MoveMap
Moving Guides/Kansas City

Moving to Kansas City

What you need to know before relocating to Kansas City, Missouri. Data-driven insights on housing, jobs, safety, and quality of life.

Is Kansas City a Good Place to Live?

Based on data across cost of living, job market, safety, and education, Kansas City compares favorably on multiple dimensions. Highlights include rent ($1,240/mo) is below the national average; median household income ($79,842) exceeds the national median; low unemployment rate (3.0%) signals a strong job market.

Kansas City at a Glance

Population
2.2M
Median Income
$79,842
Median Rent
$1,240/mo
Median Home Price
$289,200
Unemployment
3.0%
Avg Commute
968742 min

Cost of Living in Kansas City

The median rent in Kansas City is $1,240/month, while the median home value is $289,200. With a median household income of $79,842, residents spend roughly 19% of monthly income on rent.

Overall, the Kansas City metro area is classified as affordable compared to other US metros.

Rent vs. National Avg
11% below
Home Price vs. National Avg
5% below

Job Market

Kansas City has a median household income of $79,842, which is 7% above the national median. The local unemployment rate is 3.0%, compared to the national average of 3.7%.

Safety in Kansas City

The violent crime rate in Kansas City is 459 per 100,000 residents, which is 21% above the national average of 380.

Property crime rate: 2095 per 100,000 residents.

Education in Missouri

Missouri has a high school graduation rate of 91% and per-pupil spending of $14,703/year. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1.

34% of Missouri adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Healthcare Access

Missouri has 288 physicians per 100,000 residents, a 8.7% uninsured rate, and 3.0 hospital beds per 1,000 people. Life expectancy in Missouri is 76.5 years.

Pros and Cons of Living in Kansas City

+Pros

  • Rent ($1,240/mo) is below the national average
  • Median household income ($79,842) exceeds the national median
  • Low unemployment rate (3.0%) signals a strong job market
  • High school graduation rate of 91%

-Cons

  • Longer-than-average commute (968742 min)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kansas City a good place to live?

Kansas City, Missouri has several attributes that make it an attractive place to live, including rent ($1,240/mo) is below the national average and median household income ($79,842) exceeds the national median. It scores well on multiple quality-of-life metrics relative to the national average.

What is the cost of living in Kansas City?

The median rent in Kansas City is $1,240/month and the median home value is $289,200. The median household income is $79,842. Overall the metro is considered affordable.

Is Kansas City safe?

Kansas City has a violent crime rate of 459 incidents per 100,000 residents. The national average is approximately 380 per 100,000.

What is the job market like in Kansas City?

Kansas City has an unemployment rate of 3.0%, compared to the national average of 3.7%. The median household income is $79,842.

Explore More About Kansas City