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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Olathe breaks the usual trade-off between income and cost of living. Most affordable cities pay less — but Olathe delivers a median household income of $112,232 (40% above the national median) while keeping costs 4 points below national average. That's a rare combination shared by only 36 of the 288…
Olathe breaks the usual trade-off between income and cost of living. Most affordable cities pay less — but Olathe delivers a median household income of $112,232 (40% above the national median) while keeping costs 4 points below national average. That's a rare combination shared by only 36 of the 288 cities we track.
Dive into Olathe's numbers: cost index 108 (4 points below national average), rent $1,792/month, income $112,232, and a home price of $425,657. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 100, while Housing runs 120. With 147,461 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs (that's pre-tax, of course).
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. And generally speaking, the difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: Olathe — cost index 108, rent $1,792/mo, income $112,232
Olathe: high income, low cost — a rare combo
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
147,461 residents · Kansas
So, Olathe. Cost index of 108, rent at $1,792/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $112,232, which is above average. That alone makes it worth considering (that's pre-tax, of course).
197,089 residents · Kansas
What does daily life actually cost in Overland Park? Start with the 19% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Utilities (index 100) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 120) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $103,838 and homes at $470,417 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
396,119 residents · Kansas
At $1,125/month — we had to double-check this one — for rent and a cost index of 87, Wichita is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. Income is $63,072. It lines up with what you'd expect.
125,475 residents · Kansas
Topeka earns its position at #4 through a combination that's hard to replicate. Moving on. The 87 cost index sits 25 points below the national baseline, and the $55,902 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $186,856 — $280,514 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 68, while Healthcare trails at 90.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Olathe | 5.7% | 8.7% | 1.28% | $77,271 |
2Overland Park | 5.7% | 8.7% | 1.28% | $77,271 |
3Wichita | 5.7% | 8.7% | 1.28% | $77,271 |
4Topeka | 5.7% | 8.7% | 1.28% | $77,271 |
Cities are ranked by median household income from Census ACS data. We also show cost-adjusted purchasing power (income ÷ cost index) to reveal which high-income cities actually deliver the most real-world spending power. 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.
Olathe ranks #1 in Kansas for this analysis with a cost index of 108 and median income of $112,232.
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.
Olathe (ranked #1) has a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,792/mo, while Topeka (ranked #4) has a cost index of 87 and rent of $1,169/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 Olathe is $1,792/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $103 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Olathe is $425,657, which is 3.8× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. 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.