BestCityFor

Best city for young professionals? Kansas City, KS

D
Score
36/100
Rank #170 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

Kansas City can still work for young professionals if you’re leaning into typical rent (2br) and commute 45+ min share. Overall, it’s a more specialized pick in this set (#170 of 200). The main watch-out is bachelor’s+ rate.

Methodology · Sources · KS rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why Kansas City ranks here

  • Typical rent (2BR): $1,081/mo (25% lower than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Commute 45+ min share: 7% (40% lower than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Age 25–34 share: 15% (7% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Bachelor’s+ rate: 20% (42% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Work-from-home share: 8% (31% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
154,776
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 50%Female 50%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$1,081/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Median household income
$59,183
National median: $75,598
Age 25–34 share
15%
National median: 16%
Bachelor’s+ rate
20%
National median: 35%
Work-from-home share
8%
National median: 12%
Commute 45+ min share
7%
National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Career
Income and workforce proxies that often correlate with opportunity.
22/100
Affordability
Housing costs that affect early-career budgets.
93/100
Young-adult mix
Age 25–34 presence and broad stability signals.
31/100
Comfort
Commute friction as a time/quality proxy.
93/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

19%
Less than HS
61%
HS / Some college
13%
Bachelor’s
8%
Advanced

Age mix

Share of residents age 25–34 (ACS).

15%
Age 25–34
85%
Other ages

Commute mix

Share of commuters with 45+ min travel time (ACS).

7%
45+ min
93%
Under 45

Map

Open in OpenStreetMap →

Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Median household income
National median $75,598
$59,183
Bachelor’s+ rate
National median 35%
20%
Work-from-home share
National median 12%
8%
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
86%
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$1,081/mo
Age 25–34 share
National median 16%
15%
Below poverty line
National median 15%
18%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
7%

Similar cities (by score)

#168 Miami, FL
36/100
#169 Mobile, AL
36/100
#171 Pembroke Pines, FL
36/100
#172 Jackson, MS
36/100

FAQ

›What is Kansas City’s young professionals score and rank?
Kansas City, KS scores D (36/100) and ranks #170 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Kansas City city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of Kansas City, KS?
Population is about 154,776 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Kansas City, KS?
About 50% male and 50% female (ACS 2023).
›What is a typical 2BR rent in Kansas City, KS?
Typical rent (2BR) is $1,081/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).
›What is median household income in Kansas City, KS?
Median household income is $59,183 (national median: $75,598).
›How large is the 25–34 population in Kansas City, KS?
Age 25–34 share is 15% (national median: 16%).
›Where does this data come from for Kansas City, KS?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (neighborhoods, taxes, commute, schools, safety, and your support network).