Gardner and Shawnee 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
Shawnee
Opportunity
64 · Top 33%
vs66 · Top 31%
Growth
82 · Top 4%
vs77 · Top 8%
Climate
65 · Bottom 36%
vs68 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 19%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 12%
vs97 · Top 15%
Schools
74 · Top 22%
vs74 · Top 21%
Access
81 · Bottom 23%
vs90 · Bottom 45%
Economic stability
82 · Top 4%
vs81 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Gardner | Shawnee | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,526 | 68,542 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $96,818 | $109,940 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,845 | $54,157 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,683/sq mi | 1,633/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $306,200 | $359,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,306 | $1,322 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.6% | 73.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.0% | 53.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.3% | 5.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 293 | 563 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.9 | 8.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 95.3% | 176.0% | 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 | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.0 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.7 | 39.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.97 | 14.28 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 38.0% | 39.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 42.5% | 43.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 39.9% | 32.2% | 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.
Shawnee
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Gardner, KS · Shawnee, KS · How this is calculated: methodology