Merriam receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Merriam
Kansas City
Opportunity
57 · Top 48%
vs39 · Bottom 15%
Growth
27 · Bottom 14%
vs63 · Top 27%
Climate
66 · Bottom 36%
vs66 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 19%
vs74 · Top 32%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 30%
vs92 · Top 28%
Access
91 · Bottom 47%
vs95 · Top 34%
Economic stability
77 · Top 13%
vs50 · Bottom 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Merriam | Kansas City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,085 | 155,135 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,600 | $62,401 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,272 | $29,317 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,568/sq mi | 1,244/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $263,300 | $167,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,181 | $1,123 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.7% | 60.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.6% | 20.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 16.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 517 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 3.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -99.2% | 29.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.1" | 38.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.3 | 33.9 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Merriam
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Kansas City
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Merriam
70
Your Score
67
Area Score
Kansas City
61
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Merriam, KS · Kansas City, KS · How this is calculated: methodology