Wichita’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 Wichita.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in Kansas thanks in part to tons of entertainment and jobs, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine in Wichita. Some neighborhoods aren’t as safe as others.
So the question arises, which Wichita neighborhoods are the most dangerous and which are the safest?
Today, we’ll use Saturday Night Science to determine which Wichita hoods need a little tender loving care – the sore thumbs of the Wichita area if you will. Realistically, you can’t expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Crown Heights ranks way above the rest.
We examined 67 of Wichita’s neighborhoods to find out the most dangerous places to live. These places don’t quite measure up to Wichita’s reputation.
Table Of Contents: Top 10 | Methodology | Summary | Table
So what’s the worst neighborhood to live in Wichita for 2024? According to the most recent census data, Mcadams looks to be the worst neighborhood in Wichita.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Wichita that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don’t blame the messenger.
For more Kansas reading, check out:
The 10 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods In Wichita For 2024
/10
Population: 407
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,398
Property Crime Per 100k: 11,324
Median Home Value: $49,100 (4th worst)
Median Income: $25,427 (2nd worst)
More on Mcadams: Data
/10
Population: 148
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,739
Property Crime Per 100k: 8,110
Median Home Value: $49,100 (4th worst)
Median Income: $25,427 (2nd worst)
More on Central 2000: Data
/10
Population: 1,239
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 4,021
Property Crime Per 100k: 9,284
Median Home Value: $56,733 (8th worst)
Median Income: $27,531 (6th worst)
More on Murdock: Data
/10
Population: 559
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,794
Property Crime Per 100k: 8,368
Median Home Value: $65,200 (12th worst)
Median Income: $30,006 (9th worst)
More on New Salem: Data
/10
Population: 750
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,826
Property Crime Per 100k: 8,515
Median Home Value: $56,733 (8th worst)
Median Income: $27,531 (6th worst)
More on The Elm: Data
/10
Population: 405
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 2,593
Property Crime Per 100k: 7,291
Median Home Value: $65,700 (13th worst)
Median Income: $32,250 (13th worst)
More on Jones Park: Data
/10
Population: 1,624
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,822
Property Crime Per 100k: 8,499
Median Home Value: $56,433 (7th worst)
Median Income: $30,673 (11th worst)
More on Power: Data
/10
Population: 1,529
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,826
Property Crime Per 100k: 8,515
Median Home Value: $23,800 (worst)
Median Income: $25,379 (worst)
More on Oakview: Data
/10
Population: 2,438
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 3,503
Property Crime Per 100k: 7,768
Median Home Value: $53,350 (5th worst)
Median Income: $30,089 (10th worst)
More on Matlock Heights: Data
/10
Population: 5,689
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,989
Property Crime Per 100k: 12,853
Median Home Value: $62,983 (11th worst)
Median Income: $49,812 (44th worst)
More on South Area: Data
Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous Wichita neighborhoods in 2024
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 plugged the following criteria into Saturday Night Science to get the worst neighborhoods in Wichita:
- High crime (Estimated)
- 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)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Wichita, Kansas for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criterion into a “Worst Score.”
The neighborhood with the lowest “Worst Score” ranks as the most dangerous neighborhood of Wichita.
The article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2024. This report is our time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in Wichita.
Skip to the end to see the list of all 67 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Wichita
Well, there you have it — the worst of the neighborhoods in Wichita with Mcadams landing at the bottom of the pack.
The worst neighborhoods in Wichita are McAdams, Central 2000, Murdock, New Salem, The Elm, Jones Park, Power, Oakview, Matlock Heights, and South Area.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Wichita aren’t all bad. Crown Heights takes the cake as the best place to live in Wichita.
The best neighborhoods in Wichita are Crown Heights, College Hill, Chisholm Creek, Indian Hills Riverbend, and Northwest Big River.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more Kansas reading, check out:
Most Dangerous Neighborhoods To Live In Wichita For 2024?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mcadams | 407 | $49,100 | $25,427 |
| 2 | Central 2000 | 148 | $49,100 | $25,427 |
| 3 | Murdock | 1,239 | $56,733 | $27,531 |
| 4 | New Salem | 559 | $65,200 | $30,006 |
| 5 | The Elm | 750 | $56,733 | $27,531 |
| 6 | Jones Park | 405 | $65,700 | $32,250 |
| 7 | Power | 1,624 | $56,433 | $30,673 |
| 8 | Oakview | 1,529 | $23,800 | $25,379 |
| 9 | Matlock Heights | 2,438 | $53,350 | $30,089 |
| 10 | South Area | 5,689 | $62,983 | $49,812 |
| 11 | South City Community | 6,294 | $70,367 | $39,257 |
| 12 | Hilltop | 1,653 | $24,650 | $27,322 |
| 13 | Fairmount | 1,246 | $69,833 | $30,738 |
| 14 | Linwood | 1,040 | $70,875 | $36,875 |
| 15 | Kellogg School | 2,125 | $72,375 | $32,849 |
| 16 | Mccormick | 3,139 | $69,600 | $34,001 |
| 17 | Planeview United | 3,826 | $55,000 | $29,408 |
| 18 | North Central | 1,695 | $78,000 | $29,706 |
| 19 | Schweiter | 846 | $102,250 | $41,736 |
| 20 | Grandview Heights | 1,334 | $93,900 | $35,976 |
| 21 | Stanley-Aley | 3,415 | $74,356 | $42,780 |
| 22 | Ken-Mar | 2,021 | $60,600 | $37,418 |
| 23 | Northeast Millair | 1,186 | $105,367 | $46,508 |
| 24 | Southwest | 12,517 | $81,227 | $46,445 |
| 25 | South Central Improvemen | 8,744 | $68,831 | $41,063 |
| 26 | Sunflower | 6,275 | $80,850 | $41,458 |
| 27 | Eastridge | 4,215 | $90,820 | $42,830 |
| 28 | Fabrique | 2,660 | $82,800 | $40,831 |
| 29 | Schweiter East | 1,145 | $96,700 | $34,452 |
| 30 | Orchard Breeze | 3,030 | $77,667 | $53,551 |
| 31 | Southwest Village | 5,999 | $99,675 | $53,290 |
| 32 | Cottonwood Village | 501 | $131,400 | $47,316 |
| 33 | Sunnyside | 1,685 | $79,667 | $42,336 |
| 34 | Riverside | 8,611 | $89,275 | $50,134 |
| 35 | East Front | 1,001 | $88,150 | $43,012 |
| 36 | Comotara Mainsgate Villa | 528 | $155,500 | $52,500 |
| 37 | Mead | 3,233 | $82,150 | $41,924 |
| 38 | East Mt Vernon Na | 1,438 | $78,533 | $43,873 |
| 39 | Pueblo | 6,429 | $79,020 | $44,022 |
| 40 | Indian Hills | 2,064 | $116,067 | $43,841 |
| 41 | Historic Midtown | 8,430 | $82,962 | $37,253 |
| 42 | K-15 | 1,876 | $77,700 | $48,358 |
| 43 | Uptown | 1,203 | $100,600 | $38,047 |
| 44 | Meadowlark | 1,128 | $95,450 | $58,118 |
| 45 | La Placita Park | 2,162 | $126,560 | $44,954 |
| 46 | North Riverside | 4,458 | $99,271 | $48,792 |
| 47 | Orchard Park | 3,716 | $104,080 | $56,108 |
| 48 | Northeast Heights | 2,587 | $170,250 | $55,335 |
| 49 | Country Overlook | 1,222 | $110,000 | $43,359 |
| 50 | Brookhollow | 719 | $192,500 | $68,594 |
| 51 | Delano | 5,782 | $101,112 | $46,137 |
| 52 | Pleasant Valley | 926 | $127,200 | $83,868 |
| 53 | Harrison Park Rk | 552 | $163,500 | $71,083 |
| 54 | Sleepy Hollow | 470 | $160,700 | $64,794 |
| 55 | Village | 607 | $130,050 | $66,341 |
| 56 | Longview | 572 | $84,300 | $50,988 |
| 57 | Hilltop-Jefferson | 1,960 | $121,800 | $57,773 |
| 58 | Sherwood Glen | 1,444 | $127,200 | $83,868 |
| 59 | Rockhurst | 134 | $187,400 | $92,614 |
| 60 | Park Meadows | 323 | $166,600 | $87,869 |
| 61 | Macdonald | 1,095 | $122,950 | $71,842 |
| 62 | Benjamin Hills | 4,642 | $143,233 | $58,236 |
| 63 | Northwest Big River | 1,642 | $130,950 | $48,218 |
| 64 | Indian Hills Riverbend | 2,481 | $117,100 | $55,187 |
| 65 | Chisholm Creek | 11,933 | $136,222 | $58,341 |
| 66 | College Hill | 4,784 | $192,600 | $88,481 |
| 67 | Crown Heights | 1,215 | $150,800 | $66,318 |