Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Olathe, KS
VS
Overland Park, KS
🏆 Overland Park leads 9 of 17 categories
Olathe
Kansas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3
Median Household Income
$108,077 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52
Population
142,114
Overland Park
Kansas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3
Median Household Income
$100,876
Violent Crime Index
49 ✓ Safer
Population
196,676 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Olathe, KS
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (196.0 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $44k less ($317,900 vs $361,800)
Rent averages $149/mo less ($1,229 vs $1,378)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Households earn $7,201 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 4.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Overland Park, KS
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (184.4 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 62.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $361,800
Higher rents — median is $1,378/mo
Median income trails Olathe by $7,201/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Olathe
Median Income
$7,201
$108,077 vs $100,876/yr
Olathe
Median Home Value
$44k less
$317,900 vs $361,800
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 93.3 on the COL index
Overland Park
Violent Crime
6% lower
184.4 vs 196.0 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Olathe, KS | Overland Park, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 | 93.3 |
| Median Home Value | $317,900⚠ High ✓ Lower | $361,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,229 ✓ Lower | $1,378⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $108,077 ✓ Higher | $100,876 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.5 min | 19.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.3% | 19.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 ✓ Safer | 63 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 84 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) | A (125) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 4.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 13.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.9% | 62.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 94.7% | 97.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | School for Deaf | Blue Valley |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.7°F | 38.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F | 88.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.7" | 40.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,114 | 196,676 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 38.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.5% ✓ Higher | 62.4% |
| Under 18 | 26.8% ✓ More | 22.0% |
| Over 65 | 12.6% | 16.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Olathe's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Overland Park's 93.3 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 17 decided categories above, Overland Park leads 9 of 17 categories. Olathe wins 8 and Overland Park 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 Olathe to Overland Park or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($317,900 vs $361,800 median home), income ($108,077 vs $100,876), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Olathe, KS and Overland Park, KS are about 7 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.