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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Overland Park breaks the usual trade-off between income and cost of living. Most affordable cities pay less — but Overland Park delivers a median household income of $103,838 — we had to double-check this one — (29% above the national median) while keeping costs 4 points below national average. Tha…
197,089 residents · Kansas
Look, the #1 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, Utilities is the standout at index 100, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 120. At a 19% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
147,461 residents · Kansas
The #2 spot goes to Olathe, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,792/month — worth pausing on — — saving renters $1,236 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 100, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 120. At a 19% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget. Worth a deeper look.
396,119 residents · Kansas
Here's Wichita by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 87. Rent: $1,125/month. Income: $63,072/year. Home price: $198,074. Population: 396,119. 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 $9,240 per year vs. the national median. This is the type of edge you don't see advertised.
125,475 residents · Kansas
Frankly, 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 90) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $55,902 and homes at $186,856 round out a profile that ranks #4 for clear reasons.
#1 Ranked: Overland Park — cost index 108, rent $1,666/mo, income $103,838
Overland Park: 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
Overland Park breaks the usual trade-off between income and cost of living. Most affordable cities pay less — but Overland Park delivers a median household income of $103,838 — we had to double-check this one — (29% 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.
This is the part most people skip — and it's the part that matters most. Overland Park: high income, low cost — a rare combo. Overland Park earns above the national median ($103,838 vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 108 vs 112). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 36 of 288 cities share it.
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. You get the picture. 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. When healthcare costs are this low, the savings ripple across every other category (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
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. Overland Park (index 108, rent $1,666); Olathe (index 108, rent $1,792); Wichita (index 87, rent $1,125). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
The same data, viewed through a different lens: Across Kansas, the average cost of living index is 98 — 14 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. This is the kind of number that should get your attention (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
Bottom line: Overland Park 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.
Cities are ranked by overall cost of living index in descending order. High-cost cities are typically driven by housing prices — a city with an index of 150 has overall costs roughly 50% above the national median, with housing often 2-3× that premium. 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.
Overland Park ranks #1 in Kansas for this analysis with a cost index of 108 and median income of $103,838.
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.
Overland Park (ranked #1) has a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,666/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 Overland Park is $1,666/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $229 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Overland Park is $470,417, which is 4.5× 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.