What it's like to live in Lansing
Lansing is a small city in Kansas with home prices that remain within reach, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Lansing deals with cold winters and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Cold winters
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Lansing compares
Median household income
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lansing
Based on Lansing's median rent, home value and household income
To buy
$54,160
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $27,080
- Homes cost 2.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Job market
4.1% county unemployment
Unemployment in Leavenworth County is 4.1%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Leavenworth County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 65% below US
115 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 450/100k · Lansing Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 18% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21.3 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 19°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
36% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 36% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Harry S Truman National Historic Site (30 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Lansing's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are cold winters and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Lansing
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