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These Are The 10 Smartest Cities In Kansas

By John McLean
Feb. 8, 2016
Last Modified and Fact Checked on: Feb. 10, 2026

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Discover the 10 Most Intelligent Cities in Kansas for 2026

When considering a new location or workplace, the intelligence level of the surrounding population is a key factor. This aspect can significantly influence an employee’s overall experience and satisfaction at a company. Therefore, seeking out cities with a highly educated populace is beneficial for both employers and job seekers alike.

That’s where Zippia steps in to assist you in identifying the cities in Kansas that excel in educational attainment and workforce readiness.

Curious about how we define the intelligence of a city? We’ve analyzed demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau to determine which criteria best reflect a city’s educational standing.

We focused on the percentage of adults (ages 25 and older) possessing at least a high school diploma, alongside the percentage of high school dropouts (ages 16 to 20), across the 59 largest cities in Kansas with available data. After crunching the numbers, we present to you the brightest cities in the Sunflower State:

  1. Prairie Village
  2. Leawood
  3. Andover
  4. Valley Center
  5. Manhattan
  6. Mulvane
  7. Bel Aire
  8. Overland Park
  9. Lenexa
  10. Hays

Continue reading to discover why these cities excel academically, or scroll to the end for a comprehensive chart of all cities analyzed.

How We Identified the Smartest Cities in the Sunflower State

To pinpoint which cities to evaluate, we focused on locations with populations exceeding 5,000 and with complete data for our criteria. This analysis narrowed our list down to 59 cities in Kansas.

We assessed the following criteria based on the latest American Community Survey from the Census Bureau:

These criteria effectively represent the educational landscape and the potential for improving the educational attainment of future generations. Importantly, we’re not setting the bar too high—nationally, graduation rates have been around 80% for high school students in recent years.

To determine the rankings, we assigned a score from 1 to 59 for each city in each category, with 1 representing the highest education level. We then calculated the average rank across all criteria, with the city attaining the highest overall score earning the title of “Smartest City in Kansas.”

If your city didn’t make the top 10, check the detailed chart at the end to see where it stands. Otherwise, delve into how the leading cities achieved their impressive educational outcomes.

1. Prairie Village

Population: 21,730
Adults Without High School Diploma: 1.4%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Leading the list is Prairie Village, Kansas, boasting a population of 21,730, an almost non-existent dropout rate, and only 1.4% of adults lacking a high school diploma. This impressive educational achievement secures its #1 position.

2. Leawood

Population: 32,842
Adults Without High School Diploma: 0.8%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.4%

In Leawood, students excel with a mere 0.4% dropout rate and less than 1% of adults without a high school diploma. A true testament to their commitment to education!

3. Andover

Population: 12,113
Adults Without High School Diploma: 3.3%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Claiming the bronze medal is Andover, a city of about 12,113 residents, maintaining an impressively low dropout rate, which firmly establishes its #3 ranking.

4. Valley Center

Population: 6,449
Adults Without High School Diploma: 3.6%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Valley Center, with nearly 6,500 residents, is another educational hub. This city combines a low dropout rate with only 3.6% of adults lacking a high school diploma.

5. Manhattan

Population: 55,112
Adults Without High School Diploma: 4.5%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.3%

Manhattan, Kansas, mirrors its namesake in New York in terms of excellence in education, featuring a population of 55,112, a low dropout rate, and an adult population with only 4.5% lacking a high school diploma. Truly impressive!

6. Mulvane

Population: 6,000
Adults Without High School Diploma: 4.6%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

With a population of 6,000, Mulvane proves that small towns can achieve big educational goals, ensuring that their youth graduate before moving on to higher education.

7. Bel Aire

Population: 6,923
Adults Without High School Diploma: 4.7%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Bel Aire, Kansas ranks #7, with only 4.7% of adults lacking a high school diploma and no high school dropouts recorded, in a population of approximately 7,000.

8. Overland Park

Population: 178,945
Adults Without High School Diploma: 3.6%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 1.7%

Overland Park stands out as the largest city on our list, challenging the stereotype that bigger cities struggle with education. With over 178,000 residents, the city maintains a low dropout rate of just 1.7%.

