Cheapest Places to Live in Kansas (2026 Guide for Budget-Conscious Buyers)

This article was originally published on August 2, 2023 and updated on October 5, 2026.

Whether you want to explore the prairie, settle in a college town or live near Wichita or Kansas City, you can find affordable housing across Kansas. Southeast, south central and central Kansas have some of the lowest prices: nine of the 10 cities in this guide are in those regions, with median sale prices from $88,394 to $179,781. Larger cities can still be a good value. Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies puts the 2025 ratio of median home price to median income at 3.2 in Wichita and 2.8 in Topeka.

Kansas has a cost of living about 10% below the national average, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis’s regional price parities (an index of 90.1 in 2024, with the U.S. at 100). Housing drives much of that gap: Kansas rents run about 29% below the national level. Utilities help, too. Kansas’ average retail electricity price was 11.21 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2024, compared with 12.94 cents nationally, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The median value of an owner-occupied home in Kansas is $217,200, compared with $332,700 nationally. Median gross rent is $1,060 a month, compared with $1,413 nationally (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024). Recent sales show a similar gap: Redfin put the Kansas median sale price at $307,995 in August 2026, about 23% below the U.S. median of $398,596.

This guide uses data published between 2024 and October 2026. Prices and rates change quickly, so check current figures and talk with a mortgage professional before making a decision.

Methodology

We evaluated homebuying affordability by comparing median home sale prices with local median household incomes across Kansas cities.

We screened more than 60 Kansas cities. To limit small-market swings, we kept cities with at least 10 reported sales and price summaries covering the three months ending August 2026. From the 15 lowest-priced cities that qualified, the 10 with the smallest income gaps made this list.

Home prices come from Redfin’s August 2026 market updates for all home types, with price summaries covering the three months ending August. Local incomes use the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates, as reported by Data USA. These income figures are historical estimates, rather than measurements of 2026 earnings.

For each city, we estimated the monthly cost of buying a median-priced home using a 20% down payment, a 30-year fixed mortgage and the interest rate, property-tax and insurance assumptions detailed in the table. We then calculated the gross annual income needed to keep that payment at 28% of household income.

Places are ranked by their income gap:

Income gap = Estimated required annual income − Local median household income

1. Parsons (Labette County)

• Median sale price: $88,394
• Affordability Rank: 1
• Price Rank: 1

Parsons offers the lowest purchase price in this comparison and the largest affordability cushion. The city was named for Katy Railroad president Levi Parsons, and Travel Kansas notes that the annual Katy Days festival is held in Forest Park, which it calls the town’s crown jewel. The city’s community guide also lists Lake Parsons, the Iron Horse Museum, the Carnegie Arts Center and Labette Health, and Labette Community College is based here.

Redfin’s August market update reports a median sale price of $88,394, down 1.2% from the comparable period a year earlier, with 29 reported August sales and a median 27 days on market. At that price, our model produces a monthly payment of about $734. That is below the $877 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Labette County. A low median often reflects older, smaller homes, so check the roof, foundation and major systems, and leave room in the budget for any repairs the inspection turns up.

2. Osage City (Osage County)

• Median sale price: $159,894
• Affordability Rank: 2
• Price Rank: 9

Osage City pairs a small-town setting with direct access to the Flint Hills Trail, a rail-trail state park open to hikers, cyclists and horseback riders. Discover Osage describes Jones Youth Park as the main park in town, with a pool, sports fields, disc golf and the county fairgrounds. It also lists the Santa Fe Rail Depot Museum and the Smoke in the Spring barbecue festival.

Osage City ranks ninth of ten on price but second on affordability, because its median household income of $71,191 is the highest in this group. With only 11 sales, a few unusually priced homes can move the median, so compare recent sales of similar properties. If you commute to a larger job center, include travel costs in the budget.

3. Iola (Allen County)

• Median sale price: $115,000
• Affordability Rank: 3
• Price Rank: 2

Iola has become one of southeast Kansas’s trail towns. Travel Kansas describes Lehigh Portland State Park, the state’s 29th state park, as having more than 13 miles of trails on the site of a former cement plant. Those trails link to the Southwind Rail Trail and the 51-mile Prairie Spirit Trail. In town, Iola’s downtown square offers “eight blocks of unique shops, restaurants, and historical attractions,” and the Bowlus Fine Arts Center hosts concerts and plays.

First-time buyers can also look into the state’s First Time Homebuyer program. Its 2026 income limit for a family of four in Allen County is $67,300.

4. Winfield (Cowley County)

• Median sale price: $131,913
• Affordability Rank: 4
• Price Rank: 5

Winfield sits in rolling hills at the edge of the Kansas Flint Hills, about 45 miles south of Wichita near Interstate 35, according to the city’s visitor guide. It is home to Southwestern College and the internationally known Walnut Valley Festival, and residents can head to Winfield City Lake, Island Park or the city aquatic center.

Redfin’s August market update reports a median sale price of $131,913, up 6.4% year over year, with 52 reported August sales and a median 36 days on market. That is the highest sales count in this group. The modeled monthly payment is about $1,101, and the local median household income of $56,656 is roughly $9,500 above the modeled requirement. More sales make the median more representative than in smaller towns, but prices still vary by neighborhood, age and condition. Compare sales of similar homes nearby, and check a property’s flood-zone status before you request insurance quotes.

