State relocation profile · Federal data
Kansas
Kansas sits in the cheaper third of BEA RPP states, rent, wages, safety, schools and childcare below.
- 90.1
- Cost index (US=100)
- $946
- 2BR rent / mo
- $65,074
- Median salary
- 58.9
- Life Score
The verdict
As of June 2026, Kansas ranks #8 of 51 scored US states on the composite Life Score (58.9/100, C-), with its strongest marks in childcare and rent.
- #8 of 51
- Life Score among scored states
- 58.9
- Life Score · C-
- 90.1
- Cost of living (US=100)
- $65,074
- Median annual salary (BLS)
Weakest dimension: safety (14/100). State-level figures are a benchmark, individual metros can diverge sharply, so weigh each dimension against your own priorities.
According to PlainRelocate's state Life Score composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, DOL, and EPA inputs), Kansas ranks #8 of 51 scored US states by Life Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 90.1 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $946/mo, median salary $65,074; Life Score 58.9/100 (C-), strongest in childcare and rent.
Signature: Life Score 58.9/100 places Kansas #8 of 51 (top third of scored states).
Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP 90.1 lands in the cheaper third of US states (cuts at 93.3 / 100.7). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent averages $946/mo statewide, against a BLS median salary of $65,074.
Composite Life Score 58.9/100 (C-) puts Kansas in the top third (#8 of 51).
Metro book is mid-sized (4 MSAs); state averages still hide corridor-level rent and wage gaps.
Life Score plate
Sheet KS · Kansas 58.9/100 · C- · #8 of 51
LIFE-CM · RANK-TOP · PHOTO-FINISH · RPP-CHEAP · LEAD-CHILDCARE · BOOK-FULL
- LIFE-CM Life Score C-
- RANK-TOP #8/51
- PHOTO-FINISH ±0.7 pts
- RPP-CHEAP RPP 90.1
- LEAD-CHILDCARE Lead · childcare
- BOOK-FULL 7/7 dims
Nearest Life Score peer: Wyoming (+ 0.7 pts)
Instrument codes from this state’s Life Score grade, corpus rank, peer gap, BEA RPP posture, lead dimension, and dimension book, not a moving recommendation.
Life Score neighbourhood around Kansas
Lowest/highest poles plus states nearest Kansas on composite Life Score. Full ladder: /rankings/.
Kansas childcare costs
DOL state-average center rates for Kansas (infant $5,783/yr leads the book).
Kansas Life Score breakdown
Kansas composites to 58.9/100 (C-) across 7 of 7 dimensions; corpus place #8 of 51.
Kansas - Life Score dimensions
Percentile vs all US states (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)
- Childcare
Childcare
100 /100
- Rent
Rent
92 /100
- Cost of living
Cost of living
82 /100
- Environment
Environment
68 /100
- Schools
Schools
46 /100
- Wages 26
Wages
26 /100
- Safety 14
Safety
14 /100
What this shows Kansas's strongest dimensions are childcare and rent; its weakest among scored dims is safety at 14/100. Each dimension is a federal-data percentile; the composite folds 7 of 7 into one comparable figure.
States near Kansas on cost or Life Score
Nearest neighbors to Kansas on BEA RPP or composite Life Score, a different lens than the in-state metro list below.
Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)
Metros in Kansas
Explore detailed relocation data for 4 metropolitan areas in Kansas. Kansas contains 4 metropolitan statistical areas in our dataset - Lawrence, Manhattan, Topeka and more - each with its own rent, wage and crime profile that can diverge sharply from the statewide average.
Lawrence metro · Compare metros · Cost vs quality · Methodology
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026
Kansas cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Kansas wages and safety follow BLS OEWS and FBI UCR. Research use only, verify at the agency source before you move.