THE 10 WORST Neighborhoods In Kansas City For 2020

Editor’s Note: This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. Don’t freak out we updated this article for 2020. This is our fifth time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in Kansas City.

Source: Wikipedia User | CC-BY-SA-3.0

Kansas City’s neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You’ve got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.

It seems as if there’s a neighborhood for everyone in Kansas City.

And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the country thanks in part to a strong economy and tons of entertainment, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine in Kansas City. Some neighborhoods aren’t as great as others.

So the question arises, which Kansas City neighborhoods are the worst, and which are the best?

Today, we’ll use science and data to determine which Kansas City hoods need a little tender loving care – the sore thumbs of the Kansas City area if you will. Realistically, you can’t expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Armour Hills ranks way above the rest.

We examined 143 of Kansas City’s neighborhoods to find out the worst places to live. These places don’t quite measure up to Kansas City’s reputation.

Here are the 10 worst neighborhoods in Kansas City according to data:

So what’s the worst neighborhood to live in Kansas City for 2020? According to the most recent census data, North Blue Ridge looks to be the worst neighborhood in Kansas City.

Read on to see how we determined the places around Kansas City that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don’t blame the messenger.

Once you’re done, you can look at the bottom of the story for a complete chart of every neighborhood we looked at from worst to best.

Looking for places to avoid outside of the city? You can also check out the worst suburbs of Kansas City.

For more Missouri reading, check out:

The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Kansas City For 2020

1. North Blue Ridge

Overall SnackAbility

1
/10

Population: 71
Rank Last Year: 2 (Up 1)
Median Home Value: $45,400 (16th worst)
Median Income: $21,078 (10th worst)
More on North Blue Ridge: Data

2. South Blue Valley

Overall SnackAbility

1
/10

Population: 1,992
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $25,500 (4th worst)
Median Income: $22,281 (16th worst)
More on South Blue Valley: Data

3. Northest Industrial District

Overall SnackAbility

1
/10

Population: 157
Rank Last Year: 25 (Up 22)
Median Home Value: $18,000 (1st worst)
Median Income: $26,500 (32nd worst)
More on Northest Industrial District: Data

4. Ivanhoe Southeast

Overall SnackAbility

2
/10

Population: 1,528
Rank Last Year: 7 (Up 3)
Median Home Value: $42,750 (13th worst)
Median Income: $21,210 (12th worst)
More on Ivanhoe Southeast: Data

5. East Sqope Highlands

Overall SnackAbility

1
/10

Population: 833
Rank Last Year: 41 (Up 36)
Median Home Value: $86,500 (67th worst)
Median Income: $29,668 (40th worst)
More on East Sqope Highlands: Data

6. Marlborough East

Overall SnackAbility

2
/10

Population: 1,265
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 3)
Median Home Value: $46,600 (19th worst)
Median Income: $21,160 (11th worst)
More on Marlborough East: Data

7. Knoches Park

Overall SnackAbility

2
/10

Population: 1,499
Rank Last Year: 34 (Up 27)
Median Home Value: $33,833 (6th worst)
Median Income: $22,604 (17th worst)
More on Knoches Park: Data

8. East Blue Valley

Overall SnackAbility

2
/10

Population: 1,595
Rank Last Year: 4 (Down 4)
Median Home Value: $47,650 (20th worst)
Median Income: $24,536 (25th worst)
More on East Blue Valley: Data

9. Blue Valley Industrial

Overall SnackAbility

2
/10

Population: 964
Rank Last Year: 11 (Up 2)
Median Home Value: $36,500 (8th worst)
Median Income: $24,398 (24th worst)
More on Blue Valley Industrial: Data

10. Sheffield

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 2,161
Rank Last Year: 16 (Up 6)
Median Home Value: $48,050 (21st worst)
Median Income: $17,559 (4th worst)
More on Sheffield: Data

How we determined the worst Kansas City hoods in 2020

To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We threw the following criteria into this analysis in order to get the best, most complete results possible. We used this set of criteria for each neighborhood in Kansas City:

High unemployment (Less jobs)
Low median income (Less pay)
Low population density (No things to do)
Low home values (No one’s willing to pay to live here)
High crime (Estimated)

Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Kansas City, Missouri for each of these criteria from worst to best.

Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criteria into a “Worst Score”.

The neighborhood with the lowest “Worst Score” ranks as the worst neighborhood of Kansas City.

Read on below to learn more about these terrible places around Kansas City to live. Or skip to the end to see the list of all 143 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.

This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased. Hold on to your pants.

The ‘hoods around Kansas City that are really hoods

Well there you have it — the worst of the neighborhoods in Kansas City with North Blue Ridge landing at the bottom of the pack.

As we mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Kansas City aren’t all bad. Armour Hills takes the cake as the best place to live in Kansas City.

We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.

For more Missouri reading, check out:

Where Are The Worst Neighborhoods To Live In Kansas City For 2020?

Rank	Neighborhood	Population	Home Value	Median Income
1	North Blue Ridge	71	$45,400	$21,078
2	South Blue Valley	1,992	$25,500	$22,281
3	Northest Industrial District	157	$18,000	$26,500
4	Ivanhoe Southeast	1,528	$42,750	$21,210
5	East Sqope Highlands	833	$86,500	$29,668
6	Marlborough East	1,265	$46,600	$21,160
7	Knoches Park	1,499	$33,833	$22,604
8	East Blue Valley	1,595	$47,650	$24,536
9	Blue Valley Industrial	964	$36,500	$24,398
10	Sheffield	2,161	$48,050	$17,559
11	East Community Team North	2,816	$49,200	$23,342
12	Washington Weatley	1,837	$59,333	$27,573
13	North Town Fork Creek	2,904	$61,040	$27,828
14	Norble And Gregory Ridge	1,704	$37,400	$35,777
15	East Community Team South	2,736	$24,860	$20,194
16	Key Coalition	1,208	$71,500	$14,444
17	Central Blue Valley-Park Tower Grade	1,419	$51,750	$14,866
18	Palestine West And Oak Park Northeast	563	$45,200	$41,050
19	Ivanhoe Northeast	761	$50,300	$25,588
20	Ingleside	948	$52,525	$30,750
21	Hidden Valley	933	$86,300	$24,615
22	Indipendence Plaza	2,338	$68,020	$24,060
23	Eastwood Hills West	1,396	$66,950	$33,166
24	Vineyard Northwest	797	$42,700	$19,862
25	Legacy East	2,010	$46,500	$29,784
26	Lykins	3,734	$40,412	$21,625
27	Santa Fe	2,168	$43,525	$23,036
28	Mount Hope	326	$38,000	$16,500
29	Marlborough Heights-Marlborough Pride	2,591	$33,080	$26,330
30	Pendleton Heights	2,880	$95,775	$18,347
31	Manheim Park	1,508	$52,650	$25,860
32	Lewis Heights	712	$93,900	$37,159
33	Brown Estates	890	$84,700	$41,351
34	Self Help Neighborhood Council	1,805	$49,800	$20,620
35	Blue Hills	5,148	$59,229	$31,826
36	Riss Lake	2,524	$93,600	$27,335
37	Oakwood	1,634	$85,500	$26,012
38	Country Valley-Hawthorn Square	340	$158,500	$45,549
39	Vineyard	2,003	$59,000	$27,635
40	Linwood Homeowner-Ivanhoe	1,346	$56,500	$21,750
41	Swope Parkway-Elmwood	2,541	$67,933	$31,053
42	Westside South	1,302	$106,033	$40,769
43	Hickman Mills	3,570	$88,900	$37,115
44	Oldham Farms	1,012	$66,700	$39,920
45	Stanford Estates	1,954	$82,350	$43,164
46	Richards Gebaur	1,338	$97,833	$32,605
47	Oak Park Northwest	2,913	$48,300	$24,219
48	Cunningham Ridge	280	$76,400	$41,159
49	Ruskin Hills	2,775	$66,650	$37,740
50	Wendell Phillips	1,485	$90,167	$20,620
51	Palestine East	1,304	$34,100	$24,810
52	Beacon Hills	675	$111,850	$32,104
53	Oak Park Southeast	1,754	$49,800	$34,078
54	Oak Park Southwest	2,096	$19,150	$33,735
55	Loma Vista	1,897	$78,650	$31,312
56	Hillcrest	1,193	$83,800	$32,350
57	Ashland Ridge	1,348	$74,900	$30,375
58	Broadway Gillham	898	$103,850	$29,974
59	West Blue Township	713	$76,400	$41,159
60	West Blue Valley	2,281	$46,100	$22,986
61	Swope Park Campus	1,527	$58,650	$29,629
62	Ruskin Heights	4,718	$52,775	$35,841
63	Westside North	1,466	$154,950	$31,394
64	Sterling Acres	912	$105,800	$46,125
