Best Places to Live in Wichita by What You Want
If you already know your priority, here is where I'd start.
I've also written separate guides to Wichita neighborhoods for raising a family, the best neighborhoods for retirees in Wichita and finding the best amenities in Wichita neighborhoods.
East Wichita vs. West Wichita
The Arkansas River splits Wichita into an east side and a west side, and most buyers pick a side before they pick a neighborhood.
East Wichita has the city's older, established neighborhoods near the center, including College Hill, Crown Heights and Eastborough. Farther northeast, toward Andover, you'll find newer upscale subdivisions and the Bradley Fair and Waterfront shopping areas. Buyers choose the east side for historic homes, mature trees and short drives to Wichita State and the hospitals.
West Wichita is mostly newer subdivisions with bigger lots for the money. Many west side neighborhoods are in the Maize or Goddard school districts even though they have Wichita addresses. Buyers choose the west side for newer construction, suburban schools and quick access to the airport.
Neither side is better. The right one depends on where you work, which school district you want and whether you prefer an older home or a newer one. Here's how I'd put it: pick the east side if you want mature trees, older homes with character and a short drive to the middle of town. Pick the west side if you want a newer house, a bigger yard for the money and Maize or Goddard schools. People here are loyal to their side, but the two are only about half an hour apart end to end, so choose based on your commute and your school district, not the rivalry.
For a deeper look, read my comparison of east and west Wichita neighborhoods and my guide to suburban vs. urban living in Wichita.
The 7 Best Neighborhoods in Wichita, Area by Area
1. College Hill
Best for: buyers who want a historic home in a walkable neighborhood.
College Hill is the best-known historic neighborhood in Wichita. It runs from Central Avenue south to Kellogg and from Hillside east to Oliver, about 10 minutes east of downtown. Most of the homes were built between 1900 and 1934, and the neighborhood includes Frank Lloyd Wright's Allen House.
- Home prices: median sale price of about $339,000 as of August 2026. Homes sold in a median of 13 days. See homes for sale in College Hill.
- Homes: early 1900s houses on tree-lined streets, from modest bungalows to large estates
- Schools: Wichita Public Schools (USD 259). College Hill Elementary is in the neighborhood, and Blessed Sacrament is the Catholic school.
- Nearby: College Hill Park and its public pool, Clifton Square, the Crown Uptown Theatre, and restaurants such as The Belmont, Ziggy's Pizza and Wine Dive
Know before you buy: older homes mean older plumbing, wiring and foundations. Budget for an inspection by someone who knows houses of this age. On a home this age, get a sewer scope. Original clay and cast iron sewer lines are a common failure point, and replacing one is expensive. Also have your inspector look for knob-and-tube or ungrounded wiring, galvanized water lines and signs of foundation movement. None of these has to be a deal-breaker, but each one changes what the house is worth. Here's how a home inspection works in Wichita.
2. Crown Heights
Best for: buyers who like College Hill but want a lower price.
Crown Heights sits directly east of College Hill, across Oliver. It has the same mature trees and established feel, with homes that are generally a little newer and less expensive.
- Home prices: median sale price of about $264,000 as of August 2026. Only 10 homes sold here that month, so the median moves around. See homes for sale in Crown Heights.
- Homes: older and mid-century houses with well-kept lawns
- Schools: Wichita Public Schools (USD 259)
- Nearby: George's French Bistro, Il Primo Espresso Caffè, and the shops and restaurants along Douglas
Both halves run from Oliver east to Edgemoor. Crown Heights North sits between Central and Douglas, and Crown Heights South sits between Douglas and Kellogg. The southern edge borders Kellogg, so listen for highway noise on the blocks closest to it.
3. Riverside
Best for: buyers who want parks and the river outside their door, close to downtown.
Riverside sits between the Arkansas and Little Arkansas rivers, just northwest of downtown. It was platted in 1886 as an upscale residential district, and today it is surrounded by city parks.
- Home prices: median sale price of about $248,000 as of November 2025, the most recent figure available. See homes for sale in Riverside.
- Homes: a mix of late 1800s and early 1900s houses, with some newer infill
- Schools: Wichita Public Schools (USD 259). Riverside Leadership Magnet Elementary is in the neighborhood.
- Nearby: Botanica, the Wichita Art Museum, Old Cowtown Museum, the Keeper of the Plains, Sim Park golf course, and more than 300 acres of city parks. Many of them are on my list of free things to do in Wichita.
Riverside is popular with young professionals and anyone who wants to bike or walk the river paths. Because Riverside sits between two rivers, look up the address on FEMA's flood map before you make an offer. If the home is in a mapped flood zone, your lender will require flood insurance, so get a quote early and build it into your monthly payment.
4. Delano
Best for: first-time buyers and anyone who wants an affordable home next to downtown.
Delano is on the west bank of the Arkansas River, directly across from downtown. It started as a rowdy cattle town on the Chisholm Trail and was annexed by Wichita in 1880. Douglas Avenue runs through the middle of it and is lined with local shops, bars and restaurants. My guide to the Delano District covers the area in more detail.
- Home prices: median sale price of about $160,000 as of August 2026. Only 18 homes sold that month, so the median swings.
