Continuing our series of articles on the best places to retire in North America is our list of the 10 best places to retire in Kansas.
Although landlocked, Kansas offers a lot of scenic trails and unique geography to its residents. Popularly known as one of the flattest states in the country, “The Sunflower State” hosts a lot of agricultural lands and is America’s breadbasket hence the nickname “The Wheat State”.
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With a very mild climate, the best places to retire in Kansas all boast “Goldilocks” temperatures – not too hot, not too cold. This is ideal for retirees who want to escape the cold north but do not want to experience the hot and humid summers in some parts of the country. Taxes are also generally lower than the average American sales tax, coming in at 6.15%, making the best places to retire in Kansas very friendly for retirees who live on their pension. Population density in the state is also one of the lowest in the country at 35.1 people per square mile, making it ideal for those who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Instead of ranking each city in Kansas, Insider Monkey has instead ranked each county in terms of different factors. Ranking counties instead of cities give the readers a general overview of the location, and the cities in each county. Also, some of the cities in Kansas have insufficient data, which has made county-ranking a more accurate gauge in terms of statistics.
To rank the 10 best places to retire in Kansas, four important areas were considered as the determining factors for retirees – cost of living, physicians per capita, house values and crime. The data obtained were gathered from various sources, namely Sperling’s Best Places, Areavibes, and Livability. Counties were given a corresponding score based on how high or low they ranked in the 4 determining factors. These scores were then added and averaged, with the highest counties garnering a spot on our list
For those of you who want to get the most out of their retirement money-wise and want to experience living like royalty, check out the 10 cheapest countries to live like a king!
Get ready to pack your bags and hit the road once you’ve read the 10 best places to retire in Kansas!
10. Washington County
Cost of Living: 24.7% lower than national average
Physicians per capita: 52 per 100,000
Median home value: $55,900
Crime rating: 18
Insider Monkey rating: 79.5
With a population of 5,799, Washington County comes in at 10 on our list. It was considered a “dry” county, meaning alcohol was banned in its borders until the amendment of the Kansas constitution in 1986.
Compared to the rest of the country, the cost of living in Washington is 24.7% lower. Health costs are also lower by 10% from the national average. Commute times for the county is only at 18 minutes, compared with 25 minutes for the national average.
9. Edwards County
Cost of Living: 25.4% lower than national average
Physicians per capita: 99 per 100,000
Median home value: $54,700
Crime rating: 26
Insider Monkey rating: 80
One of the smallest counties in this list, Edwards county only has a population of 3,030 but ranks as the 9th best place to retire in our list. The Arkansas River used to flow through the county however, the riverbed has since contained little to no water due to global warming and decreased flow.
The cost of living is 25.4%, homes sell for $54,700 on average and crime rate score of this county is 26, all lower than the national averages.
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8. Greeley County
Cost of Living: 21.6% lower than national average
Physicians per capita: 321 per 100,000
Median home value: $76,900
Crime rating: 14
Insider Monkey rating: 80.75
Known for encouraging western settlement during the 1800’s with its motto “go west, young man!”, Greeley County is the smallest county in Kansas, with a population of 1,247, most of them living in the largest city, Tribune.
Physician per capita is at 321 per 100,000 people, which is one of the reasons why Greeley was ranked at 8th in our list. Despite homes being a bit pricier than other entries at $76,900, crime score was at 14, making it one of the lowest on the list.
7. Ness County
Cost of Living: 25.4% lower than national average
Physicians per capita: 97 per 100,000
Median home value: $53,600
Crime rating: 24
Insider Monkey rating: 82.75
Named for Corporal Noah Ness, Ness County comes in at 7th on our list. Also a small county with a population of 3,107, what this county lacks in population makes up for housing costs. You only need to shell out $53,600 to call yourself a resident of Ness.
6. Smith County
Cost of Living: 23.6% lower than national average
Physicians per capita: 130 per 100,000
Median home value: $59,600
Crime rating: 22
Insider Monkey rating: 84.75
Smith County is famous not only because it was named after Major J. Nelson Smith who was killed in the Battle of Westport in 1864, but also because it is the home of the geographic center of the contiguous United States, which is located near Lebanon city.
In the 1800’s, the population of the county peaked at more than 16,000 residents. Since then, people living in the county has declined, which was blamed on the improved farming practices which required a lesser number of people. Even so, Smith County still is an attractive place for retirees.
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5. Rawlins County
Cost of Living: 24.4% lower than national average
Physicians per capita: 119 per 100,000
Median home value: $60,400
Crime rating: 23
Insider Monkey rating: 85.25
As with most of our entries on this list, Rawlins County was named after the Union General John Aaron Rawlins. Demographically, the county has 2,519 residents, giving it a population density of 2.4 people per square mile.
4. Comanche County
Cost of Living: 25.7% lower than national average
Physicians per capita: 106 per 100,000
Median home value: $47,800
Crime rating: 23
Insider Monkey rating: 87.5
Named after the indigenous population, Comanche County comes in at 4th on our list. Its population stands at 1,891 residents, concentrated mostly in Coldwater city. Perhaps as a way to entice future residents, homes on average cost only $47,800.
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3. Gove County
Cost of Living: 23.1% lower than national average
Physicians per capita: 186 per 100,000
Median home value: $66,800
Crime rating: 17
Insider Monkey rating: 88.5
With wide expanses, numerous bluffs, badlands and picturesque landscapes, Gove County makes a perfect getaway for any cowboy fan or retiree with dreams of venturing out into the badlands like the cowboys of the old western days. What makes Gove County rank so high in our list is its very low crime rating of 17, compared to the national average of 41. It also has 186 physicians per 100,000 people, higher than most counties in the list.
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2. Decatur County
Cost of Living: 24.8% lower than national average
Physicians per capita: 169 per 100,000
Median home value: $54,300
Crime rating: 22
Insider Monkey rating: 92.75
Decatur County was the site of the last raid on Native American Indians in Kansas. Despite this negative image, the county is a very attractive site for would-be retirees for its low health costs and high physician per capita count. The crime rate is low as well as owning a house is very affordable.
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1. Republic County
Cost of Living: 26.5% lower than national average
Physicians per capita: 121 per 100,000
Median home value: $46,900
Crime rating: 20
Insider Monkey rating: 96.75
With some of the lowest crime rates, home values and costs of living in the list, Republic County takes the top spot in the best places to retire in Kansas. Home to 4,980 residents, the county’s population peaked at 19,000 during the late 19th century, thanks to the influx of immigrants mostly from Sweden and Czech Republic. It also helped that a railroad line was built through the county and into Nebraska. Nowadays, Republic County still has strong foreign roots, with more than 50% of its resident having either German, Swedish, Irish or Czech descent.
