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