Wichita receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Wichita
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 20%
vs50 · Bottom 38%
Growth
54 · Top 42%
vs69 · Top 19%
Climate
56 · Bottom 16%
vs64 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 21%
vs65 · Top 37%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
98 · Top 7%
vs97 · Top 12%
Economic stability
72 · Top 23%
vs68 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Waterloo-Cedar Falls | Wichita | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 168,637 | 652,622 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,811 | $70,655 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,690 | $37,675 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 112/sq mi | 157/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $194,800 | $201,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $977 | $987 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.5% | 65.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.2% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.0% | 31.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.2% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 542 | 3,881 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 5.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 45.3% | 23.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.3" | 32.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.5 min | 21.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.8 | 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
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, cold wave.
Wichita
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.
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
71
Your Score
65
Area Score
Wichita
73
Your Score
69
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA Metro Area · Wichita, KS Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology