Overland Park Kansas Real Estate
Overland Park is a nationally recognized community located in the heart of thriving Johnson County, Kansas. It is both the second largest city in Kansas (population 163,319) and in the Kansas City metropolitan area. It has created its own identity, image and reputation as one of the nation's most dynamic corporate centers.
Workers and residents enjoy an attractive, vibrant and safe suburban setting, great restaurants, abundant shopping centers, miles of walking and jogging paths, and excellent educational institutions. Yet, Overland Park's proximity to Kansas City also means easy access to all the amenities a major city has to offer. . . fine arts, professional sports and world-famous Kansas City jazz, blues and barbecue.
This Overland Park Real Estate Guide is an introduction to our city. Overland Park Kansas is one of the most liveable cities in the world. In this guide you will find information on the Overland Park real estate market, schools, neighborhoods, and entertainment.
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Geography
Overland Park is centered at 38°56'24" North, 94°40'51" West (38.94, -94.68).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 147.2 km² (56.8 mi²). 147.0 km² (56.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.18% water.
The city was incorporated as a first-class city on May 20, 1960, making it one of the youngest communities in Johnson County. Its initial population was 28,085 and was bounded by Antioch Road (West), 107th Street (South), Chadwick (East) and I-35 (North).
In 1960 the population was 28,085 with 17.2 square miles incorporated. By 1990 the population was 111,790 and in 1995 the incorporated land area was 56.6 square miles. Since 1995, the population has since grown to over 167,000 by 2005 with 62.26 square miles of land area. Overland Park is now the second most populous city in Kansas.
The city traces its roots back to 1905, with the arrival of its founder, William B. Strang Jr., who platted subdivisions along a military roadway on 600 acres he purchased that are now part of the old downtown area.
One of those subdivisions was named Overland Park, and was the site for the first airplane flight in Greater Kansas City, sponsored by Strang, on December 24, 1909.
The largest employer in Overland Park is Sprint Nextel Corporation. Its campus occupies 240 acres (1 km²) in the city, and employs about 14,500 people. The city is also the headquarters for the Yellow Roadway Corporation and the employee-owned Black & Veatch Corporation.
The Shawnee Mission School District and Blue Valley School District employ several thousand people in the city.
As of the census of 2000, there are 59,703 households and 39,702 families residing in the city. The population density in 2000 was 1,014.3/km² (2,627.0/mi²).
Overland Park has the second highest percentage in the country of residents age 25 and over with four-year college degrees. Approximately 46.4% of its residents have such degrees.
There are 62,586 housing units at an average density of 425.8/km² (1,102.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 90.65% White, 2.55% African American, 0.27% Native American, 3.83% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.24% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. 3.77% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 59,703 households out of which 33.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.8% are married couples living together, 7.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% are non-families. 27.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.47 and the average family size is 3.06.
In the city the population is spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $62,116, and the median income for a family is $77,176. Males have a median income of $52,072 versus $34,186 for females. The per capita income for the city is $32,069. 3.2% of the population and 2.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 2.9% of those under the age of 18 and 3.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Overland Park has the lowest property tax rate of any city in Johnson County and any first-class city in Kansas.
Money Magazine's Hottest Towns
To find America's hottest places to live, Money Magazine started with statistics on 271 U.S. cities provided to by OnBoard LLC, a real estate information company. These cities in that list had the highest median household incomes in the nation and above average population growth. Overland Park was listed as the third "Hottest Town" in the central region with populations greater than 100,000.
Source: "Money Magazine Hottest Towns," December 2003.
Overland Park ranked first out of 74 similar cities nationwide, earning it an "A+" on the "Kid Friendly Cities Report Card." Indicators ranked included population change, health, health improvement, education, public safety, economics and environment. This is the second time Overland Park has ranked highly. In the 1999 survey, Overland Park ranked sixth out of 92. The Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead was given an "extra credit" for special kid friendly features.
Source: "Zero Population Growth’s Kid Friendly Cities Study," August 2001.
Click Here to see the 2001 rating.
Click Here to see the 1999 study.
According to "Business Development Outlook," the City of Overland Park is the second-best city in America to live. The magazine’s ratings were based on scientific measurements of public safety, daily commute times, access to culture and entertainment, and good education. The study used data from the 2000 US Census and rated more than 4,700 American cities. In 1999, the magazine ranked Overland Park the sixth best city in America to live.
Source: "Business Development Outlook," 2001.
The City of Overland Park has been ranked as the 10th best city in the United States for doing business. The study compared U.S. cities with populations of more than 100,000 in areas such as availability of executive, administrative and management labor; education levels; crime; commute times; transportation costs; and housing costs.
Source: "Business Development Outlook," Annual Top Choice Cities Rankings. 2000.
According to "Employment Review" magazine and BestJobsUSA.com, Overland Park was selected as one of the 20 Best Places to Live & Work. The selection looks at lifestyle, cost of living, industries, current unemployment rate, the healthcare system, education, recreation and arts.
Source: "Employment Review," 20 Best Places to Live & Work, June 2003.
Overland Park has been ranked as the "second smartest" city in the country, according to a study that examined cities with the highest percentage of residents age 25 and over with four-year college degrees. At the time of the study, more than 36 percent of Overland Park residents had four-year college degrees. Today, more than 40 percent of Southern Johnson County residents hold bachelor’s degrees.
Source: "Applied Geographic Solutions," 2000.
Overland Park has made the top ten list of "America’s Best Cities for Women." That was the conclusion when "Ladies’ Home Journal" surveyed more than 200 of America’s largest cities on concerns such as local economy, wage gaps, job growth, lifestyle, cultural resources, public schools, health and child-care resources. "Our very top ten winners were not only healthy, but also wealthy and wise, and all had better-than-average economies and job prospects."
Source: "Ladies’ Home Journal," 2001. Click Here to read the article.
Overland Park is served by three public school districts, which are consistently rated among the nations best. In 2003, "Expansion Management" magazine rated more than 1,500 school districts nationwide with a student population of at lease 4,800 in areas such as graduate outcome, resource index and community index. Based on a top score of 99, all three Overland Park school districts received gold medals. The Shawnee Mission School District, the Blue Valley School District and the Olathe School District.
Source: "Expansion Management - Annual Education Quotient Study," 2003.
Public SafetyIn a City Survey completed in November 2003 on the quality of life in Overland Park, residents gave high marks to the City's public safety sector. When asked about the overall quality of local fire protections - 90% gave a thumbs up. The police department overall quality ranked an 895 satisfaction level by the survey. The overall quality of life satisfaction level rose to 93%, up 3% from the last City Survey conducted in 2000. Source: City of Overland Park (www.opkansas.org)
Johnson County LibraryThe Johnson County Library system, serving the Overland Park area, has been rated as the second best library system in the nation among libraries serving communities with populations from 250,000 to 499,000.
Source: "Hennen’s American Public Library Rating Index," 2003.
Three top national bond-rating agencies have each given Overland Park the highest confidence rating possible – AAA. Fitch, Standard & Poor's and Moody's Investor Service all have awarded Overland Park a "AAA" rating. The Fitch report also stated Overland Park benefits from a strong transportation system, high quality schools and broad-based commercial development. Overland Park is one of only 13 cities nationwide to receive AAA bond ratings from all three agencies.
Source: Fitch, Standard & Poor's and Moody's Investor Service, 2003.
Lowest Taxes in KansasAccording to the League of Kansas Municipalities' 2004 edition of "Kansas Tax Rate & Fiscal Data Book," Overland Park has the lowest property mill rate of any first-class city in Kansas. Overland Park's total city levy is 9.057 mills. The next lowest city levy rate is 20.845. 2004.
Tree City USAThe City of Overland Park is making others "green" with envy for being the only city in Kansas and one of only 27 cities nationwide to be named a Sterling Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation. The Tree City USA Growth Award is given to communities that go beyond the four standards of Tree City USA and accumulate points from a list of projects that demonstrate improvement and growth of local tree care. A community only wins the Sterling Tree City USA after participating in the Growth Award program for ten years.
Source: National Arbor Foundation, 2003
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