Shawnee receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Prairie Village
Shawnee
Opportunity
65 · Top 32%
vs66 · Top 31%
Growth
54 · Top 43%
vs77 · Top 8%
Climate
66 · Bottom 36%
vs68 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 19%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 35%
vs97 · Top 15%
Schools
87 · Top 5%
vs74 · Top 21%
Access
89 · Bottom 40%
vs90 · Bottom 45%
Economic stability
75 · Top 17%
vs81 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Prairie Village | Shawnee | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,874 | 68,542 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $113,530 | $109,940 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $71,642 | $54,157 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,683/sq mi | 1,633/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $435,700 | $359,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,794 | $1,322 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.0% | 73.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 72.6% | 53.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.7% | 5.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 72 | 563 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 8.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 22.0% | 176.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.1" | 37.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.0 | 39.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.29 | 14.28 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 55.0% | 39.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 59.3% | 43.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 11.3% | 32.2% | 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
Prairie Village
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Shawnee
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Prairie Village
76
Your Score
74
Area Score
Shawnee
79
Your Score
77
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Prairie Village, KS · Shawnee, KS · How this is calculated: methodology