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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
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 87 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.
#1 Ranked: Wichita — cost index 87, 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 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
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 87 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.
The real cost of living can't be reduced to a single number. And in practical terms, but this comes close: 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. Even in a down market, this kind of cost structure protects household budgets.
A closer look at Wichita: the cost index of 87 breaks down to a Housing index of 68 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 90 (weakest). 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 (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
The ranking uses a composite of 2026 data from Census Bureau population/income surveys, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary benchmarks, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Wichita (index 87 — we had to double-check this one — , rent $1,125); Topeka (index 87, rent $1,169); Overland Park (index 108, rent $1,666). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons (we double-checked this one).
Look, To put that in perspective, State context matters: Kansas's 4 cities average a 98 cost index with $1,438/month median rent and $83,761 household income. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is. Plains affordability with steady incomes. Look at the property tax column — one city blows the rest away (which, to be fair, is a metric that favors smaller cities).
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 (that's pre-tax, of course).
396,119 residents · Kansas
A closer look at Wichita: the cost index of 87 breaks down to a Housing index of 68 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 90 (weakest). 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
Here's Topeka by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 87. Rent: $1,169/month — for better or worse — . Income: $55,902/year. Home price: $186,856. Population: 125,475. The strongest category is Housing at 68; the most expensive is Healthcare at 90. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $8,712 per year vs. the national median. When healthcare costs are this low, the savings ripple across every other category (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
197,089 residents · Kansas
Here's Overland Park by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 108. Rent: $1,666/month. Income: $103,838/year. Home price: $470,417. Population: 197,089. The strongest category is Utilities at 100; the most expensive is Housing at 120. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $2,748 per year vs. the national median. This alone could tip the scales.
147,461 residents · Kansas
A closer look at Olathe: the cost index of 108 breaks down to a Utilities index of 100 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 120 (weakest). Median rent is $1,792/month — 5% below the national median — while household income sits at $112,232, meaning locals spend about 19% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
Cities are ranked by overall cost of living index in ascending order. This index weights housing (Zillow ZORI rent data) most heavily, with food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare sub-indices providing a composite picture. A score of 80 means overall costs are 20% below the national median. 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 87 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 87 and rent of $1,125/mo, while Olathe (ranked #4) has a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,792/mo — a 21-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.