Gardner and Overland Park 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
Overland Park
Opportunity
64 · Top 33%
vs63 · Top 36%
Growth
82 · Top 4%
vs70 · Top 16%
Climate
65 · Bottom 36%
vs68 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 19%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 12%
vs89 · Top 33%
Schools
74 · Top 22%
vs83 · Top 10%
Access
81 · Bottom 23%
vs85 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
82 · Top 4%
vs77 · Top 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Gardner | Overland Park | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,526 | 200,306 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $96,818 | $104,834 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,845 | $60,602 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,683/sq mi | 2,661/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $306,200 | $413,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,306 | $1,515 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.6% | 60.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.0% | 63.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.3% | 5.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 293 | 1,026 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.9 | 5.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 95.3% | 95.4% | 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 | 28 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.0 min | 21.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.7 | 38.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 42 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.97 | 14.56 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 38.0% | 42.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 42.5% | 52.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 39.9% | 26.2% | 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.
Overland Park
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Gardner
79
Your Score
77
Area Score
Overland Park
77
Your Score
76
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Gardner, KS · Overland Park, KS · How this is calculated: methodology