Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Overland Park, KS
VS
Sparks, NV
🏆 Overland Park leads 18 of 23 categories
Overland Park
Kansas
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$100,876 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
49 ✓ Safer
Population
196,676 ✓ Larger
Sparks
Nevada
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,938
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High
Population
108,025
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Overland Park, KS
Pros
53% less violent crime than Sparks
More college-educated — 62.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.9 pts lower (3.2%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (184.4 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $17,938 more per year on average
Homes cost $62k less ($361,800 vs $423,500)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Sparks, NV
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 48°F vs 39°F
Cons
Median income trails Overland Park by $17,938/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $423,500
Property crime (2583.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 3.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Overland Park
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 103.2 (100 = US avg)
Overland Park
Median Income
$17,938
$100,876 vs $82,938/yr
Overland Park
Violent Crime
53% lower
184.4 vs 394.4 per 100k
Overland Park
Median Home Value
$62k less
$361,800 vs $423,500
Overland Park
Unemployment
2.9 pp lower
3.2% vs 6.1% unemployment
Sparks
Summer Heat
3.9°F warmer
July avg high 92.1°F vs 88.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Overland Park, KS | Sparks, NV |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 103.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $361,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $423,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,378⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,526⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $100,876 ✓ Higher | $82,938 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.9 min ✓ Shorter | 23.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 19.5% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 63 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 49 ✓ Safer | 104⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 123⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 62.5% ✓ Higher | 25.4% |
| High School or Higher | 97.2% ✓ Higher | 85.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Blue Valley | Washoe County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.7°F | 48.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.6" | 8.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" | 6.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 196,676 ✓ Larger | 108,025 |
| Median Age | 38.4 ✓ Older | 37.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.4% ✓ Higher | 59.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.1% ✓ More | 15.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Overland Park's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Sparks's 103.2 (US average = 100).
Overland Park is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Overland Park leads 18 of 23 categories. Overland Park wins 18 and Sparks wins 5. 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 Sparks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($361,800 vs $423,500 median home), income ($100,876 vs $82,938), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Overland Park, KS and Sparks, NV are about 1,336 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.