Best Life Index › States › Kansas › Cities › Wichita

Kansas city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Wichita?

What it costs to live in Wichita, and how it compares with other Kansas cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

35

21st best value in Kansas

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Kansas cities.

Overall livability

25

22nd overall in Kansas

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Wichita is home to about 394,574 people. A typical home runs $145,300 and a household earns around $56,400, a price-to-income ratio of 2.6. Among Kansas's largest cities, it ranks 21st for value and 22nd overall. For context, the typical Wichita home is about 37% below the statewide median of $232,000 and local household income is about 16% below the statewide median of $66,900.

Wichita at a glance

Median home price

$145,300

14th in KS of 25

Median rent

$856/mo

Median household income

$56,400

Home price to income

2.6x

Unemployment

5.9%

24th in KS of 25

School rating

4/10

16th in KS of 25

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‹ See all top Kansas cities ranked  ยท  Kansas state profile ›

More Kansas cities: Kansas City, Lawrence, Lenexa, Manhattan, Olathe, Overland Park, Salina, Shawnee, Topeka

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI. City rankings are within Kansas only. Updated 2026.