9. Lenexa

Population: 49,573
Adults Without High School Diploma: 4.0%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 2.1%

Lenexa, with a population nearing 50,000, showcases strong educational outcomes, evidenced by a dropout rate of 2.1% and only 4% of adults without a high school diploma.

10. Hays

Population: 20,886
Adults Without High School Diploma: 5.8%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Concluding our list is Hays, home to around 20,000 residents and a notably low dropout rate. The educational achievements here are remarkable!

And That’s How You Graduate in Style

Here is our definitive ranking of the 10 Most Intelligent Cities in Kansas. At Zippia, we strive to provide valuable insights to our readers, enabling you to make informed decisions about your next visit to the Sunflower State. Explore these cities firsthand to appreciate their educational achievements, and for more career advice, visit zippia.com to get all your questions answered.

Detailed List of Smartest Cities in Kansas

City Rank Population Adults Without High School Diploma Teenage High School Drop Outs
Prairie Village 1 21,730 1.4% 0.0%
Leawood 2 32,842 0.8% 0.4%
Andover 3 12,113 3.3% 0.0%
Valley Center 4 6,449 3.6% 0.0%
Manhattan 5 55,112 4.5% 0.3%
Mulvane 6 6,000 4.6% 0.0%
Bel Aire 7 6,923 4.7% 0.0%
Overland Park 8 178,945 3.6% 1.7%
Lenexa 9 49,573 4.0% 2.1%
Hays 10 20,886 5.8% 0.0%
Lawrence 11 90,194 5.1% 1.5%
Gardner 12 20,128 5.8% 0.8%
Merriam 13 11,191 7.0% 0.0%
Mission 14 9,451 4.5% 2.7%
Olathe 15 129,913 6.0% 1.5%
Colby 16 5,411 7.9% 0.0%
Shawnee 17 63,597 5.5% 2.4%
Lansing 18 11,535 8.4% 0.0%
Eudora 19 6,152 8.4% 0.0%
Roeland Park 20 6,799 4.8% 2.7%
Spring Hill 21 5,618 4.7% 4.1%
Derby 22 23,419 4.0% 5.0%
Wellington 23 8,028 8.2% 1.9%
Pittsburg 24 20,336 9.9% 1.5%
Paola 25 5,589 7.8% 2.9%
Independence 26 9,282 10.3% 1.0%
De Soto 27 5,888 10.7% 0.0%
Chanute 28 9,194 9.5% 1.6%
Haysville 29 11,235 8.8% 2.5%
Ottawa 30 12,548 10.4% 1.9%
McPherson 31 13,205 6.9% 4.8%
Leavenworth 32 35,738 9.2% 3.4%
El Dorado 33 12,931 8.0% 5.1%
Iola 34 5,650 11.6% 2.4%
Atchison 35 10,920 8.2% 5.3%
Coffeyville 36 10,034 16.9% 0.0%
Pratt 37 6,889 12.0% 2.5%
Parsons 38 10,307 12.8% 2.5%
Hutchinson 39 41,946 12.3% 3.0%
Emporia 40 24,787 15.4% 2.5%
Newton 41 19,144 11.8% 4.6%
Park City 42 7,194 9.3% 8.9%
Concordia 43 5,327 10.5% 6.3%
Abilene 44 6,729 13.2% 4.2%
Salina 45 47,894 11.8% 5.3%
Bonner Springs 46 7,420 14.9% 3.2%
Winfield 47 12,324 10.6% 8.1%
Topeka 48 127,660 11.3% 5.8%
Fort Scott 49 7,957 13.8% 4.2%
Junction City 50 24,691 10.2% 16.2%
Augusta 51 9,239 10.3% 13.5%
Wichita 52 385,518 12.9% 5.3%
Arkansas City 53 12,316 16.1% 4.4%
Dodge City 54 27,950 35.8% 3.6%
Ulysses 55 6,010 29.4% 4.5%
Garden City 56 26,924 30.3% 5.6%
Great Bend 57 15,942 17.0% 8.6%
Liberal 58 20,846 35.1% 7.4%
Kansas City 59 147,598 22.2% 10.5%
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Author

John McLean

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