commute Time
- Crime
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty rates
Sources of criteria include the New Census Data, FBI Crime Data, and Zillow. We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking Kansas’s best places to live.
If your city or town isn’t among the top 10, jump down to the bottom of the post to see a detailed chart of the best places in Kansas. Otherwise, buckle up for a ride down good living lane with Leawood at the end of the cul-de-sac.
The full plate
Best Places To Live In Kansas Table
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Best Score | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income | Rent | Total Crime /100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leawood | 9.50 | 33,809 | 2.0% | $777,578 | $185,625 | 1,588 | |
| 2 | Lenexa | 14.40 | 58,384 | 2.8% | $477,848 | $103,239 | 1,543 | |
| 3 | Overland Park | 14.40 | 200,306 | 3.6% | $482,295 | $104,834 | 1,913 | |
| 4 | Eudora | 14.60 | 6,119 | 2.9% | $332,798 | $118,184 | 360 | |
| 5 | Roeland Park | 16.25 | 6,763 | 3.0% | $332,319 | $88,774 | 2,425 | |
| 6 | Andover | 16.60 | 15,965 | 2.7% | $325,994 | $104,787 | 1,409 | |
| 7 | Olathe | 17.10 | 145,057 | 2.7% | $433,117 | $114,009 | 1,172 | |
| 8 | Gardner | 19.25 | 24,526 | 3.8% | $352,182 | $96,818 | 1,080 | |
| 9 | Goddard | 19.45 | 6,030 | 3.6% | $300,790 | $94,004 | 1,128 | |
| 10 | Spring Hill | 19.45 | 9,120 | 2.1% | $419,142 | $112,428 | 932 | |
| 11 | Shawnee | 19.45 | 68,542 | 3.3% | $424,763 | $109,940 | 2,095 | |
| 12 | McPherson | 19.90 | 13,995 | 1.9% | $217,268 | $77,529 | 1,515 | |
| 13 | Basehor | 21.10 | 7,491 | 6.3% | $439,342 | $116,769 | 788 | |
| 14 | Mission | 21.40 | 9,915 | 3.2% | $330,951 | $75,534 | 4,972 | |
| 15 | Bel Aire | 21.55 | 9,043 | 2.9% | $278,866 | $97,795 | 874 | |
| 16 | Colby | 22.00 | 5,387 | 0.6% | $180,598 | $63,494 | 1,132 | |
| 17 | Lansing | 22.05 | 11,246 | 4.5% | $321,293 | $102,786 | 747 | |
| 18 | Mulvane | 22.45 | 6,171 | 6.0% | $235,791 | $74,039 | 810 | |
| 19 | Maize | 23.55 | 6,824 | 2.7% | $307,838 | $72,024 | 1,246 | |
| 20 | Ottawa | 25.25 | 12,678 | 2.9% | $235,346 | $71,699 | 1,262 | |
| 21 | Tonganoxie | 25.70 | 5,891 | 4.5% | $373,875 | $80,109 | 390 | |
| 22 | Abilene | 26.50 | 6,449 | 3.2% | $184,105 | $57,924 | 1,535 | |
| 23 | Hays | 26.50 | 21,143 | 3.6% | $252,838 | $58,459 | 1,684 | |
| 24 | Derby | 27.50 | 26,062 | 3.7% | $282,214 | $84,112 | 2,824 | |
| 25 | Haysville | 27.60 | 11,117 | 3.7% | $207,754 | $67,740 | 1,583 | |
| 26 | Louisburg | 28.05 | 5,094 | 5.9% | $400,547 | $68,824 | 746 | |
| 27 | Manhattan | 28.65 | 54,239 | 3.6% | $288,518 | $60,172 | 2,452 | |
| 28 | Ulysses | 29.00 | 5,476 | 0.9% | $153,433 | $63,857 | 146 | |
