Kansas City, Kansas
Cost of living, housing, income, commute, climate, and safety — compiled for relocators researching Kansas City.
MapsToIt planning snapshot
How much does it cost to live in Kansas City?
Kansas City planning snapshot: population 156,752, housing index 64 (among the more affordable large markets in this catalog), median home $147,100, median rent $1,073, and income near $59,183. Expect 88°F summer highs, 25°F winter lows, and about 20-minute one-way commutes. Official citywide FBI crime rates are currently unavailable, so treat safety as a neighborhood-level check.
Crime figures may use an older source vintage than housing and income on this page.
- Housing cost index
- 64U.S. avg 100
- Median home value
- $147,100U.S. $303,400
- Median rent
- $1,073U.S. $1,348
- Median income
- $59,183U.S. $78,538
- Unemployment
- 5.0%U.S. 4.2%
- Avg commute
- 20 minCatalog avg 25 min
- Violent crime
- UnavailableFBI gap
- Summer high
- 88°FCatalog avg 87°F
Key figures
Each metric shows how Kansas City compares with the U.S. baseline (ACS/BLS nationals where available; catalog-city averages for crime, climate, and commute). Income, housing, population, and crime are for the incorporated city (city limits), not the broader metro/MSA — unemployment is county-level (BLS LAUS).
- Population
- 156,752City limits · Census PEP 2024 estimate
As of 2026-09-10 · Census PEP 2024 - Median household income
- $59,183Incorporated place (ACS)
As of 2026-09-10 · ACS 2023 5-year25% below U.S. avgU.S. $78,538 - Housing cost index
- 64ACS home+rent vs U.S. (100 = avg)
As of 2026-09-10 · ACS 2023 5-year36% below U.S. avgU.S. 100 - Median home value
- $147,100City limits (ACS)
As of 2026-09-10 · ACS 2023 5-year52% below U.S. avgU.S. $303,400 - Median rent
- $1,073City limits (ACS)
As of 2026-09-10 · ACS 2023 5-year20% below U.S. avgU.S. $1,348 - Unemployment
- 5.0%County LAUS · not city-only
As of 2026-09-10 · July 2026Near U.S. avg (4.2 pts)U.S. 4.2 pts - Avg commute
- 20 min20% below U.S. avgU.S. 25 min
- Walk Score
- 4011% below U.S. avgU.S. 45
- Violent crime rate
- UnavailableFBI CDE gap
As of 2026-09-10 · 2019 CDE monthly rates - Property crime rate
- UnavailableFBI CDE gap
As of 2026-09-10 · 2019 CDE monthly rates - Summer high
- 88°FAs of 2026-09-10 · 1991–2020 NOAA normalsNear U.S. avg (87°F)U.S. 87°F
- Winter low
- 25°FAs of 2026-09-10 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals9.0°F below U.S. avgU.S. 34°F
- Annual rainfall
- 38.1 inAs of 2026-09-10 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals15% above U.S. avgU.S. 33 in
- Sunny days
- 279As of 2026-09-10 · 1991–2020 NOAA normalsNear U.S. avg (268)U.S. 268
Population trend
Kansas City grew 7.5% from 145,878 in 2010 to 156,752 in 2024.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PEP city/town estimates (2010–2024). Playback steps monthly between annual Census PEP estimates.
Is Kansas City expensive compared to the U.S. average?
Compared with the U.S. average, Kansas City runs 36 points lower on MapsToIt's ACS housing index. Use that single number as a quick filter, then dig into home and rent cells for the budget you actually need.
- Housing cost index 64 (U.S. 100)
- Median home $147,100 vs U.S. $303,400
- Median rent $1,073 vs U.S. $1,348
How much does housing cost in Kansas City?
Budget first around $1,073/month rent or $147,100 purchase prices — both are MapsToIt ACS medians, not listing ask averages. National ACS medians are $1,348 rent and $303,400 home value for context.
- Median home value $147,100
- Median rent $1,073/month
- Median household income $59,183
What is the job market like in Kansas City?
Labor-market context for Kansas City: unemployment 5.0% and median income $59,183. Those are BLS LAUS (county) and ACS figures — industry mix still matters more than the headline rate alone.
- Unemployment 5.0% (U.S. 4.2%)
- Median income $59,183
How long is the typical commute in Kansas City?
Plan on roughly 20 minutes each way in Kansas City. Walk Score estimates around 40 shape how car-dependent daily errands feel. Compare that with the 25-minute catalog average before you lock a neighborhood.
- 20 minutes average one-way
- Walk Score 40/100
Is Kansas City safer than similar U.S. cities?
Citywide FBI rates are marked unavailable here — do not infer safety from a placeholder index. Neighborhood due diligence is required.
- FBI citywide rates: data unavailable
What is the climate like year-round in Kansas City?
Kansas City's climate profile: 88°F summer peaks, 25°F winter mornings, 38.1" annual rainfall, and 279 sunny days — from the nearest NOAA normals station.
- Summer high 88°F
- Winter low 25°F
- 38.1 in rain · 279 sunny days
Wide-open plains weather — wind, heat, and tornado season — is a planning factor. Roughly 279 sunny days a year give outdoor routines unusual calendar reliability. Average one-way commute time is about 20 minutes, and Walk Score estimates land around 40/100. Labor-market readings near 5.0% unemployment are neither boom nor bust by national standards. Crime rates are marked unavailable for this municipality in our FBI CDE pull; do not rely on a citywide index.
Relocators eyeing Kansas City, Kansas will find roughly 156,752 residents within city limits. With median income around $59,183 and a cost index of 64, the market reads among the more affordable large markets in this catalog on housing costs. Entry home prices around $147,100 still look attainable compared with coastal metros.
Kansas City is compact enough that a single wrong neighborhood choice is easy to feel day to day — visit at commute hour before signing. Figures on this page are merged from Census ACS, BLS LAUS, FBI Crime Data Explorer, and NOAA Climate Normals — use them to compare Kansas City with nearby alternatives before you relocate.
Nearby & similar cities
Continue researching with these internal links — each page is a full data profile.
Sources
- Census / ACS: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year (Kansas City city, 1600000US2036000) — As of 2026-09-10 · ACS 2023 5-year
- BLS: BLS LAUS · Wyandotte County, July 2026 — As of 2026-09-10 · July 2026
- Crime: data unavailable — As of 2026-09-10 · 2019 CDE monthly rates
- Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 Monthly Normals (USW00013988 KANSAS CITY DOWNTOWN AP) — As of 2026-09-10 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals
- Population trend: U.S. Census Bureau PEP city/town estimates (2010–2024) — As of 2026-09-10 · Census PEP 2024
Catalog refreshed 2026-09-10