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City comparison

Albuquerque, NM vs Kansas Town, OK

Albuquerque, NM versus Kansas Town, OK is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,145 a month in Albuquerque and $920 in Kansas Town, and median household income lands at $68,317 versus $33,438. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Albuquerque takes job market, while Kansas Town takes affordability, safety, and weather. The widest gap is median income, where Albuquerque leads by 104% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Albuquerque can feel further apart than Albuquerque and Kansas Town do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Albuquerque and Kansas Town reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Albuquerque, NM

Rent
$1,145/mo
Median income
$68,317
Crime index
179
Schools
A-
Weather
84°F

Kansas Town, OK

Rent
$920/mo
Median income
$33,438
Crime index
32
Schools
A-
Weather
81°F

Rent

20% cheaper

Kansas Town rent is 20% cheaper than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

$1,145/mo

Kansas Town

Winner

$920/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $920 a month in Kansas Town versus $1,145 in Albuquerque, so Kansas Town is 20% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,700 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Kansas Town still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Albuquerque.

Median income

104% higher

Albuquerque's median income is 104% higher than Kansas Town

Albuquerque

Winner

$68,317

Kansas Town

$33,438

What this means for your life

Median household income is $68,317 in Albuquerque versus $33,438 in Kansas Town, so typical pay runs 104% higher in Albuquerque — about $34,879 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Albuquerque is the stronger labor market on paper. Kansas Town can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

82% lower crime

Kansas Town's crime index is 82% lower than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

179 (100 = avg)

Kansas Town

Winner

32 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Kansas Town's crime index is 32 versus 179 in Albuquerque (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 82% lower in Kansas Town. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Kansas Town is the easier city. Albuquerque can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

Neck and neck

Albuquerque and Kansas Town are about even on school scores.

Albuquerque

A- · 84/100

Kansas Town

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Albuquerque, A- in Kansas Town). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

12% more comfortable

Kansas Town weather is 12% more comfortable than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

84°F typical

Kansas Town

Winner

81°F typical

What this means for your life

Kansas Town scores 12% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 84°F in Albuquerque and 81°F in Kansas Town. Albuquerque reads as hot, long summers; Kansas Town reads as warm weather most of the year. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Albuquerque's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Kansas Town is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Fit check

Who should choose Albuquerque

Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth

Albuquerque is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 104% higher here ($68,317). Start with Albuquerque if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.

Open the Albuquerque report →

Fit check

Who should choose Kansas Town

Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing

Kansas Town is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 20% cheaper here at about $920 a month. Choose Kansas Town if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Pick Kansas Town if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (81°F) beat Albuquerque on this page's weather index by 12%. Albuquerque may pay more or cost less, but Kansas Town is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Kansas Town is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 82% lower than Albuquerque (32 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the Kansas Town report →

Bottom line

Albuquerque vs Kansas Town, called

If the job market is your priority, Albuquerque is the clear choice.

If safety matters more to you, Kansas Town pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Kansas Town offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Albuquerque vs Kansas Town FAQ

Is Albuquerque cheaper than Kansas Town?
No. Kansas Town is cheaper: typical rent is $920 a month versus $1,145 in Albuquerque — 20% lower. Median household income is $68,317 in Albuquerque compared with $33,438 in Kansas Town, so Albuquerque has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Albuquerque or Kansas Town?
Kansas Town is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 32 versus 179 in Albuquerque — 82% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Albuquerque or Kansas Town?
School composites are close: A- in Albuquerque and A- in Kansas Town. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

Ready to move to Kansas Town?

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