How Many Kansas Cities Exist? Complete List
How Many Cities Are in Kansas?
Kansas has 627 incorporated cities. That's the official count from the Kansas Secretary of State's office. Every single one of them is incorporated under Kansas state law, which means they've got a formal government structure with elected officials.
Some people get confused because the U.S. Census Bureau counts things differently. The Census Bureau recognizes 628 places in Kansas, which includes some census-designated places that aren't technically incorporated cities. But when people ask "how many cities in Kansas," they're usually asking about the 627 incorporated municipalities.
How Kansas Classifies Its Cities
Kansas breaks cities down into six classes based on population:
- City of the First Class — 15,000+ population
- City of the Second Class — 2,000 to 14,999 population
- City of the Third Class — 300 to 1,999 population
- Towns of the Second Class — 100 to 299 population
- Towns of the Third Class — under 100 population
- Special Charter Cities — unique charters granted by the legislature
Most Kansas cities fall into the Third Class category. There are only a handful of First Class cities, and plenty of tiny towns that barely crack 50 residents.
The 10 Largest Cities in Kansas
These cities account for the bulk of Kansas's population:
- Wichita — 397,532
- Overland Park — 197,238
- Kansas City — 156,241
- Olathe — 143,014
- Topeka — 125,310
- Lawrence — 95,656
- Shawnee — 67,997
- Manhattan — 53,935
- Olathe — Already listed, skip
- Lenexa — 49,398
Wait, let me fix that. Here's the actual top 10:
- Wichita — 397,532
- Overland Park — 197,238
- Kansas City — 156,241
- Olathe — 143,014
- Topeka — 125,310
- Lawrence — 95,656
- Shawnee — 67,997
- Manhattan — 53,935
- Lenexa — 49,398
- Salina — 46,963
Wichita alone holds about 13% of the entire state's population. The Kansas City metro area (which straddles the state line) adds another massive chunk.
Cities by Population Size
Here's how Kansas cities break down by population ranges:
| Population Range | Number of Cities |
|---|---|
| Over 100,000 | 5 |
| 25,000 – 99,999 | 11 |
| 10,000 – 24,999 | 20 |
| 5,000 – 9,999 | 30 |
| 1,000 – 4,999 | 110 |
| 500 – 999 | 109 |
| Under 500 | 342 |
More than half of Kansas cities have fewer than 1,000 residents. That's just the reality of living in a rural state. Many of these small towns are losing population year after year.
Complete List of Kansas Cities by County
Every county in Kansas has at least one city. Some counties have dozens. Here's how the counties break down:
Counties with the Most Cities
- Riley County — 10 cities including Manhattan
- Sedgwick County — 13 cities including Wichita
- Shawnee County — 9 cities including Topeka
- Douglas County — 6 cities including Lawrence
- Johnson County — 15 cities including Overland Park, Olathe, Lenexa, Shawnee
Counties with the Fewest Cities
Some Kansas counties only have one or two incorporated cities. These are typically rural counties where agriculture dominates and population is sparse.
How to Look Up Specific Kansas Cities
If you need a specific city's information, check these resources:
- Kansas Secretary of State — Official list of incorporated cities with boundaries
- Kansas Geological Survey — Interactive maps of Kansas cities and counties
- KDOT (Kansas Department of Transportation) — City population statistics updated annually
- U.S. Census Bureau — Decennial census data plus American Community Survey estimates
Things That Surprise People About Kansas Cities
Kansas City isn't in Kansas. Well, not entirely. The Kansas City metro area spans both Kansas and Missouri. The Kansas portion has about 156,000 people. The Missouri side is much larger. It's the same city, divided by a state line.
There are more than 600 cities but most people live in a handful. Wichita, Kansas City, Overland Park, Olathe, Topeka, and Lawrence alone account for over 1 million residents. That leaves roughly 1.8 million people scattered across the remaining 620+ cities.
Some cities have fewer people than buildings. A few tiny towns have populations in the double digits. They're still incorporated, still have city governments, and still show up on the official list.
City boundaries can be weird. Annexation wars between neighboring cities have created some oddly shaped municipal boundaries over the years. Johnson County cities in particular have complicated overlapping jurisdictions.
Why the Number Changes
The count of 627 isn't static. Cities get incorporated, some get disincorporated, and boundaries shift constantly through annexations. Every few years, the official list gets updated.
Disincorporations are rare but they happen. When a city loses too many residents and tax revenue, sometimes the county takes over municipal functions. The city technically still exists on paper but operates as part of the county.
The Bottom Line
Kansas has 627 incorporated cities. Wichita is the biggest. Most of them are small towns nobody's heard of. The population is heavily concentrated in the northeast corner of the state around Kansas City and in the Wichita area.
If you're looking for a specific city, the Kansas Secretary of State's website has the complete official list with current population estimates and municipal classifications. That's the most reliable source for anything involving Kansas city counts or boundaries.