Kansas City metro is one of the most livable in the U.S., new study says
The Midwest is home to some of the most livable metropolitan areas in the United States, and Kansas City is near the top of the list, according to a new report.
RentCafe recently published a study determining which U.S. metro areas have the best overall quality of life, looking at 17 factors related to location and community, socioeconomics and quality of life, like cost of living, health care access and community feel for each area.
Kansas City ranked No. 3 on the list, with the metro area of 2.2 million people scoring high in these individual metrics:
- Local fresh food options
- Top-tier educational institutions
- Wide range of sports venues
- Shorter commutes
The city ranked No. 4 in socioeconomics , No. 5 in location and community , and No. 6 in the quality of life chart. It reached the top five in two charts due to a cost of living that’s 12% below the national average, according to RentCafe.
Over 98% of residents can find a place to exercise, which RentCafe includes late-night workouts in one of the city’s 24-hour gyms or jogging in any of the area’s 200+ parks. Only 1 in 5 people living here face a long commute, ranking No. 9 nationwide.
Nearly 85% of Kansas City residents are highly educated, which RentCafe credits to the more than 20 colleges, universities and technical schools in the region.
Two other Midwestern cities ranked in the top five along with Kansas City: Des Moines, Iowa, at No. 4 and Ann Arbor, Michigan, at No. 5. The most livable metro in the United States is Washington, D.C., and Portland, Maine, ranked No. 2.
