Is Wichita a livable city? See how it stacks up against other US metro areas

Whether it’s local shops, a short commute time or location — people choose to live in Wichita for a number of reasons. But how livable is the air capital of the world according data?

In a January analysis from apartment search company RentCafe, Wichita ranked 49 of 149 U.S. metros, right below Omaha, Neb., and above York, Pa., for livability.

The company looked at different U.S. metros across three different categories: socioeconomics, quality of life, and location and community. Washington, D.C., gained first place in the ranking, right above Portland, Maine.

Even though the top winners are East Coast cities, Midwest cities fared very well.

“The clear regional frontrunner this year is the Midwest, which dominates as the region with the most livable metro areas,” the ranking reads.

Wichita ranked 54th for economy, 70th in quality of life and 28th in location and community. The city was the only one in Kansas represented in the study. The Missouri side of Kansas City ranked third.

So, what played into Wichita’s 49th-place ranking? Here’s what to know.

Wichita’s livability by the numbers

With a population of more than 600,000 people — which includes the metropolitan area — RentCafe cited Wichita’s cost of living as one of the reasons for its higher ranking.

According to the study, the cost of living in the metro sits 11% lower than the national average, with a poverty rate of 11.8% and an unemployment rate of 4.7%

For quality of life, RentCafe’s assessment found eight health care providers per 10,000 residents, with 79.9% of residents having access to exercise opportunities. Looking at location and community, there are three entertainment venues per 10,000 residents. Out of all its categories, Wichita ranks best in the location and community category.

In comparison, the District of Columbia ranked 100th in socioeconomics and first in quality of life and location and community, earning the top spot.

RentCafe’s most livable US metros

Here are the five most livable metros in the U.S., from RentCafe:

• Washington, D.C.
• Portland, Maine
• Kansas City, Mo.
• Des Moines, Iowa
• Ann Arbor, Mich.

This story was originally published March 17, 2026 at 5:00 AM.

Lindsay Smith

The Wichita Eagle

Lindsay Smith is a suburban news reporter for the Wichita Eagle, covering the communities of Andover, Bel Aire, Derby, Haysville and Kechi. She has been on The Eagle staff since 2022 and was the service journalism reporter for three years. She has a degree in communications with an emphasis in journalism from Wichita State, where she was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Sunflower, for two years. You can reach her via email at lsmith@wichitaeagle.com.