Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Kansas City, KS
🏆 Arlington leads 13 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Kansas City
Kansas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,120
Violent Crime Index
276⚠ High
Population
155,438
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $81,267 more per year on average
76% less violent crime than Kansas City
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.2 pts lower (2.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Kansas City
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Kansas City, KS
Pros
Homes cost $700k less ($133,800 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1183/mo less ($1,044 vs $2,227)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $81,267/yr
Violent crime (1047.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3606.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.0% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$81,267
$137,387 vs $56,120/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
76% lower
254.4 vs 1047.2 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
3.2 pp lower
2.8% vs 6.0% unemployment
Kansas City
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Kansas City
Median Home Value
$700k less
$133,800 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Kansas City, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $133,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,044 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $56,120 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 6.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 21.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 234⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 276⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 172⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 19.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 80.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Kansas City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F ✓ Warmer | 39.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 90.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 38.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 11.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 155,438 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 59.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 27.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Kansas City's 93.3 (US average = 100).
Kansas City is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 13 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 13 and Kansas City wins 10. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Kansas City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $133,800 median home), income ($137,387 vs $56,120), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Kansas City, KS are about 946 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.