What it's like to live in Shawnee
Shawnee 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. Shawnee deals with cold winters.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Cold winters
How Shawnee compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Shawnee
Based on Shawnee's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,644
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $52,880 a year
- 37% of Shawnee renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$71,940
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $35,970
- Homes cost 3.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,322/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,322 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $359,700. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $359,700 · 37% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 19% below US
3.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.5%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 31% below US
228 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 1378/100k · Shawnee Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 14% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.3 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 21% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 20°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 48% above US
53% 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
16 public schools inside the boundary
There are 16 public schools inside the boundary and 6 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 (17 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Shawnee'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 ($1,322/mo) equals 14% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (21% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals.
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