What it's like to live in Lenexa
Lenexa is a smaller city in Kansas with unemployment below the national average, 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. Lenexa deals with cold winters.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
The not so good
- Cold winters
How Lenexa compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lenexa
Based on Lenexa's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,908
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $58,160 a year
- 37% of Lenexa renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$78,980
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $39,490
- Homes cost 3.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,454/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,454 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $394,900. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $394,900 · 37% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 21% below US
3.4% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.4%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 45% below US
180 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1060/100k · Lenexa Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 25% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 23% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 23°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 61% above US
58% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Harry S Truman National Historic Site (16 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Lenexa's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoff is cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,454/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers, anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (23% of workers here already work from home).
Other places near Lenexa
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