County housing intelligence
Kansas Housing Market by County
Kansas is not one housing market. Across 105 counties, the median county home value is $118,700 and the median county rent is $758/mo. The useful question is not whether Kansas is cheap. It is which county fits your income, tax tolerance, and buy-versus-rent plan.
County median home value
$118,700
Median of county medians, less distorted by the largest metros.
County median rent
$758/mo
Gross rent includes rent plus utilities where Census reports it.
Counties compared
105
Every county with available ACS housing data in this state.
Fast answers
Start with the housing question.
Market brief
The state-level housing signal
These benchmarks use the median county in the state, not one metro-weighted average. That makes the brief better for county comparison and rural-to-urban screening.
Purchase price
State county median vs national benchmark
Rent
State county median vs national benchmark
Owner cost
State county median vs national benchmark
Income base
State county median vs national benchmark
Tax rate
State county median vs national benchmark
The Kansas Pattern
These are the signals a statewide average hides. Start here before choosing counties to compare.
Price geography
Johnson County, Douglas County, Miami County sit at the top of the purchase market, while Comanche County, Elk County, Jewell County anchor the lower-cost end.
Rent reality
Johnson County, Leavenworth County, Kearny County lead on rent, while Lane County, Elk County, Washington County show where monthly lease costs are lowest.
Decision lens
Stanton County, Elk County, Chautauqua County screen best for purchase affordability when home values are measured against local household income.
Best Counties by Housing Goal
Different households need different rankings. Price alone is not enough, so these groups compare rent, income, owner costs, and tax exposure.
Cheapest to buy
Lowest median home values. Useful for purchase-price screening.
- 1. Comanche County
$59,900
- 2. Elk County
$60,900
- 3. Jewell County
$62,100
- 4. Chautauqua County
$63,300
- 5. Stanton County
$64,200
Best buy affordability
Lowest home-value-to-income ratios. Better than price alone.
- 1. Stanton County
0.9x home-value-to-income
- 2. Elk County
1.1x home-value-to-income
- 3. Chautauqua County
1.2x home-value-to-income
- 4. Clark County
1.2x home-value-to-income
- 5. Comanche County
1.2x home-value-to-income
Cheapest to rent
Lowest median gross rent among counties with ACS rent data.
- 1. Lane County
$497/mo
- 2. Elk County
$534/mo
- 3. Washington County
$547/mo
- 4. Wallace County
$578/mo
- 5. Jewell County
$591/mo
Lowest rent burden
Where typical renters spend the smallest share of income on rent.
- 1. Ness County
13.0% rent burden
- 2. Stanton County
14.0% rent burden
- 3. Grant County
16.0% rent burden
- 4. Wallace County
16.0% rent burden
- 5. Wichita County
16.0% rent burden
Lowest tax-rate signal
Lowest effective property-tax rates in the state data.
- 1. Nemaha County
0.98% effective tax rate
- 2. Linn County
1.09% effective tax rate
- 3. Pottawatomie County
1.11% effective tax rate
- 4. Crawford County
1.12% effective tax rate
- 5. Johnson County
1.15% effective tax rate
Owner-cost advantage
Counties where median owner costs are furthest below median rent.
- 1. Greeley County
$237/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 2. Hodgeman County
$237/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 3. Kearny County
$236/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 4. Edwards County
$217/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 5. Stevens County
$154/mo cheaper to own than rent
Income-backed value
Higher-income counties that still hold a reasonable value-to-income profile.
- 1. Stanton County
$70,361 income, 0.9x value-to-income
- 2. Greeley County
$78,819 income, 1.4x value-to-income
- 3. Clark County
$65,515 income, 1.2x value-to-income
- 4. Elk County
$56,087 income, 1.1x value-to-income
- 5. Wichita County
$71,282 income, 1.4x value-to-income
Tradeoffs to Check
The best page is not the one that crowns a winner. It is the one that shows where a county can surprise you after the headline price looks attractive.
