A Local Expert's Guide To 10 Budget-Friendly Neighborhoods to Rent in Wichita

Wichita is a big city, it is remote and not on most people's radar when considering places to live. It should be. I have been knocking around the city for 25 years, and I have found it to be a gem. Kansas has a fairly low cost of living, and Wichita follows suit. It may not have the scenery of mountains or beaches, but it does have a developed riverfront that is fun. It has an Old West flavor with its Old Town, and is a modern city with all the amenities you would expect. There are great neighborhoods, and here are 10 that I think are the best, based on cost and livability.

College Hill

College Hill is my favorite area in Wichita, a small historical neighborhood with about 4,000 people. It is on the east side, just a few miles from downtown. College Hill is two miles southeast of Wichita State University. Many of the houses were built between 1900 and 1930. Several grand homes were built here in what were the suburbs of Wichita at the time. It has a dense suburban feel, with many restaurants and specialty shops. The name comes from a Methodist college planned for the area that was never built. It still has a college town flavor and is very walkable. The southern border is Kellogg Ave, which is the main business artery through the entire city.

Historic Midtown

Historic Midtown is the oldest neighborhood in Wichita, and I don't know why this great neighborhood gets overlooked. The neighborhood has had a resurgence over the last 20 years. It is next to the Little Arkansas River and is easily accessible to the city's trail network. It has a diverse population, 30 percent Hispanic, 35 percent white, as well as a strong black and asian contingent. Attractions include the Kansas African American Museum and the Sewing Machine History Museum. Housing is very inexpensive here, lower than the state and national averages. It is just one mile from downtown and is very walkable. It has a lot of small parks and a lot of family-owned restaurants. It does have a high property crime rate, and is close to some not-so-nice areas, but the low cost of housing and cultural diversity could overcome those things.

Courtland

Courtland is a small upscale community in the northeast part of the city. It is atop many lists like this one for good reason: It is often rated as the best place to live in the entire state. It is a quiet, not too crowded suburban feel with a low crime rate. Many of the houses were built during a housing boom in the 1950s and are close to major employers like Spirit Aerosystems and Wesley Medical Center. Wichita East High School is one of the best schools in the state. Rentals are not cheap here, higher than the state average, but you could get a nice house here with a yard. It is a small area with fewer than 500 residents and has an upper-middle-class feel. Surrounding neighborhoods like College Hill and Eastridge are also highly rated.

Crown Heights

Crown Heights is next door to Courtland and is very similar, and often rated as one of the best communities in the state. The biggest difference is the houses in Crown Heights were built 10-15 years before the houses in Courtland. Crown Heights residents have an average income of about $100,000, but houses are slightly less expensive than the ones in Courtland. It has great schools, several nice parks, urban trails, lots of restaurants, and basically all the things you want in an urban atmosphere. There are about 2,300 people living in Crown Heights and many of them are young professionals. Most homes are owned, and most are single-family dwellings. There are some nice apartment complexes with rentals that are average in cost.

Matlock Heights

One of the cheapest neighborhoods in Wichita is Matlock Heights. It is in the northeast part of town, just north of Wichita State University and not far from Old Town. There are a lot of older houses built in the 1940s and 1950s. About 20 percent of the houses are empty. It is also one of the poorest areas in Wichita, with 75 percent of children living near or below the poverty line. The average rent for a house is around $800, and that is about as low as it gets in Wichita. The median household income is $30,000, and there are a lot of single-mother families. Crime is somewhat of an issue, but it is not the worst area by any stretch. Wichita Heights High School rates above the state average. Many houses have large yards, but few sidewalks. There is little public transportation available. It is close to Interstate 135 and 21st Street, two main arteries to all parts of Wichita.

McAdams

The McAdams neighborhood, northeast of downtown, has historically been an African American community, but today it is about 40 percent Hispanic. It has a suburban feel, and there is a fair amount of industry and factories in the area as well. About 60 percent of residents are renters, and rent is cheap. It is home to McAdams Park, a 57-acree facility with athletic fields and a recreation center. About 25 percent of houses are vacant. The crime rate is very high here, 200 percent higher than the national average. Some of that is due to high traffic rasa, and there are areas in the community that are a lot safer. It may not be the "nicest" area of Wichita, but it is among the most affordable places to live.

Delano

Delano got its start in 1871 as Elgin, a rival cowtown to Wichita, which was just across the Arkansas River. It was known as West Wichita after 1880 and later became Delano. It is one of the more historic areas of the city and is in the midst of a revitalization program that started in 2001. Gentrification is a concern, but for now it remains affordable. It is very close to Old Town, and has an entertainment district with about 200 related businesses. It is bound to the north and east by the Arkansas River. The south border is Kellogg, the main thruway for the city east to west. Downtown is two miles to the east and the airport is three miles to the west.It his home to Friends University, Riverfront Stadium, and Exploration Place. It has its areas of crime, but most of Delano is family-friendly.

Murdock - The Elms

Murdock - The Elms is a very diverse urban residential area between downtown and Wichita State. It is centered around the intersection of Murdock and Elm Streets, and is bound by Central and 13th Avenue. It has a large Jamaican and Lebanese contingent, along with strong Mexican, German, and Irish roots. Most of the houses were built on small lots in the 1930s and 1940s. Apartments are also available, with some studio units going for $400 or even less. It has several small parks, and the 18-mile Red Bud trail goes through the neighborhood, making it great for bicycling. The crime rate is higher than the national average but not the worst area of Wichita by any means. It is a lower-income area and there is a significant number of empty houses.

Crestview Heights

Crestview Heights is a residential neighborhood that caters to students and faculty members from Wichita State University, which is less than two miles away. It is a quiet area with a lot of small, modest brick homes. The area was developed during the aviation boom in Wichita after World War 2. It is close to Redbud Park and the Redbud Trail. It has a lot of restaurants and retail shopping available along its eastern border. It is home to a large YMCA, Wichita State's baseball stadium, and the Ulrich museum and sculpture garden. This is a great area for renters, with many houses converted into apartments, and a good number of apartment complexes available. It is generally safer than much of Wichita, though the crime rate is still above the state average.

Riverside

The Riverside Community may surprise you with its affordability, since it runs next to a river and is surrounded by some of the best parts of Wichita. It lies between the Arkansas River and the Little Arkansas River, just across the water from downtown. There is a good mix of older houses and new, and there are mansions like Campbell Castle as well. It is home to several parks, and there are paved walkways along the rivers. Wichita Botanical Gardens is also in the area, and it is very close to many museums and historic sights. Riverside is surprisingly more affordable than several other upscale neighborhoods in Wichita. It is not the cheapest, but it may be the most cost-effective.