Kansas City, MO
Census place 2938000 · pop 510,612
Famed for its jazz heritage and barbecue, and home to more boulevards than Paris and more fountains than any city but Rome.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
1557 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
4720 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.47 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
55.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
29.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
38.5% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
15.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
14.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
10.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
90.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$69,166 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.10% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
42 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 $214,900 · better than most cities
$242,900 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
1 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 +2.4% · better than most cities
+5.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
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 24.3% · better than most cities
38.4% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
76/100 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 $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,452/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
Frequently asked
- Is Kansas City, MO a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Kansas City scores 45/100 — 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 unemployment rate and its weakest is violent crime rate. Missouri overall ranks #26 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, MO?
- Kansas City reports 1557 violent crimes per 100k and 4720 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Kansas City, MO expensive to live in?
- Kansas City has a median home value of $242,900 and typical rent around $1,452/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Kansas City, MO?
- Its weakest measured area is violent crime rate (1557/100k) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Kansas City, MO best at?
- Its strongest measured area is unemployment rate (3.1%) — 75/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Famed for its jazz heritage and barbecue, and home to more boulevards than Paris and more fountains than any city but Rome.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.