In Kansas, yes, you ‘kan’ have everything. And lucky for you, HomeSnacks is here to tell you how your family can live their best life in the Sunflower State’s best places for families for 2024.
How did we determine Kansas’ most family friendly places? We consulted the US Census on places in The Jayhawker State with more than 10,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 28 family friendly Kansas places that any family would be lucky to call home.
No, it’s not a coincidence that most of Kansas’ family friendly places are centered around two of Kansas biggest cities: Kansas City and Wichita. There’s more to do in these places and jobs with competitive salaries are plentiful. But that’s not all we discovered, folks. Kansas has a ton of family friendly activities that are sure to keep your family entertained for weeks. Matter of fact, you can have your family at Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead in Overland Park, Clinton Lake in Lawrence and the Evil Knievel Museum in Topeka, all in the same weekend.
So, if you’re looking for safe, family friendly cities and neighborhoods, amazing schools, large green spaces, good BBQ, and just overall good family friendly fun, keep reading.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
When you choose to live in one of Kansas’ best places for families, you are choosing to live where you can keep your family safe, happy, and healthy. You are choosing to live where your Kansas salary will go the furthest for your family. And that, Kansans, makes perfect sense.
So, what’s the best place for families to live in Kansas for 2024? Drum roll… the number one best place for families in The Free State is Andover based on the most recent Census data.
To learn more about our methodology and to see why Kansas’ top ten best places to raise a family are truly the best of the best, look at the list below. And if you don’t find your favorite there head to the bottom.
More reading about Kansas and the best places for families in the country:
- Best Places To Live In Kansas
- Cheapest Places To Live In Kansas
- Best Cities To Raise A Family In America
- Best States To Raise A Family In America
The 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In Kansas For 2024
/10
Population: 15,460
Median Income: $113,538
Average Home Price: $302,362
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 35
Closest Major City: Wichita
Households with kids: 50.1%
More on Andover: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 11,254
Median Income: $100,863
Average Home Price: $286,136
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 37
Closest Major City: Kansas City
Households with kids: 39.8%
More on Lansing: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 142,114
Median Income: $108,077
Average Home Price: $384,085
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 57
Closest Major City: Kansas City
Households with kids: 39.7%
More on Olathe: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 196,676
Median Income: $100,876
Average Home Price: $423,348
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 63
Closest Major City: Kansas City
Households with kids: 29.3%
More on Overland Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 33,784
Median Income: $174,779
Average Home Price: $681,534
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 61
Closest Major City: Kansas City
Households with kids: 30.1%
More on Leawood: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 12,882
Median Income: $52,921
Average Home Price: $145,347
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 45
Closest Major City: Wichita
Households with kids: 34.7%
More on El Dorado: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 12,615
Median Income: $61,927
Average Home Price: $196,371
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 51
Closest Major City: Kansas City
Households with kids: 34.0%
More on Ottawa: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 10,891
Median Income: $66,382
Average Home Price: $189,870
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 56
Closest Major City: Wichita
Households with kids: 33.1%
More on Haysville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 67,671
Median Income: $100,649
Average Home Price: $374,543
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 57
Closest Major City: Kansas City
Households with kids: 34.4%
More on Shawnee: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 23,488
Median Income: $91,232
Average Home Price: $320,799
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 38
Closest Major City: Kansas City
Households with kids: 46.4%
More on Gardner: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Kansas anyways?
To give you the places in Kansas that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Kansas, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Kansas, that meant a total of 28 cities.
We updated this article for 2024. This is our tenth time ranking the best cities for families in Kansas.
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Kansas
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Kansas ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Kansas are Andover, Lansing, Olathe, Overland Park, Leawood, El Dorado, Ottawa, Haysville, Shawnee, and Gardner.
Here’s a look at the best cities for singles Kansas according to the data:
- Topeka
- Merriam
- Salina
For more Kansas reading, check out:
Best Places For Families In Kansas
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Amenities Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andover, KS | 15,460 | $113,538 | $302,362 | 54 |
| 2 | Lansing, KS | 11,254 | $100,863 | $286,136 | 49 |
| 3 | Olathe, KS | 142,114 | $108,077 | $384,085 | 63 |
| 4 | Overland Park, KS | 196,676 | $100,876 | $423,348 | 73 |
| 5 | Leawood, KS | 33,784 | $174,779 | $681,534 | 49 |
| 6 | El Dorado, KS | 12,882 | $52,921 | $145,347 | 59 |
| 7 | Ottawa, KS | 12,615 | $61,927 | $196,371 | 53 |
| 8 | Haysville, KS | 10,891 | $66,382 | $189,870 | 51 |
| 9 | Shawnee, KS | 67,671 | $100,649 | $374,543 | 44 |
| 10 | Gardner, KS | 23,488 | $91,232 | $320,799 | 32 |