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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Wichita rent up 4% over the past year. Rent in #1-ranked Wichita has increased from $1,085 to $1,125/mo over the past 12 months — a 4% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time.
396,119 residents · Kansas
A closer look at Wichita: the cost index of 66 breaks down to a Housing index of 66 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 93 (weakest). It's fine. Not great, not bad. Median rent is $1,125/month — 41% below the national median — while household income sits at $63,072, meaning locals spend about 21% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
125,475 residents · Kansas
What does daily life actually cost in Topeka? Start with the 25% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 68) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 94) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $55,902 and homes at $186,856 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
147,461 residents · Kansas
Why Olathe ranks #3: the numbers tell a clear story. That's about what we'd expect given the state context. At 105 on the cost index, residents save roughly 6% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,792/month while the median household pulls in $112,232/year. The Healthcare category is particularly strong at 101, though Housing (105) lags behind. Home prices average $425,657 — $41,713 below the national median (that's pre-tax, of course).
197,089 residents · Kansas
The #4 spot goes to Overland Park, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,666/month — saving renters $2,748 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 97, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 99. At a 19% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
#1 Ranked: Wichita — cost index 66, rent $1,125/mo, income $63,072
Wichita rent up 4% over the past year
4 of 4 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Wichita rent up 4% over the past year. Rent in #1-ranked Wichita has increased from $1,085 to $1,125/mo over the past 12 months — a 4% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time.
Kansas is a genuine bargain: 4 of the 4 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Wichita leads at an index of 66 with rent at just $1,125/month — 41% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Here's Wichita by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 66. Rent: $1,125/month. Income: $63,072/year. Home price: $198,074. Population: 396,119. The strongest category is Housing at 66; the most expensive is Healthcare at 93. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $9,240 per year vs. the national median. For families with student loans, that cost gap is a second income.
Here's the asterisk: Across Kansas, the average cost of living index is 84 — 27 points below the national median. Known for plains affordability with steady incomes, the state offers 4 tracked cities with median rents averaging $1,438/month. That's $457 less than the national average of $1,895. That's an underrated factor in the decision (that's pre-tax, of course).
Bottom line: Wichita leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
We rank cities by their home-price-to-income ratio (median home price ÷ median household income). A lower ratio means homes are more attainable relative to local earnings. The standard benchmark is 3-5×; above 5× is considered stretched. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Wichita ranks #1 in Kansas for this analysis with a cost index of 66 and median income of $63,072.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Wichita (ranked #1) has a cost index of 66 and rent of $1,125/mo, while Overland Park (ranked #4) has a cost index of 97 and rent of $1,666/mo — a 31-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Wichita is $1,125/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $770 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Wichita is $198,074, which is 3.1× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. The national median home price is $467,370.
Kansas has a 5.7% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.7%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.28%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.