| Signal | County | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap price, weaker income base | Comanche County $59,900 home value, $49,417 income | Low purchase prices can still feel tight when local wages are also low. |
| Affordable homes, higher tax rate | Comanche County $59,900 home value, 2.29% tax rate | A low home price can be offset by the annual property-tax bill. |
| Renter pressure | Norton County $642/mo rent, 37.00% rent burden | Monthly rent alone does not show whether renters can comfortably absorb the cost. |
| Expensive, but income-supported | Johnson County $366,000 home value, $107,261 income | Some high-price counties also have stronger incomes, so affordability depends on both sides of the equation. |
Lowest home values
Best value-to-income
Compare Every Kansas County
Sorted by home-value-to-income ratio so the first rows are not just cheap counties, but counties where purchase prices look smaller relative to local income.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Income | Value/Income | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanton County | $64,200 | $691/mo | $70,361 | 0.9x | 2.47% |
| Elk County | $60,900 | $534/mo | $56,087 | 1.1x | 1.99% |
| Chautauqua County | $63,300 | $713/mo | $54,592 | 1.2x | 1.60% |
| Clark County | $78,400 | $771/mo | $65,515 | 1.2x | 2.05% |
| Comanche County | $59,900 | $672/mo | $49,417 | 1.2x | 2.29% |
| Jewell County | $62,100 | $591/mo | $52,344 | 1.2x | 1.97% |
| Edwards County | $70,500 | $732/mo | $53,792 | 1.3x | 1.59% |
| Ness County | $85,400 | $653/mo | $66,107 | 1.3x | 1.96% |
| Rush County | $79,300 | $700/mo | $60,288 | 1.3x | 1.90% |
| Greeley County | $108,900 | $915/mo | $78,819 | 1.4x | 1.91% |
| Greenwood County | $82,600 | $710/mo | $58,276 | 1.4x | 1.65% |
| Harper County | $77,300 | $693/mo | $55,417 | 1.4x | 1.78% |
| Osborne County | $84,700 | $591/mo | $59,408 | 1.4x | 1.61% |
| Republic County | $76,000 | $638/mo | $53,611 | 1.4x | 1.70% |
| Wichita County | $98,700 | $738/mo | $71,282 | 1.4x | 1.47% |
| Decatur County | $78,500 | $695/mo | $52,030 | 1.5x | 1.79% |
| Hodgeman County | $92,700 | $900/mo | $63,125 | 1.5x | 1.77% |
| Morton County | $95,600 | $637/mo | $65,625 | 1.5x | 2.04% |
| Phillips County | $94,700 | $621/mo | $61,235 | 1.5x | 1.70% |
| Rawlins County | $99,400 | $823/mo | $65,000 | 1.5x | 1.66% |
| Rooks County | $90,000 | $679/mo | $61,596 | 1.5x | 1.77% |
| Stafford County | $96,700 | $613/mo | $63,786 | 1.5x | 1.56% |
| Barber County | $92,700 | $743/mo | $57,615 | 1.6x | 1.66% |
| Bourbon County | $107,600 | $784/mo | $67,555 | 1.6x | 1.67% |
| Logan County | $116,600 | $796/mo | $71,389 | 1.6x | 1.82% |
| Meade County | $122,000 | $799/mo | $74,868 | 1.6x | 1.52% |
| Pawnee County | $102,400 | $806/mo | $63,625 | 1.6x | 1.79% |
| Rice County | $105,500 | $717/mo | $63,947 | 1.6x | 1.55% |
| Smith County | $91,000 | $601/mo | $57,024 | 1.6x | 1.65% |
| Trego County | $115,400 | $694/mo | $73,375 | 1.6x | 1.46% |
| Wallace County | $94,200 | $578/mo | $60,263 | 1.6x | 1.54% |
| Wilson County | $93,900 | $727/mo | $57,056 | 1.6x | 1.38% |
| Woodson County | $77,100 | $597/mo | $48,152 | 1.6x | 1.81% |
| Allen County | $100,400 | $685/mo | $57,618 | 1.7x | 1.65% |
| Cherokee County | $99,400 | $801/mo | $58,274 | 1.7x | 1.23% |
| Cloud County | $96,300 | $689/mo | $57,333 | 1.7x | 1.79% |
| Doniphan County | $121,200 | $801/mo | $72,833 | 1.7x | 1.16% |
| Ellsworth County | $116,300 | $705/mo | $66,792 | 1.7x | 1.52% |
| Graham County | $88,800 | $726/mo | $52,909 | 1.7x | 1.73% |
| Labette County | $92,100 | $729/mo | $55,439 | 1.7x | 1.63% |
| Lincoln County | $92,600 | $604/mo | $53,546 | 1.7x | 1.55% |
| Marshall County | $119,500 | $670/mo | $70,828 | 1.7x | 1.28% |
| Montgomery County | $92,100 | $759/mo | $53,242 | 1.7x | 1.70% |
| Washington County | $106,100 | $547/mo | $62,452 | 1.7x | 1.46% |
| Kingman County | $107,400 | $807/mo | $59,819 | 1.8x | 1.78% |
| Marion County | $114,400 | $727/mo | $63,438 | 1.8x | 1.73% |
| Neosho County | $101,200 | $650/mo | $55,704 | 1.8x | 1.48% |
