Olathe named the best place to live in Kansas by U.S. News & World Report
A new ranking from the U.S. News and World Report names Olathe as the best place to live in Kansas — and it’s not the only city in the Kansas City metro to make the list.
The list of eight cities in Kansas was evaluated using metrics like quality of life, value, desirability, job market and net migration, according to U.S. News and World Report.
“There’s no place like Kansas, known for its rolling prairies, abundant farmland and Wild West history,” the report says before naming its top picks.
Half of the list is made up of cities in the Kansas City metro. Here’s a look at the rankings.
See KC area cities on the list
1. Olathe
Topping the list this year was Olathe, which received a 6.3/10 overall score on the metrics. The list noted Olathe’s population, median home value, median monthly rent and other factors that contributed to the metrics.
According to the list, “Olathe offers a comparable value to similarly sized cities when you compare housing costs to median household income.”
The median household income in Olathe is $111,116, compared with the national median household income of $79,466, according to the list.
The ranking includes data showing Olathe has a healthier job market than similarly sized metro areas. Unemployment in Olathe is 3.08%, lower than the national average of 4.5%.
2. Overland Park
Overland Park is the second-best place to live in Kansas, according to the list. It received a score of 6.2/10.
The city’s median home value is $408,008, while its median household income is $104,601.
According to the list, “Overland Park offers a lower value than similarly sized cities when you compare housing costs to median household income.”
However, Overland Park has a healthier job market than similarly sized metro areas, the list notes.
3. Shawnee
Rounding out the top three, Shawnee received a score of 6.2/10.
While Shawnee offers a lower value than similarly sized cities when you compare housing cots to income, it has a healthy job market, the list says.
Other cities that made the list
4. Wichita: 5.6/10
Wichita offers a better value than similarly sized cities when comparing housing costs to median household income, the list says.
5. Lawrence: 5.5/10
According to the list, one attractive thing about Lawrence is that there are more single people in the city than the national average.
6. Manhattan: 5.4/10
Manhattan was listed for its quality of life, including easy commuting compared to other cities and more single people than the national average. It ranked lower for its job market, which is less healthy than cities of a similar size, the list says.
7. Kansas City, Kansas: 5.4/10
Kansas City, Kansas, made the list with relatively lower median monthly rent and median home value.
8. Topeka: 5.2/10
Topeka made the list with better value than similarly sized cities when comparing housing costs to median household income.
This story was originally published February 12, 2026 at 12:58 PM with the headline "Olathe named the best place to live in Kansas by U.S. News & World Report."
