Newton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Newton
Wichita
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 46%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
49 · Bottom 48%
vs65 · Top 24%
Climate
64 · Bottom 33%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 34%
vs67 · Top 41%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
46 · Bottom 43%
vs24 · Bottom 15%
Access
85 · Bottom 30%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs50 · Bottom 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Newton | Wichita | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,397 | 397,945 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,885 | $64,620 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,604 | $36,960 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,239/sq mi | 2,411/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $156,400 | $190,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $903 | $975 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.8% | 58.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.2% | 31.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.7% | 15.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 83 | 2,090 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.5 | 5.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -34.6% | 51.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.6" | 34.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 25 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 19.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.9 | 35.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 92 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.02 | 14.50 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 21.6% | 17.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 35.8% | 25.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 62.5% | 75.1% | 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
Newton
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind.
Wichita
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Newton, KS · Wichita, KS · How this is calculated: methodology