Andover receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Andover
Wichita
Opportunity
65 · Top 32%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
57 · Top 38%
vs65 · Top 24%
Climate
64 · Bottom 33%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs67 · Top 41%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
79 · Top 15%
vs24 · Bottom 15%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
75 · Top 18%
vs50 · Bottom 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Andover | Wichita | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,965 | 397,945 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $104,787 | $64,620 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,154 | $36,960 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,503/sq mi | 2,411/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $291,400 | $190,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,450 | $975 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.7% | 58.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.7% | 31.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.6% | 15.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 109 | 2,090 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.8 | 5.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -49.8% | 51.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.6" | 34.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 19.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.9 | 35.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 92 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.11 | 14.50 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 48.8% | 17.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.6% | 25.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.4% | 75.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Andover
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, hail, strong wind.
Wichita
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Andover, KS · Wichita, KS · How this is calculated: methodology