5. Wellington (Sumner County)

• Median sale price: $119,921
• Affordability Rank: 5
• Price Rank: 3

Wellington leans into its frontier and farm heritage. Travel Kansas highlights the Chisholm Trail Museum, the National Depression Glass Museum and the Kansas Wheat Festival, a four-day mid-July event with ‘nightly entertainment, food trucks, contests, a carnival, a large parade.’ Wellington Lake adds camping, a swimming beach, trails and fishing.

Redfin’s August market update reports a median sale price of $119,921, up 4.3% year over year, with 40 reported August sales and a median 25 days on market. The model puts the monthly payment at about $1,003, and the median household income of $50,333 is about $7,300 above the required income. Forty sales give a fairly stable median for a city of roughly 7,600 residents. If you work in Wichita, compare the commute with the savings on the home price, and confirm the age of the HVAC and water heater on older homes.

6. Arkansas City (Cowley County)

• Median sale price: $126,000
• Affordability Rank: 6
• Price Rank: 4

Arkansas City sits between the Arkansas and Walnut rivers in south central Kansas. Travel Kansas points to the Cherokee Strip Land Rush Museum, the Etzanoa archaeological site and the restored Burford Theatre. The city also holds the Arkalalah Fall Festival every October. Just outside town, the 230-acre Chaplin Nature Center, run by the Wichita Audubon Society, has more than four miles of trails through woods and prairie.

Redfin’s August market update reports a median sale price of $126,000, down 18.9% year over year, with 33 reported August sales and a median 18 days on market, the fastest in this comparison. The modeled payment is about $1,051 a month. A falling median alongside quick sales can reflect a change in the mix of homes sold rather than broad price cuts, so review recent comparable sales for the specific property type. For homes near either river, check flood-zone maps and get insurance quotes before closing.

7. Augusta (Butler County)

• Median sale price: $179,781
• Affordability Rank: 7
• Price Rank: 10

Augusta offers a smaller-town setting within the Wichita metro. Travel Kansas calls the free Twisted Oz Motorcycle Museum, with more than 70 vintage motorcycles, the town’s main attraction, and notes that El Dorado State Park, the largest state park in Kansas, is nearby. The historic Augusta Theater, built around 1935 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is home to the Augusta Arts Council.

Redfin’s August market update gives a median sale price of $179,781, up 5.4% year over year, with 38 reported August sales and a median 25 days on market. Augusta has the highest median price in this group, but its median household income of $64,919 keeps it in the top 10. The modeled payment is about $1,467 a month, which leaves an income cushion of about $2,100. With a margin that narrow, property taxes and insurance for a specific address can decide whether a home fits the budget, so get actual figures early.

8. Hutchinson (Reno County)

• Median sale price: $158,520
• Affordability Rank: 8
• Price Rank: 8

Hutchinson is the largest city on this list, with about 39,700 residents, and it has attractions usually found in bigger metros. Travel Kansas highlights the Cosmosphere space museum, Strataca, an underground salt-mine museum 650 feet below the surface, and the Kansas State Fair, which starts the Friday after Labor Day and runs for 10 days.

The city also has 12 miles of hike and bike trails, and Sand Hills State Park is nearby. Redfin’s August market update reports a median sale price of $158,520, up 14.2% year over year, with 15 reported August sales and a median 38 days on market.

Reno County’s economic development plan sums up the trade-off: ‘Housing is not as expensive as many benchmarks but permitting and construction is slow, and incomes are low.’

9. Independence (Montgomery County)

• Median sale price: $138,908
• Affordability Rank: 9
• Price Rank: 6

Independence pairs small-town living with one of the state’s biggest parties. Neewollah (Halloween spelled backward) is billed as ‘the largest annual celebration in Kansas.’ The 2026 festival runs October 23-31 with three parades, a chili cook-off, and a carnival. Travel Kansas also lists the Little House on the Prairie Museum, the Ralph Mitchell Zoo and the William Inge Center for the Arts, and nearby Elk City State Park has woodland hiking trails.

Redfin’s August market update reports a median sale price of $138,908, up 9.4% year over year, with 14 reported August sales and a median 36 days on market. The modeled payment is about $1,161 a month, and the income cushion is a slim $1,300 or so. With few sales and a narrow margin, small differences in price, taxes or insurance can change whether a home fits a typical local budget. Compare similar recent sales, and get insurance quotes early in the search.

10. Great Bend (Barton County)

• Median sale price: $149,801
• Affordability Rank: 10
• Price Rank: 7

Great Bend is the gateway to Cheyenne Bottoms, which Travel Kansas describes as ‘a wetland of international importance and the largest inland marsh in the United States.’ The Kansas Wetlands Education Center, run by Fort Hays State University about 10 miles northeast of town, offers free exhibits and guided van tours. In town, Travel Kansas’s Great Bend guide lists the free Brit Spaugh Zoo, the Wetlands Waterpark and shops around Jack Kilby Square.

