Wichita receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Odessa
Wichita
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 37%
vs50 · Bottom 38%
Growth
83 · Top 4%
vs69 · Top 19%
Climate
63 · Bottom 39%
vs64 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 42%
vs65 · Top 37%
Housing affordability
93 · Bottom 45%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
90 · Top 24%
vs97 · Top 12%
Economic stability
65 · Top 32%
vs68 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Odessa | Wichita | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 164,654 | 652,622 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,536 | $70,655 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,118 | $37,675 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 183/sq mi | 157/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $200,200 | $201,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,259 | $987 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.7% | 65.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.6% | 31.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.5% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,191 | 3,881 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.2 | 5.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 32.3% | 23.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.9" | 32.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 21.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.4 | 36.7 | 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
Odessa
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Wichita
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Odessa, TX Metro Area · Wichita, KS Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology