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Living in
Olathe.
About
Life in Olathe
The job market is solid, anchored by major employers like Honeywell, Garmin, ALDI, and Husqvarna, plus a significant Farmers Insurance Group hub, so if you work in tech, manufacturing, or logistics, you'll find real opportunities without necessarily commuting into Kansas City proper (the average commute is just 20.7 minutes). Housing is relatively accessible for the region—median home values around $364,700 with median rent at $1,314—and the community skews educated and family-oriented, with nearly half the population holding a college degree and 40% of households raising children. You'll experience a classic humid continental climate with genuinely hot summers (reaching 90°F on about 36 days a year) and cold winters averaging 19 inches of snow, so if you hate extreme heat or prefer mild weather year-round, that's a real trade-off to consider.
Olathe at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Foreign-Born
11.2%
Broadband Internet
95.7%
of households
Population Growth
+6.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Olathe: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Olathe, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (25.6%), and 8.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.0%
of residents
65 and Older
13.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
38.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
20.3%
of households
Married Couples
60.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.70
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 24% above KS average
Rent, home values, and income in Olathe
In Olathe, rent runs 24% above the KS average, and home values are 68% above the KS average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
42.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
16.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
92.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,273
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
74.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1994
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $433,091 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below KS average
Unemployment in Olathe and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Olathe is 0.4 percentage points lower than the KS average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Olathe Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Kansas City, MO-KS metro area
Commute20.6 min avg
How Olathe residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Olathe, most residents drive alone to work (69%), and 78% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 29 mi
Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
Medium hub5.6M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 30% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Olathe runs 30% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
229.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
849.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Olathe Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 13 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
94.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Johnson County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Johnson County, which includes Olathe, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 13 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $110,000 |
| 2024 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 12 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 17 | Hail | $100,000 |
| 2020 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20,000 |
| 2018 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Johnson County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Johnson County, which includes Olathe, is typically good — 250 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
250
per year
Moderate Days
112
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Johnson County, county-wide
Climate86°F summers, 23°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Olathe has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 23°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
65°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/67°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/47°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
42°/23°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
40.7"
Annual Snowfall
13.8"
Hot Days/Year
34
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
98
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
97
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 20°F | 1.28" |
| Feb | 44°F | 24°F | 1.73" |
| Mar | 55°F | 34°F | 2.48" |
| Apr | 65°F | 44°F | 4.12" |
| May | 75°F | 56°F | 5.26" |
| Jun | 84°F | 65°F | 5.23" |
| Jul | 88°F | 69°F | 4.75" |
| Aug | 87°F | 67°F | 4.46" |
| Sep | 79°F | 58°F | 4.25" |
| Oct | 68°F | 47°F | 3.05" |
| Nov | 54°F | 35°F | 2.37" |
| Dec | 43°F | 25°F | 1.75" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Olathe
Olathe has 2 hospitals, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
7.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
University of Kansas Health System Olathe Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Cottonwood Springs Llc
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Minimally Invasive Surgery Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 4.1 mi away · Lenexa
Overland Park Reg Med Ctr
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.6 mi away · Overland Park
Adventhealth South Overland Park, Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.3 mi away · Overland Park
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Olathe
Olathe's student/teacher ratio is 13.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 50.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
54
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
50.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Olathe
MidAmerica Nazarene University
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 983 students · in-state tuition $38,620 · 69% graduate · median earnings $70,804 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Johnson County Community College
5.8 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 11,332 students · in-state tuition $2,424 · 31% graduate · median earnings $49,934 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,312 students · in-state tuition $41,540 · 49% graduate · median earnings $59,717 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 259 students · in-state tuition $13,464 · 55% graduate · median earnings $59,897 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 219 students · 61% graduate · median earnings $59,897 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 154 students · in-state tuition $15,054 · 45% graduate · median earnings $45,535 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 143 students · in-state tuition $12,640 · 26% graduate
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Harry S Truman National Historic Site, 17 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Olathe
Olathe has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Harry S Truman National Historic Site (17 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Harry S Truman National Historic Site
National Historic Site
17 mi awayBrown v. Board of Education National Historical Park
National Historical Park
47 mi awayFort Scott National Historic Site
National Historic Site
72 mi awayTallgrass Prairie National Preserve
National Preserve
99 mi awayPublic Libraries in Olathe
Olathe Downtown Library
1078a W Sante Fe St., Olathe
Olathe Indian Creek Library
16100 W. 135th St., Olathe
Cities Near Olathe
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Olathe?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Olathe FAQ
Is Olathe, Kansas affordable?⌄
Olathe's median rent is $1,314/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $114,009/year. Median home value is $364,700.
Is Olathe, Kansas safe?⌄
Olathe's violent crime rate was 230 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 849 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Olathe, Kansas?⌄
Olathe has an unemployment rate of 3.4%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Olathe, Kansas?⌄
The cost of living in Olathe is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,314/month and median household income is $114,009/year. The median home value is $364,700. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Olathe, Kansas?⌄
The average commute in Olathe is 21 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from