Living in Kansas City, KS

Explore Kansas City and see how it fits the life you want to build.

155,135 Population Wyandotte County County City Place Type Kansas State OrdinancesLocal Rules
Overall Match7.1 / 10

Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.

Kansas City at a Glance

Key facts and current data

Population155,135
Median Household Income$62,401
Median Home Value$167,400
Median Gross Rent$1,123
Median Age33.9
Average Household Size2.7
Unemployment5.8%
Work From Home9.2%
Homeownership60.9%
Housing Vacancy10.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.

Kansas City is large enough to contain meaningfully different residential, commercial and employment areas rather than functioning as one uniform market. Home values are relatively modest compared with local household income, giving the area a comparatively favorable ownership-affordability signal.

Experience the Area

Experience Life in Kansas City Before You Move

Explore Short-Term Stays in Kansas City →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate

NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in Kansas City and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.

NarrowTheList Ratings

Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.

Housing Value4.2 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Employment3.5 / 5Lower unemployment produces a stronger rating.
Housing Stability3.1 / 5Combines homeownership and housing vacancy.
Remote Work Friendly3.1 / 5Based on the share of residents working from home.
Income Strength3.8 / 5Household income compared on a national scale.

These are location-wide baseline ratings, not your personal match score. Your own priorities can change which factors matter most.

Housing & Cost of Living in Kansas City

Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau

Median Home Value$167,400
Median Gross Rent$1,123
Homeownership60.9%
Housing Vacancy10.9%
Housing Value8.4/10
Housing Stability6.2/10

Home values are comparatively balanced against local household income, although individual neighborhoods can still vary substantially. The housing mix leans toward owner-occupied homes while still supporting a meaningful rental market.

Jobs, Income & Remote Work

Employment and household-income context for Kansas City, KS

Median Household Income$62,401
Unemployment5.8%
Work From Home9.2%
Employment7.0/10
Remote Work Friendly6.2/10
Income Strength7.6/10

The reported unemployment rate is in a middle range. A meaningful share of employed residents work from home.

Population & Household Profile

Who lives in Kansas City and how households are structured

Population155,135
Median Age33.9
Average Household Size2.7

Kansas City is a mid-sized community where neighborhood and nearby-employment patterns can materially affect a relocation decision.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.

Climate & Weather in Kansas City

Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context

NOAA climate normals for Kansas City point to hot summers, winters with regular freezing conditions, a wetter annual rainfall pattern and a meaningful winter snowfall season.

Average Summer High90.2°F
Average Winter Low22.2°F
Annual Rainfall38.1 in.
Annual Snowfall11.0 in.

Seasonal Life in Kansas City

What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.

Spring

Spring is a useful time to evaluate how quickly outdoor conditions become comfortable and how seasonal rain affects everyday routines.

Summer

Summer heat is a meaningful part of daily life. During a trial stay, pay attention to afternoon comfort, cooling use, vehicle heat and how much outdoor activity shifts toward mornings and evenings.

Fall

Fall marks a substantial seasonal transition here. It is a useful time to judge how quickly temperatures change and whether that seasonal swing fits the lifestyle you want.

Winter

Freezing winter lows and meaningful snowfall make snow removal, winter driving, heating costs and cold-weather routines important parts of evaluating the area.

Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.

Kansas City is located in Wyandotte County, but city-level housing, income and neighborhood conditions can differ meaningfully from countywide averages. Wyandotte County. Current county foreclosure activity is classified as medium, adding another housing-market signal for buyers comparing conventional and distressed-property opportunities.

County Intelligence

Kansas City & Wyandotte County

Medium Foreclosure Activity

Kansas City is located in Wyandotte County, Kansas.

NarrowTheList uses county-level information alongside local community data because many factors that matter when choosing a place to live are measured beyond city boundaries. Housing, property taxes, employment, healthcare access and other regional characteristics can add useful context to the picture of life in Kansas City.

Current NarrowTheList data for Kansas City shows a population of about 155,135. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.

Foreclosure Activity: Medium. Current signal uses NarrowTheList foreclosure-opportunity data until direct county delinquency and foreclosure datasets are connected.

For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.

County relationship Wyandotte County
How NarrowTheList uses it

County information is used as a supporting geographic layer, not as a substitute for local data. As more county datasets are added, NarrowTheList can use them to improve comparisons, ratings and relocation insights for Kansas City.

For someone considering a move to Kansas City, the available data currently points to comparatively attainable ownership costs relative to local income. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.

Nearby Cities & Communities

Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.

Edwardsville, KS 5.1 miles away Lake Quivira, KS 5.9 miles away Parkville, MO 6.7 miles away Riverside, MO 6.8 miles away Merriam, KS 7.7 miles away Bonner Springs, KS 7.7 miles away Houston Lake, MO 8.0 miles away Shawnee, KS 8.0 miles away Mission, KS 8.0 miles away Weatherby Lake, MO 8.1 miles away Roeland Park, KS 8.2 miles away Northmoor, MO 8.5 miles away