Kansas City, KS
Census place 2036000 · pop 155,135
Home of the Kansas Speedway and the original Kansas City, distinct from its larger Missouri namesake across the state line.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
1053 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
3668 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
35.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
18.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
18.3% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
41.2% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
20.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
88.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.44% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
16.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$62,401 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
46 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
3.9% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
60.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+1.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
17.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
3 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
87/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
22 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,338/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$167,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
Frequently asked
- Is Kansas City, KS a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Kansas City scores 37/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is housing cost and its weakest is violent crime rate. Kansas overall ranks #20 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Kansas City, KS?
- Kansas City reports 1053 violent crimes per 100k and 3668 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Kansas City, KS expensive to live in?
- Kansas City has a median home value of $167,400 and typical rent around $1,338/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Kansas City, KS?
- Its weakest measured area is violent crime rate (1053/100k) — 3/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Kansas City, KS best at?
- Its strongest measured area is housing cost ($167,400) — 80/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of the Kansas Speedway and the original Kansas City, distinct from its larger Missouri namesake across the state line.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.