Best places to live in the Kansas City metro area

Written by:
July 8, 2025
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Best places to live in the Kansas City metro area

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in the Kansas City metro area using data from the Niche. Niche uses 15 weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on cost of living, higher education rate, housing, public schools, diversity, and crime. You can read more about Niche's methodology here.

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#25. Lake Winnebago

- Niche grade: A-
- Public school grade: A-
- Population: 1,401

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#24. Kansas City

- Niche grade: A-
- Public school grade: B+
- Population: 508,233

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#23. Greenwood

- Niche grade: A-
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 6,000

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#22. Lansing

- Niche grade: A-
- Public school grade: B+
- Population: 11,229

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#21. Gladstone

- Niche grade: A-
- Public school grade: B+
- Population: 27,069

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#20. De Soto

- Niche grade: A-
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 6,333

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#19. Blue Springs

- Niche grade: A-
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 59,416

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#18. Merriam

- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A-
- Population: 11,036

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#17. Liberty

- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A-
- Population: 30,446

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#16. Mission

- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A-
- Population: 9,928

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#15. Lake Lotawana

- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 2,378

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#14. Weatherby Lake

- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 2,465

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#13. Lake Waukomis

- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 1,085

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#12. Mission Hills

- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 3,556

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#11. Lee's Summit

- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 102,583

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#10. Olathe

- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 143,720

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#9. Roeland Park

- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A-
- Population: 6,800

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#8. Lenexa

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 57,986

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#7. Shawnee

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 68,175

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#6. Fairway

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 4,177

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#5. Parkville

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 8,022

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#4. Overland Park

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 197,199

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#3. Prairie Village

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 22,937

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#2. Westwood

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 1,851

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#1. Leawood

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 33,844

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