- Homes: modest houses built mostly in the early 1900s
- Schools: Wichita Public Schools (USD 259), with Franklin Elementary and Allison Traditional Magnet Middle School in the neighborhood
- Nearby: Equity Bank Park (home of the Wind Surge), Exploration Place, the Wichita Ice Center, Friends University and the original NuWAY Cafe
Delano is one of the least expensive ways to live within walking distance of downtown. Where you buy in Delano matters. The blocks near Douglas put you a short walk from the shops, restaurants and the ballpark, and they also get game-night traffic and parking. The south edge of the neighborhood borders Kellogg, so listen for highway noise there. Farther west toward Meridian, the streets are quieter and more residential. If this would be your first home, see the first-time homebuyer programs available in Wichita.
5. Eastborough
Best for: buyers who want a large, established home in a quiet setting in the middle of east Wichita.
Eastborough is technically its own city. It covers less than half a square mile, is completely surrounded by east Wichita, and had 756 residents in the 2020 census. It runs from Kellogg north to 2nd Street around Woodlawn, and development began in 1929. Read my full guide to the City of Eastborough.
- Home prices: So few homes sell in Eastborough that an average doesn't mean much. Expect prices well above the Wichita median, and ask me for the recent sales before you set a budget. See homes for sale in Eastborough.
- Homes: large, upscale houses on mature lots
- Schools: Wichita Public Schools (USD 259), zoned to Wichita East High School
- Nearby: Towne East Square, and a short drive to College Hill and Bradley Fair
Know before you buy: Eastborough has its own city government, separate from Wichita's. Property taxes run higher here. Eastborough's median effective rate is about 1.46%, compared with about 1.16% for Sedgwick County as a whole, and the median tax bill is about $6,860 a year. It also has no sidewalks and a lower speed limit than the Wichita streets around it, which locals know well.
6. Forest Hills
Best for: buyers who want a quiet residential setting on the east side.
Forest Hills is a small east Wichita neighborhood in the 67206 ZIP code. It is a quiet, drive-everywhere area. Most lots are close to half an acre, which is hard to find this close to the middle of the city, and many homes sit back from the street on semi-circular driveways.
- Home prices: only a few homes sell here in a given month. Over the past 12 months the median sale price was about $310,000. Smaller homes start in the upper $100,000s and larger ones reach the upper $500,000s. See homes for sale in Forest Hills.
- Homes: mostly ranch and mid-century modern houses built around 1950, with a few Cape Cods and Colonials. You can also browse ranch homes for sale in Wichita.
- Schools: Wichita Public Schools (USD 259). The zoned schools are Minneha Core Knowledge Magnet Elementary, Coleman Environmental Magnet Middle and Southeast High. Confirm by address.
- Nearby: Towne East Square is less than 2 miles away, Whole Foods is on Webb Road, and downtown is about a 15-minute drive on Kellogg
7. Old Town
Best for: buyers who want loft living in the middle of downtown.
Old Town is the one neighborhood on this list where you won't find a yard. It's about 50 acres of brick warehouses and brick streets on the east edge of downtown, built from the 1870s on to serve the railroads. By 1911 Wichita was the country's second-largest distribution point for farm implements, and companies such as Coleman, Keen Kutter and International Harvester worked out of these buildings.
When freight moved from rail to trucks, the district emptied out, and vacancy reached about 70 percent. A redevelopment plan adopted in 1983 and a 1991 zoning change that let people live in the old industrial buildings turned it around. In 2008 the American Planning Association named Old Town one of the Great Places in America.
- Home prices: prices vary by building, and only a few lofts come up for sale at a time, so ask me what is available now.
- Homes: loft apartments and condominiums in converted late-1800s and early-1900s warehouses. You can browse condos for sale in Wichita.
- Schools: Wichita Public Schools (USD 259). Confirm the assigned schools by address.
- Nearby: more than 100 restaurants, shops, galleries and clubs, including The Pumphouse and Mort's. Old Town Square hosts a Saturday farmers' market from April into December, the Museum of World Treasures is in a former warehouse, and INTRUST Bank Arena is a short walk away.
Know before you buy: Old Town is an entertainment district, so expect noise on weekend nights. Check each building's parking, HOA dues and rental rules before you fall for the exposed brick.
Best Luxury Neighborhoods in Wichita
Most of Wichita's upscale newer communities are in the northeast part of the city, including Oak Creek, Lakepoint and Wilson Estates. On the northwest side, Emerald Bay is built around a lake.
Oak Creek is at 21st and Greenwich, with quick access to K-96. It's known for large, heavily wooded lots and custom homes, which is unusual for newer construction in Wichita. It's in the Wichita school district (USD 259).
Lakepoint is built around a private lake with a paved walking path, next to the Wichita Country Club. Most homes are late-1900s Colonial and Tudor styles on large lots, and Bradford Place offers patio homes. Most homes here are priced from the $400,000s to well over $700,000.
Wilson Estates is in the 67206 ZIP code and has the widest range of the four. Recent listings have run from condos in the $300,000s to estate homes on nearly an acre priced well above $1 million.
Emerald Bay Estates is on the northwest side, on a 100-acre lake that allows boating, jet skis, paddle boarding and swimming. Homes are custom built, the community has a clubhouse and fitness facility, and it's in the Maize school district. Recent listings have a median asking price of about $595,000 and run up to $800,000, with lots from about $50,000. Read my full guide to Emerald Bay Estates.
HOA dues and school assignments vary within each community, so confirm both for the specific address before you write an offer.
For more options, see my guide to luxury neighborhoods in Wichita or browse all luxury homes for sale in Wichita.
