Kansas City receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Richmond
Kansas City
Opportunity
59 · Top 43%
vs74 · Top 17%
Growth
55 · Top 42%
vs66 · Top 23%
Climate
75 · Top 21%
vs72 · Top 34%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 25%
vs76 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
83 · Bottom 32%
vs95 · Top 37%
Access
95 · Top 27%
vs85 · Top 48%
Economic stability
87 · Top 10%
vs88 · Top 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Richmond | Kansas City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,341,248 | 2,218,142 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,679 | $83,460 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,682 | $45,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 307/sq mi | 306/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $353,500 | $287,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,447 | $1,249 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.0% | 65.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.1% | 39.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.0% | 10.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8,722 | 10,859 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.5 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.4% | 13.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.5" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 24.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 38.0 | 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
Richmond
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, drought.
Kansas City
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.
Richmond
76
Your Score
72
Area Score
Kansas City
79
Your Score
78
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Richmond, VA Metro Area · Kansas City, MO-KS Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology