Where Old Money ACTUALLY Lives in KC

Where Old Money Lives in Kansas City: Inside KC's Most Exclusive Neighborhoods

Have you ever wondered where old money lives in Kansas City? Today I'm taking you inside the most exclusive neighborhoods where Kansas City's real wealth has been parked for generations.

These are places where country club memberships come with five-figure initiation fees and where the same families have owned homes since the 1920s. Plus, I'll take you through KC's elite neighborhoods where the difference between old money and new money becomes crystal clear.

If you're new here, I'm Kyle, and I've helped hundreds of people move to, from, and around the Kansas City metro. So if you're even thinking about moving in the next 3 days or 3 years, reach out at movingtokc.net/info.

Table of Contents

1. What Makes It "Old Money" vs. Just Expensive?
2. Mission Hills, Kansas
3. Ward Parkway & Sunset Hill
4. Janssen Place
5. Brookside (Ward Parkway Corridor)
6. Old Leawood
7. Hallbrook & Loch Lloyd (Bonus)
8. What Makes It "Old Money" vs. Just Expensive?

Before we jump into specific neighborhoods, let's talk about what actually separates old money from just expensive.

First, it's generational ownership. We're talking about families who've been in these neighborhoods for decades: the Halls, the Kempers, the Blochs. These aren't people who just bought in last year. These are estates that get passed down through generations.

Second, it's the clubs. Kansas City has some of the most exclusive country clubs in the country: Kansas City Country Club, Mission Hills Country Club, Indian Hills Country Club. We're talking invitation-only memberships with initiation fees that could buy you a house in most other markets.

And finally, it's the architecture. These neighborhoods were built in the 1920s through 1940s with features you just can't replicate today. Tudor mansions, Colonial estates, Craftsman details. Many of these homes are on the National Register of Historic Places.

With that said, let's count down the neighborhoods where Kansas City's old money actually lives.

2. Mission Hills, Kansas

Coming in at number one, and honestly, this shouldn't surprise anyone: Mission Hills, Kansas. This is the crown jewel of Kansas City real estate, and it's been that way for over a century.

Mission Hills is home to three of Kansas City's premier country clubs: Mission Hills Country Club, Indian Hills Country Club, and Kansas City Country Club. That alone tells you the level we're talking about here.

Right now, there are only nine homes actively for sale in Mission Hills. Nine. The median listing price is $1.945 million, but the average is $2.68 million. And on the high end, you've got properties like the Donald J. Hall mansion currently listed for $5.9 million. We're talking about the former Hallmark Cards CEO and son of the company's founder.

This house is absolutely insane. Built in 1989 on 1.4 wooded acres with a modern, limestone-clad design featuring four distinct structures connected by a palazzo-like promenade. It's not just a house, it's a compound.

And Hall's not the only notable name. Ewing Kauffman, Tom Watson, and George Brett have all called Mission Hills home at some point. Henry Bloch, co-founder of H&R Block, has lived here. These aren't just successful people. These are Kansas City royalty.

But what's interesting is how fast homes sell here when they do come on the market. Over the past year, 35 homes have sold with a median price of $1.7 million. And the median days on market? Two days. That's not a typo. When a home hits the market in Mission Hills, it's gone before most people even know it was available.

The architecture here is stunning. You've got everything from Tudor Revival to Mediterranean estates to Colonial mansions. Big lots, mature trees, winding streets designed by J.C. Nichols himself as part of the Country Club District master plan. This is old money at its finest.

3. Ward Parkway & Sunset Hill

Next up is Sunset Hill, and this is where Kansas City's old money story really begins.

Sunset Hill was developed by J.C. Nichols in the early 1900s as "the most highly restricted part of the Country Club District." He wanted to attract the wealthiest residents in Kansas City, and his sales pitch in 1916 was bold: "In far-reaching, scientific development together with its size, permanency, elevation, convenient location, beautiful topography, forest trees and its surroundings, no district in America equals or even approaches it."

And it worked.

Thomas J. Pendergast, the infamous Kansas City political boss, lived in a historic mansion in Sunset Hill. Patrick Mahomes lived here before relocating to another gated community (which we'll get to later). Presidents, vice presidents, and company owners: that's who called this neighborhood home in its heyday.

