The Town FilesKansas City, Missouri
City in Jackson County · population 508,090 (2020 Census) · spans 4 counties
- Median home
- $242,900
- Household income
- $69,166
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 35.8
Kansas City is a city of 508,090 people in Jackson County, Missouri. The median home is worth $242,900, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 92% of Missouri towns, better for young professionals than 90% of Missouri towns, better transit than 90% of Missouri towns.
How Kansas City ranks
Percentile among Missouri towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Missouri towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Kansas City is worth $242,900, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $69,166, which is more affordable than 19% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $1,238 a month. 55.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kansas City | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $242,900 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $1,238 | $855 |
| Median household income | $69,166 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 55.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Kansas City
| People | Kansas City | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.8 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.4% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.6% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.6% | — |
| Work from home | 17.0% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.4% | 88.7% |
Weather in Kansas City
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 22.2°F. About 38.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 11.0 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 47 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 93 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kansas City since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 4, 2003 about 3.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 3, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 386 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 30, 1985.
Severe weather in Jackson County since 1996
Jackson County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4490: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3482: Covid-19 |
| July 9, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4451: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 7, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4238: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| June 30, 2011 | Flood | EM-3325: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Jackson County
Jackson County had 375,574 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,613 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Kansas City itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Public schools in Kansas City
164 public schools with 68,870 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| STALEY HIGH | 9-12 | 2,006 | 20.3 |
| PARK HILL HIGH | 9-12 | 1,936 | 17.8 |
| OAK PARK HIGH | 9-12 | 1,744 | 17.6 |
| NORTH KANSAS CITY HIGH | 9-12 | 1,690 | 16.4 |
| WINNETONKA HIGH | 9-12 | 1,254 | 14.4 |
| RUSKIN HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,240 | 13.1 |
| EAST HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,066 | 14.0 |
| NEW MARK MIDDLE | 7-8 | 1,029 | 16.6 |
| LINCOLN COLLEGE PREP. | 9-12 | 958 | 17.4 |
| GATEWAY 6TH GRADE CENTER | 6-6 | 869 | 14.5 |
| SHOAL CREEK ELEM. | K-5 | 865 | 14.9 |
| GUADALUPE CENTERS ELEMENTARY (charter) | PK-5 | 791 | 11.8 |
Towns near Kansas City
- North Kansas City, MO1.3 mi · 4,467 people · home $197,500
- Riverside, MO5.5 mi · 4,013 people · home $411,300
- Gladstone, MO6.1 mi · 27,063 people · home $231,500
- Pleasant Valley, MO7.4 mi · 2,743 people · home $202,000
- Sugar Creek, MO7.7 mi · 3,271 people · home $136,600
- Roeland Park, KS7.7 mi · 6,871 people · home $276,200
- Fairway, KS8.1 mi · 4,170 people · home $618,000
- Mission Hills, KS8.5 mi · 3,594 people · home $1,237,800
Kansas City questions
Is Kansas City, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kansas City scores better for retirees than 13% of Missouri towns and quieter than 11%. 14.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.8).
How much does a house cost in Kansas City?
The median owner-occupied home in Kansas City is valued at $242,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,166, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,238 a month.
What is the weather like in Kansas City?
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 22.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.1 inches of precipitation a year and 11.0 inches of snow.
Does Kansas City get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kansas City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 4, 2003. The typical Missouri town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)