Lenexa receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Leawood
Lenexa
Opportunity
63 · Top 36%
vs66 · Top 30%
Growth
46 · Bottom 42%
vs79 · Top 6%
Climate
68 · Bottom 39%
vs68 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 19%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs91 · Top 30%
Schools
93 · Top 2%
vs88 · Top 5%
Access
86 · Bottom 31%
vs88 · Bottom 37%
Economic stability
72 · Top 24%
vs80 · Top 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Leawood | Lenexa | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,809 | 58,384 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $185,625 | $103,239 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $108,786 | $58,657 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,238/sq mi | 1,713/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $658,800 | $394,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,983 | $1,454 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 91.0% | 56.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 73.7% | 57.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.1% | 5.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 64 | 535 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 9.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -8.6% | 100.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.7" | 37.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 27 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 21.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 48.4 | 37.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.91 | 14.62 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 53.5% | 50.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 63.8% | 55.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 11.7% | 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
Leawood
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Lenexa
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Leawood, KS · Lenexa, KS · How this is calculated: methodology