Right now, there are only five homes for sale in Sunset Hill, with a median list price of $2.75 million. The most expensive is a six-bedroom, eight-bath, 9,702-square-foot estate on nearly three acres listed for $4.95 million. This is one of Kansas City's iconic historic estates: the Vassie James Ward Hill House. It was designed by Wight and Wight, the same architects who designed the Nelson-Atkins Museum, and it sits on nearly three lush acres as one of the first homes in the area.

When you're talking about architects who designed the Nelson-Atkins Museum designing your home, that's a whole different level.

In the past year, 12 homes have sold in Sunset Hill with a median price of $1.79 million and an average of $1.86 million. And they're moving fast: median days on market is 14 days.

Sunset Hill is where Kansas City's generational wealth is on full display.

4. Janssen Place

Now let's talk about one of Kansas City's most exclusive streets: Janssen Place in Hyde Park.

This is one of my favorites to visit every first Saturday of June during the Hyde Park garage sale. The houses are incredible. It's not something you expect when you're just driving through the Hyde Park neighborhood. But then you turn onto this private street and it hits you.

Janssen Place was developed in 1897 by Arthur Stilwell, founder of the Kansas City Southern Railway. He named it after his financial backer, August Janssen, a Dutch capitalist. There are just 19 historic homes on this private street, many estate sized, and it's on both the National and Kansas City Registers of Historic Places.

The neo-classical limestone entrance was fully restored in 2013 for the first time in its 116-year history. When you drive through those gates, you're stepping back in time.

Right now, there's only one home for sale on Janssen Place. Six bedrooms, six baths, 7,545 square feet. It's a magnificent mansion dating back to 1912, designed in the Italianate Revival style and originally owned by George W. Ultch of the Ultch Lumber Company. A lumber baron.

Sales here are incredibly rare. People buy into Janssen Place and they don't leave. It's that kind of street: generational wealth, historic architecture, and absolute privacy right in the middle of the city.

5. Brookside (Ward Parkway Corridor)

Next up is Brookside, but not all of Brookside. We're specifically talking about the neighborhoods that hug Ward Parkway: Stratford Gardens, Meyer Circle, Hampstead Gardens, Country Club Acres.

These neighborhoods offer a lot of what you'll find in Sunset Hill: historic estates on and around Kansas City's premier boulevard. The most expensive home currently on the market is a four-bedroom, six-bath, 5,056-square-foot Colonial in Meyer Circle listed for $1.25 million.

But here's what's really interesting: there's a property currently being built at 63rd and Ward Parkway that's getting a lot of attention. That corner lot, one of the most prominent and expensive in the city, sat vacant for nearly 15 years after the original 1926 Georgian estate was demolished.

That original house belonged to Richard and Annette Bloch, as in H&R Block. The house stood for nearly 80 years before falling into disrepair and getting torn down in 2009, despite protests from historic preservation groups.

Now? A $7.1 million ultra-modern mansion with a cantilevered design, privacy walls, a pool, and an elevator is going up. Nearly 10,000 square feet across three stories. Construction could take up to two and a half years, but the foundation work is already underway.

It's bold. It's modern. And it's definitely going to stand out on Ward Parkway, which tells you something about how old money neighborhoods evolve over time.

In the past year, 15 homes have sold in this area with a median price of $1.41 million. Days on market? Just two days. When these properties hit the market, they move.

6. Old Leawood

Now let's hop across the state line to Old Leawood. This is where Kansas old money lives, and it's got that Country Club District feel without the Kansas City, Missouri address.

Old Leawood was formed in 1938, roughly bounded by 95th Street to the south, Somerset Drive to the north, State Line to the east, and Mission Road to the west. The local historic district includes streets like Meadow Lane, Manor Drive, Lee Boulevard, and High Drive.

Lee Boulevard is one of the premier streets in Leawood and has some absolutely incredible real estate. The most expensive home currently listed is a six-bedroom, seven-bath, 4,818-square-foot home in Leawood Lanes listed for $2.75 million. But here's what's interesting: that home was built in 2019 after the previous house was torn down.