Home Prices vs. Local Incomes in Kansas’ 10 Cheapest Cities

Data checked: October 5, 2026. Prices are Redfin’s August 2026 figures for all home types, with market trends reported over three months. The list includes incorporated cities only.

Financing: 20% down, a 30-year fixed mortgage and 7.28% interest, Freddie Mac’s national average for October 1, 2026. No private mortgage insurance is included.

¹ Estimated monthly payment: Principal, interest, estimated property taxes and homeowners insurance. Tax estimates use county effective rates (median real estate taxes paid ÷ median home value) from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019-2023 data, as compiled by TaxDrop: Labette 1.63%, Osage 1.60%, Allen 1.65%, Cowley 1.68%, Sumner 1.71%, Butler 1.46%, Reno 1.74%, Montgomery 1.70%, and Barton 1.66%. These are county benchmarks, not individual property tax quotes.

Insurance: 1.763% of the purchase price per year, based on Insurance.com’s Kansas average of $5,289 a year for $300,000 of dwelling coverage (updated September 17, 2026), used as an estimating allowance. Actual premiums vary by property and coverage.

² Required annual income: Gross household income needed to keep the estimated payment at 28% of income, calculated as monthly payment × 12 ÷ 0.28.

³ Local median household income: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024), table B19013, as reported by Data USA. Small-town ACS estimates carry wide margins of error.

⁴ Income gap: Required annual income minus local median household income. A negative number means the typical local household earns more than the income needed to buy the median home. The table is sorted by this gap, smallest first.

What Makes These Kansas Cities Affordable

Affordability depends on more than the price of a home. These three cost factors work in favor of buyers in this guide’s cities.

1. Housing costs. Homes in these cities cost far less than the national median. Redfin put the U.S. median sale price at $398,596 and the Kansas median at $307,995 in August 2026. The ten cities in this guide ranged from $88,394 in Parsons to $179,781 in Augusta. Renting costs less, too. Census estimates put the median gross rent at $1,060 a month in Kansas, compared with $1,413 nationally (2020–2024). The 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit is $877 in Labette, Allen, Montgomery, Barton and Cowley counties, which are home to six of the ten cities.
2. Utilities and transportation. Kansas’s average retail electricity price was 11.21 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2024, compared with 12.94 cents nationally. At the pump, AAA reported a Kansas average of $4.06 a gallon for regular on October 4, 2026, about 31 cents below the national average of $4.37. Commutes are shorter, too: Kansas workers average 19.7 minutes each way, compared with 26.4 minutes nationally (2020–2024).
3. Groceries and everyday expenses. The Bureau of Economic Analysis’s regional price parities estimate that overall prices in Kansas were about 10% below the national average in 2024 (an index of 90.1, with the U.S. at 100). Goods, which include groceries and household items, were about 6% cheaper (94.0), and rents were about 29% below the national level (71.2). Costs still vary from town to town, and some purchases and services may require a drive to a larger city.

Quality of Life in Affordable Kansas Cities

Affordability is only part of the decision. Here is what else these cities offer, and what to check before you buy.

Education

Most cities on this list have a college in town or nearby, including Labette Community College in Parsons, Allen Community College in Iola, Southwestern College in Winfield, Cowley College in Arkansas City, Hutchinson Community College, Independence Community College and Barton Community College near Great Bend. These schools offer two-year degrees, transfer programs and workforce training close to home. Families should still compare individual school districts using the Kansas State Department of Education’s report cards.

Healthcare

Several of these cities have their own hospitals, including Labette Health in Parsons, William Newton Hospital in Winfield and The University of Kansas Health System’s Great Bend Campus. Access in rural areas is still a real consideration. The state’s Rural Health Transformation Plan reports that most rural Kansas counties are primary care shortage areas and that some Kansans travel up to 60 miles for labor and delivery care. Check the distance to the nearest hospital and specialists before you choose a town.

Recreation and natural beauty

Outdoor space is a strength. Iola sits at a hub of rail trails, including the 51-mile Prairie Spirit Trail, and the Flint Hills Trail State Park runs 117 miles from Osawatomie to Herington, passing through Osage City. Great Bend borders Cheyenne Bottoms, the largest inland marsh in the United States. Lakes in Parsons, Wellington and Winfield add fishing, camping and swimming.

Community engagement

Local events draw big crowds. The 2026 Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson drew 330,924 visitors, and Independence’s Neewollah festival, billed as the largest annual celebration in Kansas, grows the city from under 10,000 residents to about 75,000 people. Kansans also volunteer at high rates: 31.5% volunteered through organizations in 2021, the seventh-highest rate in the country.

Conclusion

Kansas offers some of the most affordable homeownership in the country. In every city in this guide, the typical local household earned more than the income our model requires to buy the median-priced home. Housing, electricity, fuel, and everyday goods also cost less than the national average, and many of these cities offer colleges, hospitals, trails and well-attended community events.

Low prices are not the whole story. Several of these markets had few sales, older homes may need repairs, and access to jobs and healthcare varies by town. Buyers should compare recent sales of similar homes, budget for inspections and insurance, and talk with a mortgage professional about their loan options before making an offer.

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