Zillow Says Kansas City Is the #20 Buyer Friendly Market

Zillow recently released its ranking of the most buyer friendly housing markets in the United States.

Kansas City landed at #20.

That means Zillow ranked markets like Tampa, Nashville, and Orlando ahead of Kansas City for buyers.

On the surface, that sounds reasonable. Zillow’s methodology focused on three factors:

• Markets that are cooling but have future upside
  
  
• Lower monthly payment burdens
  
  
• Less buyer competition
  
  

That framework sounds logical. But when you dig into the numbers, the ranking starts to look questionable.

Because many of the markets ranked higher are only “buyer friendly” because they became wildly unaffordable in the first place.

The Affordability Reality Most Rankings Ignore

Let’s look at what “buyer friendly” actually looks like in some of the cities ranked ahead of Kansas City.

In Miami, which ranked #8, the typical mortgage payment consumes 46.7% of the median household income.

Financial planners have recommended for decades that housing costs stay below 30% of income.

At nearly 47%, that isn’t affordability. That is financial strain.

Other markets on Zillow’s list show similar patterns:

• Tampa: 35.2% of income
  
  
• Orlando: 36.1%
  
  
• Nashville: 35.1%
  
  

Meanwhile, Kansas City sits at roughly 29.2% of median income for a typical mortgage payment.

That puts KC right in the historically healthy range where homeowners can still:

• Build wealth
  
  
• Save money
  
  
• Invest for the future
  
  
• Handle unexpected expenses
  
  

In other words, Kansas City isn’t just affordable. It is financially sustainable.

Why Kansas City Didn’t Experience the Boom and Bust

During the pandemic housing boom, many markets across the country experienced massive price surges.

Some cities saw home prices increase 70 to 90 percent in just two years.

Miami, for example, saw values climb over 90% between 2020 and 2022.

Kansas City also saw strong appreciation during that period. Buyers faced bidding wars, waived inspections, and intense competition.

But something important never happened here.

The entry point for homeownership never completely broke.

In many Sun Belt markets, prices rose so fast that affordability snapped. Eventually the only way for those markets to recover was through cooling demand and price corrections.

Kansas City avoided that extreme cycle.

Our market stayed competitive, but it never reached the point where the average buyer was completely priced out.

Ironically, that stability may be the reason Kansas City ranked lower on Zillow’s list.

Markets that are “cooling” get rewarded in rankings. Markets that stayed stable do not.

The Spring Market Is Already Heating Up

While people debate whether Kansas City is undervalued, something else is already happening.

The spring market has arrived early.

Across the metro, many properties that sat for 30 to 45 days last fall are now going under contract in just a few days.

Multiple offers are returning in some neighborhoods.

In places like Johnson County, particularly around the $450,000 price range, buyers are seeing strong competition again.

A recent example illustrates this perfectly.

A home in Overland Park listed on a Friday. Buyers toured it Saturday and wrote a full price offer that same day with a standard inspection contingency.

They were offer number four.

That is not the buyer’s market the headlines promised.

That is the reality of buying in Kansas City’s most desirable areas when inventory is limited and demand remains steady.

Kansas City Is Really Dozens of Micro Markets

One of the biggest mistakes buyers make is assuming Kansas City behaves like a single housing market.

It doesn’t.

The KC metro is made up of dozens of micro markets, each with different price points, demand levels, and affordability profiles.

When you analyze affordability across the 37 cities in the metro, the numbers become fascinating.

Some suburbs are extremely affordable

Gardner, Kansas requires roughly 22.8% of median income to afford the median priced home.

Spring Hill comes in around 23.1%.

Raymore sits around 24.7%.

Belton lands near 25.9%.

These areas offer:

• Strong population growth
  
  
• New construction developments
  
  
• Reasonable commute times
  
  
• Solid school districts
  
  

Yet they often receive far less attention than higher profile suburbs.

Some areas are becoming more expensive

Other communities are approaching the upper edge of affordability.

Prairie Village requires roughly 35.8% of income for the typical mortgage payment.

Leawood reaches about 38.2%.

Those numbers are still below markets like Miami, but they are approaching the point where buyers need to carefully evaluate whether they are paying for location prestige or financial value.

Why Buyers Are Relocating to Kansas City

Many of the buyers entering the Kansas City market today are relocating from places where homeownership has become almost impossible.

Cities like:

• Denver
  
  
• Austin
  
  
• Seattle
  
  
• San Francisco
  
  
• Los Angeles
  
  

In many of those markets, starter homes can easily exceed $700,000.

For the same budget in Kansas City, buyers can often find:

• Larger homes
  
  
• Finished basements
  
  
• Two car garages
  
  
• Established neighborhoods
  
  
• Lower monthly payments
  
  

One recent relocation client illustrates the difference perfectly.

They moved from Denver with a budget of about $400,000.

Within two days of touring homes, they found multiple options they loved. Within a week they were under contract on a 2,400 square foot home in Lee’s Summit.

Their new monthly payment including taxes and insurance was roughly $2,847.

Their previous rent in Denver was $3,200 for a two bedroom apartment.

That is more than a housing upgrade. It is a lifestyle upgrade.

Kansas City’s Growth Drivers Are Real

Another reason Kansas City remains attractive to buyers is the long term economic growth happening across the region.

Several major developments are shaping the metro’s future:

The streetcar expansion, which is transforming urban connectivity.

The new Kansas City International Airport terminal, which significantly improves travel and business access.

The massive Panasonic battery plant in De Soto, expected to bring roughly 4,000 jobs to the region.

And of course the 2026 World Cup, which is driving billions of dollars in infrastructure improvements and international attention.

These projects represent structural growth, not speculative hype.

More jobs, more infrastructure, and more national visibility all support long term housing demand.

Is Kansas City Still Undervalued in 2026?

When you compare Kansas City to the markets ranked ahead of it on Zillow’s list, the answer becomes clearer.

Many cities labeled “buyer friendly” are cooling because their prices became unsustainable.

Kansas City never reached that point.

At roughly 29.2% of income required for the typical mortgage, KC sits squarely in the historical affordability sweet spot.

Competition exists here because buyers can still afford to buy.

Homes are selling because demand remains healthy.

And neighborhoods across the metro continue to offer value that simply doesn’t exist in many major U.S. markets.

That doesn’t mean every part of Kansas City is undervalued.

But it does mean many areas across the metro still offer an unusual combination of:

• Affordability
  
  
• Stability
  
  
• Growth potential
  
  
• Quality of life
  
  

For buyers who value long term financial stability over speculative appreciation, Kansas City remains one of the most compelling housing markets in the country.

Thinking About Moving?

If you’re considering relocating to the Kansas City area or buying your first home here, our team helps buyers navigate the market every day.

You can connect with us here:
https://movingtokc.net/info