Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Overland Park, KS
VS
Palmdale, CA
🏆 Overland Park leads 17 of 23 categories
Overland Park
Kansas
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$100,876 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
49 ✓ Safer
Population
196,676 ✓ Larger
Palmdale
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,414
Violent Crime Index
145⚠ High
Population
166,895
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Overland Park, KS
Pros
67% less violent crime than Palmdale
More college-educated — 62.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 21 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.2 pts lower (3.2%)
Households earn $22,462 more per year on average
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Palmdale
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Palmdale, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 39°F
Cons
Violent crime (551.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Overland Park by $22,462/yr
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Overland Park
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Overland Park
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Overland Park
Median Income
$22,462
$100,876 vs $78,414/yr
Overland Park
Violent Crime
67% lower
184.4 vs 551.0 per 100k
Overland Park
Median Home Value
$36k less
$361,800 vs $397,500
Overland Park
Unemployment
4.2 pp lower
3.2% vs 7.4% unemployment
Palmdale
Summer Heat
9.4°F warmer
July avg high 97.6°F vs 88.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Overland Park, KS | Palmdale, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $361,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $397,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,378⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,625⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $100,876 ✓ Higher | $78,414 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 7.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.9 min ✓ Shorter | 41.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 19.5% ✓ Higher | 7.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 63 ✓ Safer | 123⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 49 ✓ Safer | 145⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 89 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | C- (59) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 62.5% ✓ Higher | 16.7% |
| High School or Higher | 97.2% ✓ Higher | 76.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Blue Valley | Palmdale Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.7°F | 59.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F | 97.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.6" | 7.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 196,676 ✓ Larger | 166,895 |
| Median Age | 38.4 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.4% | 66.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | 29.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.1% ✓ More | 10.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Overland Park's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Palmdale's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Overland Park is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Overland Park leads 17 of 23 categories. Overland Park wins 17 and Palmdale wins 6. 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 Overland Park to Palmdale or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($361,800 vs $397,500 median home), income ($100,876 vs $78,414), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Overland Park, KS and Palmdale, CA are about 1,326 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.