City profile · Kansas · Census ACS 2023

Olathe, KS

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Olathe - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

143,720
Residents
$112,232
Median income
$340,600
Median home
$1,358
Median rent (state)

Olathe - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Olathe places in the 84th percentile for household income and the 58th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

84th
percentile, household income
71st
percentile, home value
51st
percentile, median rent
58th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Olathe, KS

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 143,720 residents in Olathe, a mid-sized U.S. city within Kansas. Olathe households earn a median of $112,232 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 4.0%. Olathe's housing stock carries a median value of $340,600, and the median resident age is 36.6 years. 49.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 70.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 513 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Slowing), down 19% from five years earlier. Olathe reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1137.3 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 55.1°F with 40.7 inches of precipitation per year and 13.8 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Kansas run below the national norm: the state registers 90.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,358 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Kansas's average monthly utility costs around $217 (state average). Workers in Olathe report an average commute of 16.8 minutes, with 71.5% driving alone and 18.8% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 94.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

143,720 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kansas

Median Household Income

$112,232 /yr

Poverty 4.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kansas average

How does Olathe compare to other US cities?

Olathe measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 84% higher than other cities
Home value 71% pricier than other cities
Median rent 51% pricier than other cities
Safety 58% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Kansas alone, Olathe ranks #42 of 109 Kansas cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Olathe's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Kansas, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

84thIncome percentile
58thSafety percentile

84th percentile nationally for median household income · 58th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Olathe's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Olathe's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 60 Avg. percentile National median
Olathe's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Olathe's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$340,600 29th percentile more affordable than 29% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Olathe $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Olathe, KS Olathe, KS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Olathe, KS-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Olathe, KS median $112,232/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Olathe, KS's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Olathe, KS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 49.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 70.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
143,720
Median Income
$112,232
Median Home Value
$340,600
Median Age
36.6
Poverty Rate
4.0%
Labor force participation
70.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
49.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1137.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
196.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
941.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
55.1°F
Annual Precipitation
40.7"
Annual Snowfall
13.8"

Schools

Total Schools
53
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
140,000 residents145,000 residents150,000 residents155,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 141,549 residents 150,025 residents ▲ +6.0%
Olathe's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
513
housing units authorized
Single-Family
321
detached homes
Multifamily
192
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 631
2020 1,011
2021 1,206
2022 1,173
2023 749
2024 513

Permit volume decreased 19% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.8 minutes
Drive Alone
71.5%
Carpool
7.4%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
0.8%
Work from Home
18.8%
Other
1.3%

Based on 76,951 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Kansas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$65
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$217
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Kansas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Kansas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Olathe sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,358/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
94.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kansas

Kansas City
154,776 people
Topeka
126,103 people
Lawrence
95,459 people
Overland Park
197,199 people
Shawnee
68,175 people
Lenexa
57,986 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Olathe's 143,720 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

McAllen, TX
143,789 people
Gainesville, FL
143,611 people
Torrance, CA
143,499 people
Thornton, CO
142,878 people
Visalia, CA
142,649 people
Waco, TX
141,925 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Olathe's $112,232 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Redington Beach, FL
$112,250 median income
Lake Holiday, IL
$112,250 median income
Gilbert, IA
$112,250 median income
Terryville, NY
$112,262 median income
Novato, CA
$112,193 median income
Cold Bay, AK
$112,273 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Olathe, KS Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Olathe, KS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 78.6% 9.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12.6% White 78.6% Black or African American 4.8% Asian 4.2% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.6% Two or more races 9.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Olathe compares to nearby Kansas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Olathe (this city) 143,720 $112,232
Kansas City 154,776 $59,183
Topeka 126,103 $55,902
Lawrence 95,459 $62,838
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KS FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Olathe, KS?

What is the population of Olathe, KS? +

143,720 people live in Olathe, KS according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Olathe, KS? +

Olathe households earn a median of $112,232 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Olathe? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Olathe; the closest available measure is the Kansas state average, a cost of living index of 90.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Kansas vary by metro area.

Is Olathe, KS safe? +

Olathe has a total crime rate of 1137.3 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Olathe, KS? +

A typical home in Olathe is worth $340,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Olathe? +

The average annual temperature in Olathe runs 55.1°F, 40.7 inches of precipitation, and 13.8 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.