The 7 Best Wichita Neighborhoods To Call Home In 2025

Wichita is the most highly populated city in the Midwestern US state of Kansas, which has less than 3 million people statewide. This concentration of residents means that the city of Wichita is the most culturally diverse part of the state, yet it maintains incredibly affordable cost of living. It is growing economically as well in multiple markets, including that of aviation due to many nearby airports and military bases that the US Air Force utilizes. While the crime rate of the overall city is admittedly higher than the national average, there are very safe and quiet suburbs and neighborhoods which can be found bordering the metro area, which still have great proximity to plenty of jobs, entertainment, and food options. Let's visit the seven best Wichita neighborhoods to call home in 2025.

Haysville

This is a quiet area which still has great proximity to downtown Wichita, only about a 10-minute to 20-minute drive, depending on traffic. It is a very good area for families with children, with its own unified school district that is rated higher than Wichita Public School Systems by Niche for 2025. It has a significantly lower crime rate than the nearby larger urban areas as well, earning an A+ grade for safety on the Area Vibe website for 2025, as well as showing a 47% decrease in violent crime over the last two years.

Also great for kids are the neighborhood's well-developed park systems, including Riggs Park, a huge city park with tons of amenities, including the Haysville Activity Center which has a very nice outdoor pool. The paved and shady Haysville Hike and Bike Path, which has a parking lot located at Riggs Park, follows along Cowskin Creek and stretches over four miles. The community also has great events for families, like the renowned annual Fourth of July celebration, the Fall Festival, and the Haysville Hometown Farmer's Market which takes place every Saturday.

Derby

The largest suburb in the Wichita area, Derby is also close to Wichita proper, only around 20 minutes' drive, making this neighborhood ideal for people who have jobs in the city but want a quieter place to raise their families. According to CrimeGrade, the violent crime rate in Derby is lower than that of both Kansas as a whole, and the average US city, receiving a grade of B on the safety scale. The Derby Public School system is above average as well, with a 16-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio and good proficiency rates in math and reading, so your children would have an excellent chance of thriving in this neighborhood.

Derby has multiple fantastic parks, including Madison Avenue Central Park, which offers new and updated playground equipment, a splash pad, and a pavilion which regularly hosts town events. There is even a water park right in town, Rock River Rapids Aquatic Park, which is perfect entertainment for kids in warmer weather. Locals also recommend staple restaurants which are always a hit, including Pizza John's and Sig's Gourmet Butcher Shop.

Maize

Boasting one of the top three best public school systems in the Wichita area according to Niche, Maize, named for the prevalence of corn production in the state of Kansas, is another kid-friendly neighborhood. It has a magnificent five-acre park right downtown, Maize City Park, which is home to the Claire Donnelly Amphitheater, where the town hosts weekly Farmer's and Art Markets and other fun children's events. The park is also home to a playground, skate park, and the Maize Splash Park, all providing endless free entertainment for the youth.

According to BestPlaces, Maize is very safe, as well, with a violent crime rate of only 14.2 as compared to the US national average of 22.7 and the Wichita metro area average of 48.4. Despite the much lower crime rates, Maize is only slighter more expensive than Wichita proper's average home sale prices, which sit around $170,000 in 2025. If you were to buy a home in Maize for $280,000, which is the average sale price currently, you would still be buying well below the US national average of $340,000, and finding yourself a nice, quiet place to live as well.

Andover

Another neighborhood on the list with great schools, Andover actually ranks number one on the aforementioned Niche "Best School Districts in the Wichita Area" article, boasting an impressive 49% of students at proficient or above in both math and reading. Surprisingly, despite the schools there being highly sought after, the area remains quite affordable as well, with the median home sale price hovering around $330,000 for 2025. It is surprisingly walkable as well, with lots of paved walking trails like the Sunflower Sante Fe Trail and the Arkansas River Bike Path, and it has sidewalks, which can actually be rare in rural Kansas.

Andover actually designed a downtown area specifically for walkability to local businesses and nearby homes. They are calling it The Heritage, and while it is still currently under construction as of 2025, several establishments there are already up and running, like Metro Bistro and Livingston's Cafe. The Heritage is also going to have a park, an event pavilion, hotels, and condos and other housing for rent, and is very close to local schools and other already established residential streets. This neighborhood is truly up-and-coming.

Goddard

This suburb is less than 20 minutes west of downtown Wichita, so it is close enough to be a quick drive into the urban area for work or nightlife, but it is far enough that it is less busy and loud. It is also very close to the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, which is very convenient for the people who travel on domestic flights often.

Goddard may also be one of the most affordable areas on this list, with the median sale price of homes in 2025 being only $279,000. The market is not particularly competitive either, which is great since it is both cheap and located near the state's most populous city.

Goddard itself has a lot of attractions as well. One of these is Tanganyika Wildlife Park, a zoo and safari experience that is unique for allowing visitors to have hands-on interactions with exotic animals such as penguins, lemurs and giraffes. Another is Blast Off Bay, a fully indoor temperature-controlled water park where you can slide and swim for hours without getting sunburnt. The Lake Afton Public Observatory, an astronomical education center and museum, is near Goddard as well.

Bel Aire

Heading 15 minutes to the east side of Wichita, you will find Bel Aire, which is conveniently located near multiple freeways, giving commuters to the big city ease of access and short drive times. On Reolink's "Top 10 Safest Cities in Kansas," Bel Aire is listed at number seven, despite being so close to downtown. It is recorded there of having a low violent crime rate of only 0.5 per 1,000 people. It's also close to outdoor amenities, including the beautiful Great Plains Nature Center.

The area's high concentration of senior citizens could contribute to this, with almost 15% of Bel Aire's residents being over the age of 65. The suburb is considered a great place for older people to settle down, with a Senior Center located in City Hall and city-funded retirement housing projects which were just completed in 2024. Bel Aire is affordable for all ages, in fact. According to Realtor.com, the median home listing price for 2025 so far is only $287,000, much less than the national average for similar areas in terms of population and proximity to large cities. Payscale also lists grocery prices at 3% lower than the national average, and transportation expenses such as gas prices and bus fares at 9% lower than the typical US numbers.

College Hill

The only neighborhood on this list that is technically right downtown in Wichita, College Hill is a historic neighborhood full of late 19th and early 20th century revival architecture. Typically, older homes with vintage charm can be expensive, especially in a large city, but the median sale price for 2025 in College Hill is only around $330,000, despite the market being very competitive there.

Like many downtown neighborhoods, College Hill is very walkable and was listed on Urban Cool Homes' "Most Walkable Neighborhoods" list in October 2024 because of its clearly defined pedestrian paths, scenic streets with mature trees, and nearness to food and entertainment. It's also very close to Frank Lloyd Wright's Allen House. Dining options include FioRito, a modern Italian restaurant renowned for creative pasta dishes, or Coffee Daze, a new craft coffee shop that locals say stays very busy. College Hill Park, a sprawling 22-acre public green space, has a playground, basketball and tennis courts and a long walking trail.

Wichita, Kansas, is large and diverse, with something to offer everyone. Many of the suburbs around it stand on their own, embodying that sense of Midwestern friendliness that makes Kansas feel like home. You might be a parent of young kids looking for an area with great schools like Andover, or an older retiree in search of a town with great amenities for your age like Bel Aire. You could also be an outdoorsy type looking for a safe and quiet spot with lots of paved walking paths like there are in Haysville. No matter what your age or family situation is, you can find the neighborhood perfect for you near the affordable city of Wichita.