Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bend, OR
VS
Wichita, KS
🏆 Bend leads 14 of 23 categories
Bend
Oregon
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,671 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
99,442
Wichita
Kansas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,712
Violent Crime Index
142⚠ High
Population
395,951 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bend, OR
Pros
69% less violent crime than Wichita
Households earn $21,959 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (168.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (3.8%)
More college-educated — 48.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 93°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $576,900
Higher rents — median is $1,649/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Wichita
Wichita, KS
Pros
Homes cost $411k less ($166,400 vs $576,900)
Rent averages $734/mo less ($915 vs $1,649)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Bend
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bend by $21,959/yr
Violent crime (538.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 3.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bend
Median Income
$21,959
$82,671 vs $60,712/yr
Bend
Violent Crime
69% lower
168.5 vs 538.6 per 100k
Bend
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
3.8% vs 5.7% unemployment
Wichita
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 105.8 (100 = US avg)
Wichita
Median Home Value
$411k less
$166,400 vs $576,900
Wichita
Summer Heat
8.8°F warmer
July avg high 92.6°F vs 83.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bend, OR | Wichita, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.8⚠ High | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $576,900⚠ High | $166,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,649⚠ High | $915 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,671 ✓ Higher | $60,712 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.1 min ✓ Shorter | 18.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 19.0% ✓ Higher | 6.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 53 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 142⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.0:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.4% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bend-LaPine Administrative SD 1 | Wichita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.5°F | 43.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.8°F | 92.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.6" ✓ Drier | 35.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.6" | 12.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,442 | 395,951 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 35.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.2% ✓ Higher | 58.5% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 24.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.0% ✓ More | 15.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bend's cost of living index is 105.8 vs Wichita's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Wichita is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bend leads 14 of 23 categories. Bend wins 14 and Wichita wins 9. 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 Bend to Wichita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($576,900 vs $166,400 median home), income ($82,671 vs $60,712), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bend, OR and Wichita, KS are about 1,321 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.