City profile · Missouri · Census ACS 2023

Kansas City, MO

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

508,233
Residents
$67,449
Median income
$227,000
Median home
$1,358
Median rent (state)

Kansas City - the verdict

Kansas City ranks in the 46th percentile for household income and the 2nd percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

46th
percentile, household income
50th
percentile, home value
51st
percentile, median rent
2nd
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: Kansas City, MO

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 508,233 residents in Kansas City, a mid-sized U.S. city within Missouri. The typical household in Kansas City brings in $67,449 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.2%. Home values in Kansas City run a median of $227,000, and the median resident age is 35.7 years. About 37.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 65.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 2,878 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 92% from five years earlier. Kansas City's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 6223.2 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 54.7°F with 39.3 inches of precipitation per year and 18.2 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Missouri run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Missouri scores 90.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,358 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Missouri's average monthly utility costs around $219 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 89.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

508,233 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Missouri

Median Household Income

$67,449 /yr

Poverty 10.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Missouri average

How does Kansas City compare to other US cities?

Where Kansas City sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 46% higher than other cities
Home value 50% pricier than other cities
Median rent 51% pricier than other cities
Safety 2% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Missouri and the picture shifts: Kansas City ranks #224 of 234 Missouri cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

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 Kansas City'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 Missouri, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

46thIncome percentile
2ndSafety percentile

46th percentile nationally for median household income · 2nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Kansas City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Kansas City'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 33 Avg. percentile National median
Kansas City'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 Kansas City's home value compares nationally

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

$227,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 50% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $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. Kansas City $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 - Kansas City, MO Kansas City, MO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Kansas City, MO-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 Kansas City, MO median $67,449/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%
Kansas City, MO'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 Kansas City, MO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 37.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.4%

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

Population
508,233
Median Income
$67,449
Median Home Value
$227,000
Median Age
35.7
Poverty Rate
10.2%
Labor force participation
65.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
37.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
6223.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1547.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4676.1
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
54.7°F
Annual Precipitation
39.3"
Annual Snowfall
18.2"

Schools

Total Schools
155
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
505,000 residents510,000 residents515,000 residents520,000 residents525,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 508,128 residents 521,220 residents ▲ +2.6%
Kansas City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
2,878
housing units authorized
Single-Family
429
detached homes
Multifamily
2,449
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1,498
2020 2,450
2021 2,338
2022 1,987
2023 1,234
2024 2,878

Permit volume increased 92% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
72.7%
Carpool
7.4%
Public Transit
1.9%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
14.8%
Other
1.7%

Based on 261,836 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$72
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$219
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Missouri 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 Missouri state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Kansas City sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.8
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
89.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Missouri

St. Louis
293,109 people
Springfield
169,432 people
Columbia
127,200 people
Independence
121,944 people
Lee's Summit
102,583 people
O'Fallon
92,697 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Kansas City's 508,233 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Mesa, AZ
507,478 people
Atlanta, GA
499,287 people
Sacramento, CA
524,802 people
Omaha, NE
488,197 people
Colorado Springs, CO
483,099 people
Tucson, AZ
543,348 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Kansas City's $67,449 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Guntersville, AL
$67,448 median income
Thonotosassa, FL
$67,447 median income
Haverstraw, NY
$67,447 median income
Statham, GA
$67,444 median income
Wentworth, NC
$67,455 median income
Mount Pleasant, UT
$67,459 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Kansas City, MO 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 Kansas City, MO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 57.8% 25.8% 8.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12.3% White 57.8% Black or African American 25.8% Asian 2.7% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 4.5% Two or more races 8.6% 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 Kansas City compares to nearby Missouri cities

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

City Population Median Household Income
Kansas City (this city) 508,233 $67,449
St. Louis 293,109 $55,279
Springfield 169,432 $45,984
Columbia 127,200 $64,488
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MO FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Kansas City, MO?

What is the population of Kansas City, MO? +

Kansas City, MO has a population of 508,233 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Kansas City, MO? +

The median household income in Kansas City is $67,449 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Kansas City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Kansas City; the closest available measure is the Missouri state average, a cost of living index of 90.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Missouri vary by metro area.

Is Kansas City, MO safe? +

Kansas City has a total crime rate of 6223.2 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Kansas City, MO? +

Kansas City's median home value sits at $227,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Kansas City? +

Kansas City has an average annual temperature of 54.7°F, 39.3 inches of precipitation, and 18.2 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.