Olathe receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lansing
Olathe
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 46%
vs65 · Top 31%
Growth
27 · Bottom 14%
vs74 · Top 12%
Climate
66 · Bottom 37%
vs68 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
77 · Top 28%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs98 · Top 13%
Schools
64 · Top 34%
vs83 · Top 9%
Access
96 · Top 30%
vs85 · Bottom 29%
Economic stability
61 · Top 48%
vs81 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Lansing | Olathe | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,246 | 145,057 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $102,786 | $114,009 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,523 | $50,628 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 914/sq mi | 2,252/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $270,800 | $364,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,406 | $1,314 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.7% | 74.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.3% | 50.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.3% | 5.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 1,081 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 7.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -60.0% | 104.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.3" | 37.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.5 min | 22.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.8 | 37.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 55 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.39 | 13.50 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 37.4% | 43.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 41.9% | 46.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 40.7% | 27.0% | 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
Lansing
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, hail.
Olathe
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Lansing, KS · Olathe, KS · How this is calculated: methodology