The Kansas City metro area: Bates, Caldwell, Cass, Clay, Clinton, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Leavenworth, Linn, Miami, Platte, Ray and Wyandotte counties · Population 2,218,142 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of the Kansas City area: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in the Kansas City area
Household size in the Kansas City area
| Period | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.57 | 2.49 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.60 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.59 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.55 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
The average household in the Kansas City area has 2.55 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Missouri comes in at about the same level. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in the Kansas City area
| Period | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5 | 38.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.9 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.8 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.2 | 40.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.7 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
At 39.2, the median age in the Kansas City area is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.5, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in the Kansas City area
| Period | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.9% | 11.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.2% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 11.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in the Kansas City area as they are nationally: 10.9%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 0.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in the Kansas City area
Renters in the Kansas City area
| Period | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.2% | 30.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.7% | 32.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.9% | 33.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.2% | 31.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in the Kansas City area is about as common as it is nationally: 34.2% of households rent, against 34.8%. Nearly four in ten owners (37.2%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 3.0 points, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in the Kansas City area
| Period | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 11.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.5% | 10.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in the Kansas City area: 7.5% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 2.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in the Kansas City area
| Period | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in the Kansas City area was built around 1980, the same vintage as the country's housing overall. The median year built has moved up from 1976 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in the Kansas City area
| Period | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $897 | $740 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $980 | $816 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,095 | $899 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,395 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$498 | +$383 | +$606 |
The median renter in the Kansas City area pays $1,395 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are higher than in Missouri overall ($1,122). Rents are up $498 a month from 2006–10, a 56% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.1% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in the Kansas City area
Bachelor's degrees in the Kansas City area
| Period | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.5% | 26.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.1% | 27.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.1% | 29.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 39.7% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in the Kansas City area than nationally: 39.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the northeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in the Kansas City area
| Period | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.5% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.9% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.8% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in the Kansas City area is above the national rate: 92.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.4 points, mirroring the country. The Kansas City area has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five large metro areas.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in the Kansas City area
| Period | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 7.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 4.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in the Kansas City area than nationally: unemployment was 4.0%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.9 points, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Largest cities in the Kansas City area
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City area (all) | 2.55 | 39.2 | 10.9% | 34.2% | 7.5% | 1980 | $1,395 | 39.7% | 92.9% | 4.0% |
| Overland Park | 2.40 | 39.6 | 7.6% | 40.4% | 6.5% | 1986 | $1,630 | 62.5% | 97.4% | 3.5% |
| Kansas City | 2.84 | 35.2 | 17.0% | 39.1% | 11.1% | 1962 | $1,252 | 20.9% | 80.6% | 5.8% |
| Olathe | 2.80 | 38.7 | 8.6% | 23.8% | 4.1% | 1995 | $1,599 | 52.7% | 94.8% | 2.7% |
| Independence | 2.41 | 40.7 | 13.2% | 39.5% | 9.4% | 1967 | $1,230 | 20.3% | 89.1% | 5.4% |
| Lees Summit | 2.62 | 40.5 | 10.2% | 26.2% | 5.9% | 1993 | $1,670 | 48.7% | 97.2% | 3.4% |
| Shawnee | 2.67 | 40.2 | 7.4% | 26.3% | 4.9% | 1989 | $1,554 | 52.7% | 96.0% | 3.0% |
| Blue Springs | 2.64 | 39.5 | 12.7% | 30.0% | 4.7% | 1988 | $1,351 | 35.6% | 95.7% | 3.2% |
| Lenexa | 2.43 | 39.3 | 6.8% | 41.9% | 5.4% | 1994 | $1,700 | 58.1% | 97.1% | 2.8% |
| Leawood | 2.49 | 46.8 | 5.0% | 22.7% | 6.4% | 1988 | $1,847 | 74.0% | 98.3% | 2.4% |
| Leavenworth | 2.51 | 40.0 | 9.5% | 36.5% | 7.5% | 1972 | $1,383 | 30.3% | 91.9% | 4.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Metro areas of similar size: San Jose area · Nashville area · Indianapolis area · Columbus area · Cleveland area · Cincinnati area · Las Vegas area · Austin area · Sacramento area · Pittsburgh area
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up the Kansas City area. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.