Kansas City, MO
| | | |
| | Overall Rankings | |
| | | |
| | Metro Area (out of 45): | |
| | Healthy Housing: 30th | |
| | Prior Rank: 18th | |
| | | |
| | Central City (out of 44): | |
| | Healthy Housing: 6th | |
| | Prior Rank: 9th | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | Click here for comparison to prior report. | |
| | | |
| | Data source: 2011 American Housing Survey | |
| | | |
Location Summary
Positive Findings: Compared to the national average, the Kansas City area had fewer homes with signs of rats, a lack of complete plumbing or kitchen facilities, room heaters without a flue, and rooms without a working electrical outlet. Central city homes were less likely than the national average to lack kitchen facilities or complete plumbing, have rooms without a functioning electrical outlet, have room heaters without a flue, exhibit signs of rats, or experience flush toilet breakdowns or roofing problems. Outside the central city, homes were less likely to have problems with signs of rats, water supply stoppage, a lack of complete plumbing or kitchen facilities, room heaters without a flue, and rooms with no working electrical outlets. Rental homes were less likely than the national average to have problems with open cracks or holes in the walls, signs of rats, water supply stoppage, a lack kitchen facilities or complete plumbing, rooms with no working electrical outlets, exposed wiring, room heaters without a flue, heating equipment breakdowns, or experience flush toilet breakdowns.
Areas for Improvement: Compared to the national average, Kansas City-area homes had more issues with signs of mice, water leaks from outside, open cracks or holes in walls, and foundation problems. Homes within the central city area were more likely to suffer from water leaks from the outside, sewage disposal breakdowns, and exposed wires, compared to the national average. Homes outside the central city were more likely to have problems with open cracks or holes in walls, signs of mice, water leaks from outside, sewage disposal breakdowns, and window and foundation problems. Rental units were more likely to have signs of mice, water leaks from the inside and outside, and sewage disposal breakdowns. Owner-occupant units were more likely to have open cracks or holes in floors, signs of mice, water leaks from the outside, sewage disposal breakdowns, exposed wires and siding, and window and foundation problems.
Community Information: The Kansas City MSA includes parts of Cass, Clay, Clinton, Jackson, Lafayette, Platte, and Ray counties, Missouri; and Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami, and Wyandotte counties, Kansas. In 2011, the MSA included 781,879 occupied dwelling units, 38.4% of which were located in the central city of Kansas City. Of the cities surveyed, the housing stock had an average age and average percentage of rental units for the MSA, but was among the least heavily rental for the central city. The percentage of pre-1940 homes ranked 22nd (11.0%) for the MSA and 19th (19.4%) for the central city. The median house age in the Kansas City MSA was 1976. The percentage of rental units ranked 21st (35.1%) for the MSA and 3rd (39.9%) for the central city. Compared to other locations, Kansas City had an average poverty rate. Its poverty rate ranked 21st (12.8%) for the entire MSA and 16th (17.7%) for homes in the central city.