Gardner and Lenexa receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Gardner
Lenexa
Opportunity
64 · Top 33%
vs66 · Top 30%
Growth
82 · Top 4%
vs79 · Top 6%
Climate
65 · Bottom 36%
vs68 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 19%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 12%
vs91 · Top 30%
Schools
74 · Top 22%
vs88 · Top 5%
Access
81 · Bottom 23%
vs88 · Bottom 37%
Economic stability
82 · Top 4%
vs80 · Top 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Gardner | Lenexa | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,526 | 58,384 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $96,818 | $103,239 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,845 | $58,657 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,683/sq mi | 1,713/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $306,200 | $394,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,306 | $1,454 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.6% | 56.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.0% | 57.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.3% | 5.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 293 | 535 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.9 | 9.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 95.3% | 100.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.5" | 37.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 36 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.0 min | 21.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.7 | 37.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.97 | 14.62 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 38.0% | 50.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 42.5% | 55.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 39.9% | 24.3% | 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
Gardner
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Lenexa
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Gardner, KS · Lenexa, KS · How this is calculated: methodology