5 Best Suburbs Near Kansas City, MO
Kansas City has 508,000 residents, good jobs, great schools, a plethora of museums, and more than 200 lovely fountains. Some of those museums include the National World War I Museum and Memorial, Arabia Steamboat Museum, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. This is truly a beautiful place to live, but what if you don’t want to live in the central part of the city?
Here are five of the best suburbs of Kansas City.
Overland Park
Twenty minutes south of central Kansas City you’ll find Overland Park. This large suburb has 195,000 residents. The median household income is $82,650, while the median home price is $314,000. If you choose to rent rather than buy a place, you’ll be glad to know that the average rent is just $1,000.
Overland Park has many well-rated public and private schools in the northern part of the suburb, including Santa Fe Trail Elementary School, Shawnee Mission West High School, Monarch Montessori School, and Kansas City Christian School.
This suburb is full of lovely homes on large lots, so you’ll feel like you have plenty of space. Want to go out for dinner? Well, Kansas City and its surrounding suburbs are well-known for their delicious fare. In Overland Park, try Jack Stack Barbecue, J. Gilbert’s Wood-Fired Steaks & Seafood, and Cinezetti’s. If you enjoy golf, there are several places to play, including St. Andrews Golf Club, Deer Creek Golf Club, and Nicklaus Golf Club at Lions Gate.
Leawood
Just east of Overland Park, the neighboring suburb called Leawood is another great place to live. The median household income here is $150,000 and the price of a home averages $516,000. Rent averages $1,300 a month.
Residents live in townhouses and single-family homes of varying sizes. The streets are lined with trees, providing shade and a natural atmosphere.
This neighborhood of 34,000 residents shares schools with Overland Park, but has others within its borders, like Boone Elementary School, Rockhurst High School, and Notre Dame de Sion High School.
Want to eat out and have a treat? Then we suggest trying Blade & Timber, 801 Chophouse, and Room 39.
For other entertainment, play the holes at Golf Club of Leawood or catch a live show at Leawood Stage Company.
Shawnee
West of Kansas City we come to Shawnee, a suburb with a population of 66,000. The median home income here is $77,000, and the average rent is $975 a month. Homes include new construction homes and modern condos, and the median home price is $367,000.
When you want to go out for a bite to eat, we suggest you try Twisted, which serves top-notch Mexican food. The restaurant El Pulgarcito is also a reliable spot for Mexican food. Want to spend an evening doing karaoke? Then hit Close Quarters at Johnny C’s. If you feel up for a game of golf, head over to Shawnee Golf and Country Club.
Shawnee even has a place to go boating and fishing. Shawnee Mission Park has these activities, plus hiking trails. It even includes an off-leash dog park.
There are plenty of schools for your kids here, including Mill Creek Elementary School, Trailridge Middle School, and Mill Valley High School. Overall, this is a great place for families and the area has plenty to keep you busy.
Lenexa
Directly south of Shawnee, and 20 minutes from Kansas City, is Lenexa. This suburb has a population of 55,000. The median household income here is $90,000. Comparatively, house prices and rents are low. The median home price is $284,000, while the average rent is $1,140. You’ll find apartments and many new-construction single-family homes.
Your kids will get a good education at the local schools, which include Sunflower Elementary School, Holy Trinity School, Saint Thomas Aquinas High School. Why not take them out to a restaurant after a tough week of classes? Some of the local eateries include Holy Land Café, Sushi Uni, and Pie Five Pizza Co.
Enjoy the outdoors at Black Hoof Park, where you can bring your kids to the playground, hike the trails, and catch sight of local wildlife.
Olathe
South of Lenexa and 21 minutes from Kansas City is Olathe, a big suburb with a population of 140,000. The median household income here is $85,000, and the average rent is surprisingly low at $875. Homes average $360,000. You’ll find new-construction houses and older homes on large lots, so you’ll have lots of space.
A few of the local schools include Central Elementary School, Oregon Trail Middle School, Olathe North High School, and Kansas School for the Deaf.
We want to bring your attention to Frontier Park, a spacious park with a seriously cool playground. Part of it looks like an old sailing ship. Another great outdoor setting is Ernie Miller Nature Center, a wonderful place to go for a charming walk in the woods.
Want some fresh food? Visit Olathe Farmers Market. It opens on Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. at Stagecoach Park and Wednesdays at 7:30 a.m. at Black Bob Park. The market does not have a set closing time, but ends when the vendors feel they’ve sold enough.
When you need self storage for business or personal use, or for your car, boat, or RV in any of these neighborhoods, check out Storelocal in Grain Valley, Missouri. Our unit sizes range from 5’x5’ to 10’x40’, so you’re sure to find one that matches your needs.
