10 Best Places in Kansas for a Couple To Live on Just Social Security

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Kansas may not be the first state that comes to mind when you hear the words “retirement destination,” but the Sunflower State’s affordability may make it worth a look for cost-conscious retirees.

Even for couples planning to live on just their Social Security benefits, Kansas has many affordable locations. On top of that, Kansas offers Heartland beauty, small and peaceful communities, large cities and a reasonably retiree-friendly tax structure.

For seniors with an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or under, their Social Security income won’t be taxed. In addition, Kansas doesn’t have inheritance or estate taxes. Property taxes come in about the national average, however.

If you’re a retired couple planning to get by on just Social Security, GOBankingRates has compiled a list of your 10 best options in Kansas. These cities offer the best blends of Social Security-only budget-friendliness and strong livability scores.

Here are the best and most affordable cities in Kansas for retirees living on Social Security.

1. Shawnee

• Average rent: $1,257
• Average monthly cost of expenditures: $3,065
• Livability score: 88

Shawnee also a is a Kansas City suburb and offers cost-conscious retired couples who are drawn to its affordability, with average monthly rents below $1,300. Annual events include Old Shawnee Days, the Tour de Shawnee bicycle race, and the Scarecrow Festival. About 70,000 people make their homes here.

2. Lawrence

• Average rent: $1,399
• Average total monthly cost of living: $3,239
• Livability score: 88

Another Kansas college town, Lawrence is home to the University of Kansas and its Jayhawk sports teams. Lawrence combines the highest livability score in the top 10 with an average cost of living within reach for many cost-conscious retirees. It is located in northeast Kansas between Kansas City and Topeka. In addition to the university, Lawrence features the Mass Street downtown district and numerous historic sites.

3. Lenexa

• Average rent: $1,415
• Average total monthly cost of living: $3,216
• Livability score: 86

You’ll find Lenexa just southwest of Kansas City, next to Overland Park. Lenexa is home to the annual Kansas State Barbecue Championship, also known as the Great Lenexa Barbecue Battle. Famed gunfighter Wild Bill Hickok once lived here. Lenexa has seen double- or triple-digit population growth in every decade since the 1940s and is now home to about 58,000 residents.

4. Manhattan

• Average rent: $1,250
• Average total monthly cost of living: $3,007
• Livability score: 81

Manhattan is home to Kansas State University and a big-time college town, which may partially explain why only 9% of its 54,000 residents are age 65 or older. “The Little Apple” may be worth a look for Social Security-only couples, though, with average monthly rents below $1,300 and an average monthly cost of living just north of $3,000. 

You’ll find Manhattan in north-central Kansas, about an hour west of Topeka. Places of interest in Manhattan include the K-State Gardens, the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art and numerous spots for outdoor recreation.

5. Emporia 

• Average rent: $774
• Average total monthly cost of living: $2,515
• Livability score: 74

Emporia boasts one of the cheapest rental averages on the list, as anything that comes under $1,000 a month is worth looking into in 2025. Retirees may also appreciate the fact that the monthly grocery costs are $385 on average and the annual costs of utilities are $4,621.

6. Prairie Village 

• Average rent: $1,650
• Average total monthly cost of living: $3,455
• Livability score: 82

Prairie Village may have some higher costs of living than others on the list, but it still scores well across the board. Retiring here is still doable on your Social Security and gives you access to walkable nature, amenities in nearby Kansas City, a low crime rate and a high quality of life.

7. Overland Park

• Average rent: $1,569
• Average total monthly cost of living: $3,370
• Livability score: 79

The largest suburb of Kansas City, Overland Park is home to about 200,000 residents. It may stretch some Social Security-only budgets as its average monthly rents and total cost of living are the highest in our top 10. Overland Park boasts more than 70 parks, the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, and a downtown with multiple historic buildings.

8. Salina

• Average rent: $900
• Average total monthly cost of living: $2,623
• Livability score: 72

Salina is affordable even by Kansas standards and it is a good place to retire because of its low cost of living, quality healthcare and access to senior living communities. The annual healthcare cost is around $8,420 a year.

9. Leavenworth

• Average rent: $1,013
• Average total monthly cost of living: $2,787
• Livability score: 73

Leavenworth may be best known for its multiple prisons, including the United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth. On the lighter side, Leavenworth is a historic city that today boasts the C.W. Parker Carousel Museum, a 28-block shopping district and more than two dozen city parks. It’s located about 30 miles northwest of Kansas City and has about 38,000 residents.

10. Olathe

• Average rent: $1,541
• Average total monthly cost of living: $3,337
• Livability score: 78

Olathe (pronounced oh-LAY-tha) is a city with about 141,000 residents, located just southwest of Kansas City. Its attractions include the Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm Historic Site, the Ensor Park & Museum and Lake Olathe Park. The city also maintains a large network of multi-use trails and bike lanes.

GOBankingRates determined the best cities in Kansas for a couple to live on only a Social Security check based on the average monthly benefit for retired workers, $1,925.46 ($3,850.92 for a couple), sourced from Social Security Administration. GOBankingRates first isolated all cities in Kansas with a 2024 average monthly rent and a size rank below 5,000 as sourced from Zillow’s October 2024 data. GOBankingRates then used Sperling’s Best to find the cost of living index for each listed city, looking at grocery and healthcare index scores. Next, GOBankingRates used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2023 Consumer Expenditure Survey to find the annual expenditure amount for both grocery (“food at home”) and healthcare costs for people aged 65 and older in order to find how much a couple 65 and over would spend on groceries and healthcare in each city on a monthly basis. GOBankingRates then added monthly housing, grocery, and healthcare costs together to find where a couple 65 and older could survive on their Social Security or less. In order for a city to be qualified for the study the city had to have a livability score above 70 as sourced from AreaVibes. GOBankingRates scored and combined both livability and monthly necessities expenditure, with the lowest score being best, to determine final rankings. In final calculations livability score ws weighted 2x. All data was collected and is up to date as of December 11, 2024.

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