2026 editionMidwestPop. 2,977,220Capital Topeka34th state, admitted 1861Cook PVI R+15
Is Kansas a Good Place to Live? Kansas Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes
Kansas ranks #27 of 50 with a composite score of 55.1 and a C+ grade, strongest in affordability (#10) and weakest in safety (#44). The median household earns $75,514 (7% below the national median), homes typically cost $249,603 (32% below the national average), and violent crime is 457 per 100,000 (40% above the national average).
$1,205 rents a typical Wichita place, #2 cheapest in the country, while the Johnson County suburbs field schools that compete with any metro's: cheap where it is cheap, excellent where it is expensive. The cost of both is a tax burden of 9.33%, 0.6 points above the national average, in a state whose rainy-day fund ranks #49.
Kansas by the numbers
Six measures every state is judged on, each with Kansas's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.
Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.
Read the Kansas overview
Kansas scores above the national average in 5 of 11 categories and ranks #8 of 12 states in the Midwest, behind 7 regional neighbors. Its biggest edge over the country is typical home value ($249,603, 32% below the national average); its biggest shortfall is violent crime rate (457, 40% above the national average). That mix of top-10 finishes (1) and bottom-10 finishes (1) is why the composite alone undersells the tradeoffs a mover here faces.
Where does Kansas rank in each category?
All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. Kansas is top 10 in 1 and bottom 10 in 1.
| Category | Score | Rank | Grade | Weight | US avg | The numbers behind it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 44.6 | #28 of 50 | C+ | 15% | 47.1 | Its unemployment rate is 3.8% and median household income is $75,514. |
| Safety | 52.7 | #44 of 50 | D | 12% | 68.9 | The FBI estimates 457.2 violent crimes and 1,796.5 property crimes per 100,000 residents. |
| Health | 45.8 | #33 of 50 | C+ | 12% | 54.4 | Life expectancy is 76.5 years, 37.6% of adults have obesity, and 8.5% of residents are uninsured. |
| Education | 63.2 | #21 of 50 | B | 12% | 57.5 | Eighth graders average 274 in NAEP math and 256 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 89.1%. |
| Affordability | 83.1 | #10 of 50 | A | 10% | 65.2 | Typical home value $249,603 (3.3x median income); cost of living index 90.1 (100 = US); center-based infant care $12,741 a year. |
| Fiscal Health | 52.4 | #37 of 50 | C | 8% | 58.1 | It carries $2,280 of debt per resident, has 72% of pensions funded, and holds a AA+ credit rating. |
| Growth | 35.6 | #28 of 50 | C+ | 7% | 38.8 | Population grew 0.4% last year; Census net domestic migration is -0.2 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series). |
| Transportation | 55.7 | #11 of 50 | B+ | 7% | 49.8 | The average commute is 20 minutes, 0.3% of workers use public transit, and 10.3% work from home. |
| Livability | 26.0 | #38 of 50 | C | 7% | 34.3 | It has 1.722 restaurants and 0.018 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.097 bars and 0.091 social associations per 1,000. |
| Outdoor Access | 30.4 | #22 of 50 | B | 6% | 29.4 | 0.6% of its land is public, with 4.86 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents. |
| Environment | 48.0 | #16 of 50 | B+ | 4% | 42.5 | Its median air quality index is 40, 61% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 41.3. |
Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.
Category shape
Kansas's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; Kansas bulges toward affordability and dips at safety.
How expensive is Kansas?
Kansas's cost of living index is 90.1 against a national baseline of 100, 10% below the national average and #11 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $249,603 (32% below the national average); buying it takes an income of about $74,441, $1,073 less than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Salina is cheapest (index 85.9) and Prairie Village priciest (92.5).
Housing market snapshot · August
Warm marketRanked #41 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #10 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household earns enough to buy the typical home.
Full Kansas housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →What a household keeps at $75,000
| Household | Kansas | Median state | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare | −$1,492 | −$11,758 | #12 of 50 |
| Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare | +$34,911 | +$31,418 | #16 of 50 |
| Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax | +$40,281 | +$35,970 | #13 of 50 |
Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.
What are taxes like in Kansas?
Kansas's tax mix is high sales tax, with income and property taxes in the middle of the pack. The total state and local tax burden comes to 9.33% of income, 0.6 points above the national average (#35 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 1.34% of home value (#36), and combined sales tax averages 8.69% (#42).
Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.
Can the state pay its bills?
Fiscal health scores 52.4 out of 100, #37 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.
Is Kansas safe?
Kansas reports 457 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 40% above the national average and #45 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 1,797 per 100,000, 17% above the national average (#41 of 50). The safety score is 52.7 out of 100, #44 of 50; among tracked cities, Leawood has the lowest violent crime rate.
