Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Kansas City, KS
VS
Wichita, KS
🏆 Wichita leads 18 of 23 categories
Kansas City
Kansas
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3
Median Household Income
$56,120
Violent Crime Index
276⚠ High
Population
155,438
Wichita
Kansas
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,712 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
142⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
395,951 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Kansas City, KS
Pros
Homes cost $33k less ($133,800 vs $166,400)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Cons
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
Median income trails Wichita by $4,592/yr
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Wichita
Wichita, KS
Pros
49% less violent crime than Kansas City
Rent averages $129/mo less ($915 vs $1,044)
More college-educated — 31.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Households earn $4,592 more per year on average
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Kansas City
Cons
Violent crime (538.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Kansas City
Median Home Value
$33k less
$133,800 vs $166,400
Wichita
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 93.3 (100 = US avg)
Wichita
Median Income
$4,592
$60,712 vs $56,120/yr
Wichita
Violent Crime
49% lower
538.6 vs 1047.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Kansas City, KS | Wichita, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $133,800 ✓ Lower | $166,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,044 | $915 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,120 | $60,712 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.7 min | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.4% ✓ Higher | 6.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 234⚠ High | 129⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 276⚠ High | 142⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 172⚠ High | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (81) | B (98) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.4:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 19.7% | 31.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 80.7% | 88.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Kansas City | Wichita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.9°F | 43.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.2°F | 92.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.1" | 35.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 11.0" ✓ Less | 12.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 155,438 | 395,951 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.1 | 35.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 58.5% |
| Under 18 | 27.2% ✓ More | 24.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Kansas City's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Wichita's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Wichita is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Wichita leads 18 of 23 categories. Kansas City wins 5 and Wichita wins 18. 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 Kansas City to Wichita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($133,800 vs $166,400 median home), income ($56,120 vs $60,712), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Kansas City, KS and Wichita, KS are about 172 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.