65	Bleheim Square-Research Hospital	1,652	$66,000	$23,264
66	North Hyde Park	1,649	$164,900	$21,453
67	Foxtown East	901	$48,400	$42,372
68	Eastwood Hill East	3,732	$73,975	$35,776
69	East Meyer	4,625	$76,560	$35,925
70	South Town Fork Creek	1,262	$55,200	$32,522
71	Hickman Mills South	1,596	$74,100	$42,446
72	Sarritt Point	3,592	$66,083	$29,106
73	Linden Hills And Indian Heights	2,305	$124,967	$48,461
74	South India Mound	4,007	$55,220	$30,911
75	Citadel	1,514	$90,350	$41,866
76	Fairlane	5,116	$85,875	$46,617
77	Martin City	1,046	$188,200	$48,989
78	Bonne Hills	1,863	$104,833	$49,970
79	Longfellow	2,007	$172,850	$29,178
80	Hanover Place	2,914	$88,133	$30,502
81	North India Mound	4,849	$50,683	$35,163
82	Park Farms	3,487	$98,850	$43,396
83	Santa Fe Hills	2,175	$72,133	$43,164
84	Old Westport	964	$181,500	$42,910
85	Squier Park	897	$143,200	$44,792
86	Little Blue Valley	4,414	$181,600	$71,172
87	Eastern 49-63	3,124	$106,033	$39,164
88	South Hyde Park	1,981	$139,000	$40,098
89	Rolling Meadows	525	$137,900	$57,625
90	Bannister Ares	1,437	$112,200	$50,651
91	Stayton Meadows	2,471	$87,533	$50,858
92	Willow Creek	3,235	$75,567	$37,555
93	Robandee South	1,846	$83,800	$43,036
94	Western Hills	1,837	$133,550	$52,030
95	Royal Oaks	1,691	$147,200	$44,514
96	Plaza Westport	1,071	$182,150	$48,530
97	Fairwood And Robandee	4,215	$71,000	$41,973
98	Kirkside	1,722	$85,700	$35,417
99	River Market	523	$228,900	$51,654
100	Blue Vue Hills	1,722	$146,300	$66,875
101	Ward Parkway Plaza	471	$148,100	$71,635
102	Valentine	1,163	$155,950	$40,567
103	Red Bridge North	926	$168,150	$83,325
104	Waldo Homes	1,554	$116,950	$49,802
105	Lea Manor	2,044	$150,100	$68,181
106	Red Ridge South	2,757	$171,350	$43,766
107	West Waldo	1,321	$138,900	$63,846
108	Timber Valley	371	$174,000	$88,198
109	Central Hyde Park	1,317	$286,650	$72,761
110	Southmoreland	3,638	$168,080	$42,346
111	Saint Catherine’s Gardens	2,573	$119,000	$62,102
112	Mission Lake	3,622	$195,400	$86,398
113	Birdlespur	1,364	$168,650	$89,478
114	Unity Ridge	513	$315,700	$101,023
115	Sunset Hill	921	$597,200	$150,641
116	Blue Hills Estates	1,520	$224,800	$53,319
117	Highview Estates	2,603	$203,567	$73,725
118	Crown Center	759	$200,033	$55,006
119	Holmes Park	1,247	$179,500	$60,385
120	Oak Meyer Gardens	856	$232,500	$73,942
121	Union Hill	865	$230,750	$58,514
122	White Oak	2,673	$111,000	$60,611
123	Roanoke	484	$356,000	$51,179
124	Sunset Hill West	321	$975,250	$250,001
125	Greenway Fields	633	$484,300	$200,973
126	Coleman Highlands	709	$218,800	$71,964
127	Western 49-63	4,533	$225,120	$82,382
128	Faireway Hills	2,302	$112,800	$64,853
129	Central Business District-Downtown	4,364	$191,233	$52,423
130	Verona Hills	2,013	$253,250	$90,614
131	South Plaza	2,537	$343,967	$56,995
132	Country Lane Estates	1,971	$155,100	$53,150
133	Stanford Gardens	930	$484,300	$200,973
134	West Plaza	3,939	$196,200	$60,529
135	Westwood	907	$248,700	$91,319
136	Volker	4,523	$187,420	$50,188
137	Tower Homes	5,882	$167,440	$69,114
138	Romanelli West	706	$329,900	$102,917
139	Morningside	1,618	$255,250	$103,750
140	Wornall Homestead	750	$306,900	$129,773
141	Ward Parkway	3,722	$189,450	$81,157
142	Arnour Fields	2,107	$424,200	$138,553
143	Armour Hills	2,422	$240,700	$103,120