Kansas vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents
FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. Florida and North Dakota use the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.
Safest tracked cities in Kansas
| City | Population | Violent / 100K | Property / 100K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overland Park | 200,306 | 161 | 1,468 |
| Lenexa | 58,384 | 180 | 1,060 |
| Shawnee | 68,542 | 228 | 1,378 |
| Olathe | 145,057 | 230 | 849 |
| Lawrence | 96,051 | 441 | 1,902 |
Lowest violent crime among the 20 Kansas cities we track with 50,000 or more residents. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.
What is the job market like in Kansas?
Kansas's unemployment rate is 3.8%, 0.2 points below the national average and #21 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $75,514, 7% below the national median. Real GDP grew +1.5% in the latest year (#36 of 50) and GDP per capita is $61,165, 5% below the national average. The population is growing 0.4% a year, 0.1 points below the national average. The economy score is 44.6 out of 100, #28 of 50.
Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.
Highest-paying tracked occupations in Kansas, adjusted for cost of living
| Occupation | Cost-adjusted | Median wage | Metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $199,497 | $179,547 | Wichita |
| Lawyers | $131,969 | $118,772 | Wichita |
| Software Developers | $116,752 | $105,077 | Wichita |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $94,007 | $84,606 | Wichita |
| Civil Engineers | $90,729 | $81,656 | Wichita |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release, for the 20 occupations we track. Cost-adjusted wage divides the metro median by its cost of living index.
How are Kansas's schools and healthcare?
Kansas's education score is 63.2 out of 100, #21 of 50. Eighth graders average 274 in NAEP math (#24 of 50) and 256 in reading (#31 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 89.1%, 3.5 points above the national average (#10 of 50).
Best public school cities we track, by graduation rate
| City | Grad rate | Students / teacher | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gardner | 95% | 13.8 | $12,882 |
| Leawood | 93.4% | 14 | $12,455 |
| Overland Park | 92.9% | 14.7 | $12,446 |
NCES Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey, latest release. Cities with at least three schools.
Kansas is #33 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 76.5 years, 0.4 years below the national average. 37.6% of adults have obesity (#44 of 50) and 8.5% of residents have no health insurance (#34 of 50). The health score is 45.8 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.
Who is moving to Kansas, and who is leaving?
Kansas lost a net 3,272 households to other states in the latest IRS release: 39,767 moved in and 43,039 moved out, -1.1 per 1,000 residents (#39 of 50). Arriving households report an average income of $64,708 against $68,187 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net +97 people (83.1K in, 83.0K out, ±10.8K), pointing the other way, so treat the direction as uncertain.
Where they come from
- 1Missouri10,597 · $65,210
- 2Texas3,876 · $65,476
- 3Colorado2,355 · $63,685
- 4Oklahoma2,280 · $53,424
- 5California2,251 · $67,293
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households arrived from these states in the latest IRS release.
Where should you live in Kansas?
By composite score, the best of the 20 Kansas cities we track are Leawood (72.6), Olathe (68.4), and Lenexa (68.3). Salina is the cheapest (cost index 85.9), Leawood the richest ($185,625), and Junction City the fastest growing (+2.4% a year). City ranks are among the 20 Kansas cities we cover, not every city in the state.
Standout cities in Kansas
| Best for | City | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Safest | Leawood | 71 violent crimes per 100K |
| Cheapest | Salina | cost of living index 85.9 |
| Most walkable | Salina | walkability 12.8 of 20 |
| Cleanest air | Dodge City | median AQI 28 (county) |
| Best schools | Gardner | 95% graduation rate |
| Richest | Leawood | $185,625 |
Among the 20 Kansas cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.
Regions of Kansas
The state's money, schools and traffic: Leawood, Overland Park, Olathe, Lenexa, Shawnee, Prairie Village and Gardner, all pricier than anywhere else in Kansas and worth it to the families there.
The cheaper, older side of the metro with the Legends district and the speedway; Leavenworth is the Army post and federal prison town upriver.
Aircraft plants, the state's largest city and its highest crime; Derby is the quieter suburb to the south, and Hutchinson the salt-mine town up the road.
State government in Topeka, KU in Lawrence, K-State and Fort Riley around Manhattan and Junction City; the tallgrass prairie between them is the best outdoor ground in the state.
Wheat, feedlots, meatpacking and wind; Garden City and Dodge City are young, largely Hispanic and growing, Salina is the trade center, and everything is a long drive.