| Pratt County | $114,500 | $810/mo | $64,348 | 1.8x | 1.76% |
| Brown County | $111,100 | $675/mo | $58,886 | 1.9x | 1.25% |
| Chase County | $106,200 | $758/mo | $54,518 | 1.9x | 1.60% |
| Cowley County | $111,600 | $779/mo | $58,263 | 1.9x | 1.68% |
| Ford County | $132,700 | $960/mo | $70,495 | 1.9x | 1.65% |
| Gove County | $119,000 | $730/mo | $63,203 | 1.9x | 1.33% |
| Hamilton County | $119,700 | $778/mo | $61,929 | 1.9x | 1.57% |
| Mitchell County | $109,600 | $653/mo | $58,233 | 1.9x | 1.90% |
| Grant County | $146,200 | $696/mo | $72,484 | 2.0x | 1.31% |
| Osage County | $142,800 | $810/mo | $70,216 | 2.0x | 1.60% |
| Russell County | $106,400 | $722/mo | $53,902 | 2.0x | 1.75% |
| Sherman County | $126,300 | $852/mo | $64,444 | 2.0x | 1.57% |
| Stevens County | $124,500 | $930/mo | $61,909 | 2.0x | 1.80% |
| Sumner County | $118,700 | $829/mo | $60,348 | 2.0x | 1.71% |
| Barton County | $117,200 | $742/mo | $56,733 | 2.1x | 1.66% |
| Cheyenne County | $119,300 | $703/mo | $55,765 | 2.1x | 1.40% |
| Coffey County | $139,500 | $842/mo | $67,377 | 2.1x | 1.16% |
| Kearny County | $152,500 | $1,137/mo | $74,135 | 2.1x | 1.22% |
| Kiowa County | $152,400 | $728/mo | $73,214 | 2.1x | 1.16% |
| Morris County | $120,900 | $711/mo | $56,716 | 2.1x | 1.55% |
| Norton County | $106,300 | $642/mo | $50,305 | 2.1x | 1.49% |
| Ottawa County | $164,100 | $738/mo | $76,755 | 2.1x | 1.62% |
| Reno County | $125,000 | $857/mo | $60,498 | 2.1x | 1.74% |
| Dickinson County | $148,500 | $809/mo | $67,982 | 2.2x | 1.43% |
| Gray County | $174,700 | $833/mo | $77,885 | 2.2x | 1.41% |
| Haskell County | $154,800 | $776/mo | $69,138 | 2.2x | 1.44% |
| Lane County | $119,000 | $497/mo | $53,042 | 2.2x | 1.44% |
| Seward County | $134,000 | $924/mo | $62,269 | 2.2x | 1.68% |
| Sheridan County | $152,000 | $663/mo | $70,000 | 2.2x | 1.53% |
| Anderson County | $147,900 | $792/mo | $64,925 | 2.3x | 1.53% |
| Thomas County | $165,900 | $753/mo | $73,575 | 2.3x | 1.32% |
| Atchison County | $147,900 | $756/mo | $62,164 | 2.4x | 1.31% |
| Clay County | $149,600 | $911/mo | $63,136 | 2.4x | 1.38% |
| Crawford County | $122,400 | $837/mo | $50,311 | 2.4x | 1.12% |
| Harvey County | $173,300 | $891/mo | $73,269 | 2.4x | 1.45% |
| Lyon County | $142,200 | $796/mo | $59,078 | 2.4x | 1.60% |
| Butler County | $199,600 | $984/mo | $80,375 | 2.5x | 1.46% |
| Nemaha County | $196,100 | $726/mo | $77,375 | 2.5x | 0.98% |
| Pottawatomie County | $223,000 | $1,011/mo | $87,694 | 2.5x | 1.11% |
| Scott County | $170,100 | $861/mo | $67,788 | 2.5x | 1.53% |
| Wabaunsee County | $178,200 | $771/mo | $70,536 | 2.5x | 1.27% |
| Wyandotte County | $152,700 | $1,070/mo | $60,582 | 2.5x | 1.47% |
| Finney County | $191,100 | $991/mo | $72,437 | 2.6x | 1.43% |
| Franklin County | $187,400 | $949/mo | $72,142 | 2.6x | 1.46% |
| Jefferson County | $200,800 | $844/mo | $77,393 | 2.6x | 1.28% |
| McPherson County | $198,400 | $889/mo | $77,701 | 2.6x | 1.40% |
| Shawnee County | $170,400 | $970/mo | $66,043 | 2.6x | 1.47% |
| Jackson County | $193,600 | $856/mo | $72,703 | 2.7x | 1.19% |
| Saline County | $171,900 | $915/mo | $63,316 | 2.7x | 1.33% |
| Linn County | $164,500 | $682/mo | $59,200 | 2.8x | 1.09% |
| Sedgwick County | $190,700 | $977/mo | $67,675 | 2.8x | 1.23% |
| Geary County | $165,000 | $1,119/mo | $57,344 | 2.9x | 1.54% |
| Leavenworth County | $260,600 | $1,138/mo | $86,906 | 3.0x | 1.20% |
| Miami County | $277,700 | $1,101/mo | $88,000 | 3.2x | 1.23% |
| Johnson County | $366,000 | $1,385/mo | $107,261 | 3.4x | 1.15% |
| Ellis County | $211,100 | $899/mo | $59,889 | 3.5x | 1.22% |
| Riley County | $231,200 | $1,065/mo | $59,560 | 3.9x | 1.43% |
| Douglas County | $281,600 | $1,066/mo | $68,756 | 4.1x | 1.25% |
Questions This Page Answers
Each answer is generated from the current county dataset, so it changes when the underlying ACS data changes.
What is the typical home value in Kansas by county?
What is the typical rent in Kansas by county?
Which Kansas counties are most affordable to buy in?
Why do cheap counties still need a closer look?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.