| 29 | Merriam | 29.45 | 11,085 | 5.4% | $326,709 | $73,600 | 5,864 | |
| 30 | Augusta | 29.65 | 9,216 | 4.2% | $214,258 | $64,919 | 2,051 | |
| 31 | Lawrence | 29.95 | 96,051 | 4.4% | $331,113 | $65,009 | 2,634 | |
| 32 | Valley Center | 30.90 | 8,590 | 3.5% | $260,221 | $77,020 | 2,824 | |
| 33 | Paola | 31.00 | 5,770 | 4.2% | $371,666 | $74,662 | 1,386 | |
| 34 | El Dorado | 31.05 | 12,769 | 3.3% | $169,661 | $59,180 | 1,715 | |
| 35 | Bonner Springs | 31.30 | 7,839 | 2.5% | $300,304 | $83,218 | 1,939 | |
| 36 | Atchison | 32.15 | 10,785 | 5.3% | $166,546 | $54,474 | 1,456 | |
| 37 | Concordia | 32.60 | 5,015 | 3.2% | $125,724 | $51,138 | 1,575 | |
| 38 | De Soto | 32.80 | 6,414 | 8.6% | $425,984 | $104,000 | 5,864 | |
| 39 | Liberal | 34.40 | 19,316 | 5.2% | $145,107 | $63,706 | 1,356 | |
| 40 | Leavenworth | 34.50 | 37,195 | 4.8% | $260,124 | $72,987 | 3,062 | |
| 41 | Emporia | 35.30 | 24,131 | 2.0% | $169,150 | $52,704 | 2,669 | |
| 42 | Salina | 36.00 | 46,307 | 5.2% | $173,120 | $61,783 | 2,913 | |
| 43 | Hutchinson | 36.30 | 39,709 | 4.6% | $146,981 | $58,687 | 2,586 | |
| 44 | Newton | 36.90 | 18,397 | 6.1% | $171,182 | $68,885 | 2,256 | |
| 45 | Fort Scott | 37.60 | 7,555 | 6.3% | $127,119 | $52,159 | 1,985 | |
| 46 | Pratt | 37.65 | 6,577 | 3.7% | $123,111 | $63,819 | 2,452 | |
| 47 | Topeka | 38.50 | 125,786 | 4.9% | $190,096 | $56,956 | 4,477 | |
| 48 | Wichita | 39.00 | 397,945 | 5.6% | $202,720 | $64,620 | 2,824 | |
| 49 | Great Bend | 39.20 | 14,479 | 4.7% | $124,919 | $54,139 | 1,844 | |
| 50 | Iola | 39.85 | 5,348 | 8.4% | $87,715 | $54,221 | 2,468 | |
| 51 | Wellington | 40.20 | 7,615 | 7.0% | $110,051 | $50,333 | 2,758 | |
| 52 | Parsons | 40.75 | 9,425 | 2.2% | $78,523 | $52,428 | 4,276 | |
| 53 | Chanute | 42.00 | 8,598 | 5.2% | $96,749 | $50,882 | 2,477 | |
| 54 | Pittsburg | 42.00 | 20,637 | 4.0% | $133,322 | $43,419 | 3,828 | |
| 55 | Winfield | 43.35 | 11,711 | 7.3% | $137,701 | $56,656 | 3,177 | |
| 56 | Coffeyville | 43.85 | 8,662 | 3.2% | $62,588 | $45,670 | 3,071 | |
| 57 | Independence | 45.60 | 8,422 | 7.0% | $114,893 | $51,069 | 4,037 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, FBI UCR, Zillow research. 57 places with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places In Kansas
If you’re looking at areas in Kansas with the best economic situations, where there’s lower than average crime, and a lot to do, this is an accurate list.
The best places to live in Kansas are Leawood, Lenexa, Overland Park, Eudora, Roeland Park, Andover, Olathe, Gardner, Goddard, and Spring Hill.
Leawood made a strong showing to take in the overall number one spot for the best place to live in Kansas for 2026.