All 20 tracked cities, best to worst
| # | City | Grade | Score | Population | Income | Violent / 100K | Cost index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leawood | A+ | 72.6 | 33,809 | $185,625 | 71 | 92.5 |
| 2 | Olathe | A+ | 68.4 | 145,057 | $114,009 | 230 | 92.5 |
| 3 | Lenexa | A+ | 68.3 | 58,384 | $103,239 | 180 | 92.5 |
| 4 | Overland Park | A+ | 67.9 | 200,306 | $104,834 | 161 | 92.5 |
| 5 | Prairie Village | A | 67.1 | 22,874 | $113,530 | 96 | 92.5 |
| 6 | Shawnee | A | 66.0 | 68,542 | $109,940 | 228 | 92.5 |
| 7 | Gardner | A | 64.8 | 24,526 | $96,818 | 185 | 92.5 |
| 8 | Salina | B | 58.2 | 46,307 | $61,783 | 449 | 85.9 |
| 9 | Dodge City | B | 57.4 | 27,613 | $68,721 | 185 | 85.9 |
| 10 | Garden City | B | 56.5 | 27,819 | $72,865 | 486 | 85.9 |
| 11 | Lawrence | B | 56.0 | 96,051 | $65,009 | 441 | 90.2 |
| 12 | Derby | B | 55.8 | 26,062 | $84,112 | — | 88.9 |
| 13 | Manhattan | C+ | 55.1 | 54,239 | $60,172 | — | 90.2 |
| 14 | Emporia | C+ | 53.7 | 24,131 | $52,704 | 266 | 85.9 |
| 15 | Junction City | C+ | 53.2 | 22,331 | $61,181 | 609 | 90.2 |
| 16 | Leavenworth | C+ | 53.0 | 37,195 | $72,987 | 455 | 92.5 |
| 17 | Topeka | C | 50.5 | 125,786 | $56,956 | 882 | 88.8 |
| 18 | Hutchinson | C | 50.0 | 39,709 | $58,687 | 608 | 85.9 |
| 19 | Wichita | D | 47.1 | 397,945 | $64,620 | 1,209 | 88.9 |
| 20 | Kansas City | D | 45.5 | 155,135 | $62,401 | 981 | 92.5 |
Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 20 Kansas cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.
Best cities in Kansas for…
| # | City | Score | Education | Safety | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leawood | 71.1 | 64.1 | 95.1 | 50.2 |
| 2 | Olathe | 70.9 | 66.3 | 86.1 | 70.8 |
| 3 | Gardner | 70.0 | 66.9 | 85.9 | 73.4 |
| 4 | Prairie Village | 69.8 | 53.7 | 96.0 | 62.0 |
| 5 | Overland Park | 69.6 | 62.2 | 85.9 | 66.3 |
Who is Kansas best for?
The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best Kansas cities for each.
Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →
How does Kansas compare with its neighbors?
Kansas ranks #27. Among its bordering states, Nebraska ranks highest (#10) and Oklahoma lowest (#43). Missouri is the most similar on the composite score and Nebraska the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.
| State | Overall | Score | Median income | Typical home | Cost index | Violent crime | Tax burden | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | #27 | 55.1 | $75,514 | $249,603 | 90.1 | 457 | 9.33% | |
| Nebraska | #10 | 71.1 | $76,376 | $280,673 | 90.1 | 218 | 8.78% | Compare → |
| Colorado | #18 | 64.7 | $97,113 | $532,748 | 103.1 | 422 | 8.73% | Compare → |
| Missouri | #34 | 51.0 | $71,589 | $267,879 | 90.8 | 418 | 7.83% | Compare → |
| Oklahoma | #43 | 43.0 | $66,148 | $223,261 | 87.8 | 408 | 7.01% | Compare → |
| United States | — | 57.9 | $80,903 | $368,697 | 100 | 328 | 8.74% |
Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.
How the score works
Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.
The weights
Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.
From raw numbers to scores
Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.
Letter grades
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.
Cities, budgets and neighbors
The 20 Kansas city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.
Editor's notes
Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.
Always the latest release
Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.
What the score cannot tell you
Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.
Category briefs
Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →
Key takeaways
What the Kansas numbers say when read together.
Affordability is Kansas's strongest suit
Kansas is a #27 state overall but #10 of 50 for affordability, 17 places better than its composite rank, with a score of 83.1 against a national average of 65.2. Transportation (#11) is next. Affordability carries 10% of the composite.
Safety is where Kansas falls furthest behind
Kansas ranks #44 of 50 for safety, 17 places below its overall #27, with a score of 52.7 against a national average of 68.9. At 12% of the composite, it is the category holding the overall score down most.
Typical home value is 32% below the national average
Kansas's typical home value is $249,603, 32% below the national average of $368,697, #10 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The largest gap in the other direction is violent crime rate: 457, 40% above the national average. Source: Zillow Research ZHVI, latest release.
More households leave than arrive
Kansas ranks #39 of 50 on net household flow per 1,000 residents (-1.1). The households arriving report $3,479 less in average income than those leaving ($64,708 against $68,187), so the state is trading down on income even as the headcount shrinks. Missouri is both the largest source and the largest destination.
