Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boston, MA
VS
Wichita, KS
🏆 Wichita leads 15 of 23 categories
Boston
Massachusetts
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$89,212 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
165⚠ High
Population
665,945 ✓ Larger
Wichita
Kansas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,712
Violent Crime Index
142⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
395,951
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Boston, MA
Pros
Households earn $28,500 more per year on average
More college-educated — 53.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 93°F
Smaller class sizes — 10.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $684,900
Higher rents — median is $1,981/mo
Violent crime (627.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Wichita
Wichita, KS
Pros
Homes cost $519k less ($166,400 vs $684,900)
Rent averages $1066/mo less ($915 vs $1,981)
14% less violent crime than Boston
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Boston
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (5.7%)
Cons
Median income trails Boston by $28,500/yr
Violent crime (538.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Boston
Median Income
$28,500
$89,212 vs $60,712/yr
Wichita
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Wichita
Violent Crime
14% lower
538.6 vs 627.9 per 100k
Wichita
Median Home Value
$519k less
$166,400 vs $684,900
Wichita
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
5.7% vs 6.6% unemployment
Wichita
Summer Heat
10.5°F warmer
July avg high 92.6°F vs 82.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boston, MA | Wichita, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $684,900⚠ High | $166,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,981⚠ High | $915 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $89,212 ✓ Higher | $60,712 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.6 min⚠ High | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.1% ✓ Higher | 6.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High | 129⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 165⚠ High | 142⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (122) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 10.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.4% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 88.4% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Boston | Wichita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.8°F | 43.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.1°F | 92.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.6" | 35.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 12.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 665,945 ✓ Larger | 395,951 |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 35.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.8% | 58.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.7% | 24.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boston's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Wichita's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Wichita is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Wichita leads 15 of 23 categories. Boston wins 8 and Wichita wins 15. 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 Boston to Wichita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($684,900 vs $166,400 median home), income ($89,212 vs $60,712), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boston, MA and Wichita, KS are about 1,424 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.