Kansas City vs Louisville
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $167,400 in Kansas City and $233,900 in Louisville.
- Households earn more in Louisville ($66,849 vs $62,401 median).
Side by side
| Kansas City, KS | Louisville, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 157,805 | 641,962 |
| Growth since 2020 | +0.8% | +1.6% |
| People per square mile | 1,265 | 2,441 |
| Median age | 33.9 | 37.7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21% | 34% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $62,401 | $66,849 |
| Median home value | $167,400 | $233,900 |
| Home value to income | 2.7× | 3.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,123 | $1,120 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 92.5 | 93.1 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 86.6 | 78.6 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $69,400 | $69,800 |
| Homeowners | 61% | 61% |
| Top state income tax | 5.58% | 3.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.71% | 6% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.4 | 22.5 |
| Work from home | 9% | 13% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.8% | 5.5% |
| Poverty rate | 16% | 15.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 40° / 22° | 44° / 28° |
| July high / low | 90° / 72° | 89° / 71° |
| Precipitation per year | 38 in | 48 in |
| Snowfall per year | 11 in | 13 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 47 | 43 |
| Nights below freezing | 93 | 74 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 89.4 | 98.3 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 49% | 44% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.2% | +3.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +42.4% | +40.2% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Kansas City: April and September to October. Louisville: June and September to October.
Full monthly tables: Kansas City weather by month and Louisville weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $69,400 in Kansas City and $69,800 in Louisville. Moving from Kansas City to Louisville, you would need about $75,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.