A middle income is squeezed less here than in most states
A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $1,492 shortfall after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#12 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $34,911 surplus; a retiree couple at a $40,281 surplus. Infant childcare runs $12,741 a year, 18% below the national average.
Kansas sits 3rd among its 5-state neighborhood
2 of Kansas's 4 bordering states rank above its #27; the closest match on the composite is Missouri. Median income among them runs from $66,148 in Oklahoma to $97,113 in Colorado; Kansas is at $75,514.
Frequently asked questions about living in Kansas
Is Kansas a good place to live?
Kansas ranks #27 of 50 with a C+ grade, #8 of 12 in the Midwest. It is top 10 in affordability and bottom 10 in safety. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 3 of 6 (home prices, cost of living, and unemployment) and trails on income, violent crime, and tax burden. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.
Where does Kansas rank among US states?
Kansas ranks #27 of 50 overall with a composite score of 55.1 (grade C+), and #8 of 12 states in the Midwest. Its best category rank is #10 (affordability) and its worst #44 (safety). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so C+ means rank 27–34.
Is it expensive to live in Kansas?
At #11 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), Kansas is 10% below the national average: its index is 90.1 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $249,603 (32% below the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $74,441 against a median household income of $75,514. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $1,492 shortfall after all costs, #12 of 50 (1 = most left over).
Does Kansas have a state income tax?
Yes. Kansas's top state income tax rate is 5.58% (#26 of 50, 1 = lowest), and the total state and local tax burden is 9.33% of income, 0.6 points above the national average. Property tax is 1.34% of home value and combined sales tax 8.69%.
What is the crime rate in Kansas?
Kansas reports 457 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 40% above the national average and #45 of 50 (1 = safest), and 1,797 property crimes per 100,000, 17% above the national average (#41). Its safety score is 52.7 out of 100, #44 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release.
Does Kansas have good schools?
Kansas is #21 of 50 for education (score 63.2 out of 100). Its public school students average 274 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#24) and 256 in eighth-grade reading (#31), and the high school graduation rate is 89.1%, 3.5 points above the national average (#10). Among tracked cities with at least three schools, Gardner has the highest graduation rate at 95%.
Why are people leaving Kansas?
Kansas lost a net 3,272 households in the latest IRS release: 39,767 moved in and 43,039 moved out, -1.1 per 1,000 residents (#39 of 50). The largest source of arrivals is Missouri (10,597 households) and the most common destination is Missouri (12,138). Arriving households report an average income of $64,708 against $68,187 for those leaving, so movers out earn more than movers in. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.
Is Kansas a red or blue state?
Kansas is a solidly red state: its Cook Partisan Voting Index is R+15, meaning it votes about 15 points more Republican than the country as a whole. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.
Is Kansas cheaper than Missouri?
Depends on which side of the Kansas City line you mean. Kansas has the higher tax burden, 9.33% against Missouri's lower figure, plus annual property tax on cars, and Johnson County homes cost more than Missouri's. Statewide, Kansas homes are 32% below the national average and the cost index is 90.1, both a touch below Missouri. Kansans pay for the schools; Missourians pay less and drive across for them.
Does Kansas get tornadoes?
Yes; Kansas is the middle of Tornado Alley, and the state's FEMA risk index of 41.3 is 39% above the national average almost entirely because of wind and hail. Greensburg was flattened and rebuilt, and Wichita, Topeka and the Kansas City suburbs all sit in the season's path from April to June. Insurance reflects it: hail claims drive premiums, and a roof lasts less time than the shingles promise.
Is Kansas tax-friendly for retirees?
Better than its reputation. Social Security is fully exempt from Kansas income tax with no income cap, and the state portion of sales tax on groceries is zero, though local rates still apply. Property tax at 1.34% is 0.3 points above the national average and the car tax comes every year. A retiree couple at $75,000 comes out at a $40,281 surplus, #13 of 50, and retirees rank #31 overall.
What is the best part of Kansas to live in?
For most movers, Johnson County: Leawood tops the state, Olathe and Overland Park are the big suburbs, and the schools are the draw. Lawrence is the pick for a college town with a real downtown; Manhattan the same with Fort Riley. Wichita is where money goes furthest, with Derby as its quieter suburb. Western Kansas suits people who want space more than restaurants.
Do I need a car in Kansas?
Yes, without exception. Only 0.3% of commuters use transit, #45 of 50, and even Johnson County is a grid of arterials and cul-de-sacs. The consolation is that driving is easy: commutes average 20 minutes, #7 shortest, and gasoline runs $3.10 per gallon. Budget the annual personal property tax on the car; it is the fee out-of-staters forget.
All the numbers
Every metric behind Kansas's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.