That's something we're seeing a lot of in Old Leawood. Old money tearing down old homes to build new houses but keeping the prestige of the Old Leawood address. You get the big trees, the proximity to the Plaza and Brookside, and that Country Club District charm, but with a brand-new house.

Right now, there are 13 active listings with a median price of $879,950. But in the past year, 57 homes have sold with a median price of $725,000, which tells you there's a wide range here. You can get into Old Leawood for under a million if you're willing to do some updating, or you can go all the way up to $4.2 million for something completely turnkey.

Median days on market is just four days. So yeah, when these homes hit the market, they move fast.

7. Hallbrook & Loch Lloyd (Bonus)

And finally, I've got a bonus for you: Hallbrook and Loch Lloyd. Now, these aren't technically old money in the traditional sense, but they're where Kansas City's wealthy have been parking their money for the past few decades.

Let's start with Hallbrook. This is a 695-acre golf course community that was developed on the former farm of J.C. Hall, the founder of Hallmark Cards. The Hall family wanted to set a new standard for community development in the area, and they did. Debt-free land, rolling landscape, and one of the first planned golf course communities near Kansas City.

We recently sold a home in Hallbrook for $1.9 million, and it ended up with nearly a dozen offers. So even though the price point is high, the prestige of the neighborhood drives serious demand.

The most expensive listing right now is five bedrooms, nine baths, 9,811 square feet, listed for $2.99 million. It's a stunning custom-built Paul Brown estate with a two-story library with fireplace, custom in-home movie theater, and resort-style indoor pool.

Now, right next door is Tomahawk Creek Estates, which is an exclusive gated community between Hallbrook and Tomahawk Creek. It's home to none other than Chiefs superstar tight end, Mr. Kelce himself, Travis Kelce. Oh and it's the same estate where he proposed to Taylor Swift. Talk about iconic.

And then there's Loch Lloyd. This is where Patrick Mahomes moved after leaving Sunset Hill. Loch Lloyd is a gated golf course community in Cass County, Missouri, with an 18-hole course designed by Tom Watson. It was incorporated in 2003, so it's relatively new compared to the other neighborhoods on this list.

But it's where new money goes when it wants privacy, security, and a resort lifestyle. Tom Watson used to live here. The late Cerner CEO Neal Patterson lived here. It's the kind of place where you can build exactly what you want without anyone bothering you.

Right now, there are five active listings with a median price of $2.4 million. In the past year, 14 homes have sold with a median price of $1.95 million. And they're moving fast with a median days on market of just five days.

Loch Lloyd represents the evolution of old money neighborhoods. It's not 100 years old. It doesn't have the historic architecture. But it does have the exclusivity, the privacy, and the price tags that put it in the same conversation.

Understanding Kansas City's Wealth Landscape

So there you have it: where Kansas City's old money, and some new money, actually lives. From Mission Hills' $2 million estates to Janssen Place's historic mansions to Loch Lloyd's private compounds, these are the neighborhoods where wealth has been concentrated for generations.

And here's what's interesting: unlike a lot of cities, Kansas City's old money isn't just on one side of the state line. You've got Mission Hills and Old Leawood on the Kansas side, Ward Parkway and Sunset Hill on the Missouri side. The wealth spreads across both states, united by the Country Club District vision that J.C. Nichols created over a century ago.

These neighborhoods tell the story of Kansas City's development and the families who shaped it. From Hallmark Cards to H&R Block, from railroad barons to NFL superstars, this is where Kansas City's most successful residents have chosen to call home.

If you're thinking about making a move to Kansas City, whether you're looking at these neighborhoods or somewhere with a lower price tag, my team and I would love to help. Head over to movingtokc.net/info to connect with us, or shoot us an email at info@movingtokc.net.

Thanks for reading, and I'll see you in the next one.

Hey, I’m Kyle Talbot—Kansas City real estate agent, content creator, and team lead of Moving to KC the #1 relocation-focused real estate team in Kansas City. We help people relocating to Kansas City—as well as local buyers and sellers—navigate the KC housing market with ease.