Is it cheaper to live in Wichita or Wilmington?

Wichita, KS is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 24% below Wilmington, DE's $1,230, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Wichita than in Wilmington?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $30,000 a year in Wichita versus $41,000 in Wilmington.

Which has lower taxes, Wichita or Wilmington?

Wichita is taxed under Kansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.58% and a 6.5% state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax).

Wichita vs Wilmington Cost of Living 2026

Wichita

Kansas

$940/mo est.

Wilmington

Delaware

$1,230/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $940 in Wichita, KS versus $1,230 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Wichita, KS is roughly 24% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Wilmington, DE, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $63,072 in Wichita, KS and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 12% higher in Wichita, KS. Kansas has a top state income tax rate of 5.58% and a 6.5% state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Wichita, KS

Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio

$726

$1,103

+52% in Wilmington, DE

1 Bedroom

$761

$1,024

+35% in Wilmington, DE

2 Bedroom

$976

$1,213

+24% in Wilmington, DE

3 Bedroom

$1,199

$1,394

+16% in Wilmington, DE

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$179,500

$224,500

+25% in Wilmington, DE

Income

Median Household Income

$63,072

$55,269

+12% in Wichita, KS

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$47,630

$54,310

+14% in Wilmington, DE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.7 yr

37.0 yr

+1.3 yr in Wilmington, DE

Homeownership

58.4%

46.0%

+12.4 pp in Wichita, KS

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.9%

33.1%

+2.2 pp in Wilmington, DE

Avg Commute

18.9 min

23.0 min

+4.1 min in Wilmington, DE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,238.7

1,138.2

+8% in Wichita, KS

Property Crime

5,284.9

3,182.4

+40% in Wichita, KS

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

57.0°F

54.9°F

+2.1°F in Wichita, KS

Annual Precipitation

32.6 in

43.1 in

+10.4 in in Wilmington, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.86/gal

+2% in Wichita, KS

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.1

19.4

+28% in Wilmington, DE

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$25.12

$22.51

+10% in Wichita, KS

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Wichita, KS

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$1.75

+5% in Wilmington, DE

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.21

+39% in Wichita, KS

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$6.45

+5% in Wichita, KS

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$1.90

+9% in Wichita, KS

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

about equal

Average prices — Midwest vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (KS / DE)

6.5%

None

+6.5 pp in KS

Income Tax (top rate)

5.58%

6.60%

+1.0 pp in DE

Wichita vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Wichita or Wilmington?: Wichita, KS is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 24% below Wilmington, DE's $1,230, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Wichita than in Wilmington?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $30,000 a year in Wichita versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, Wichita or Wilmington?: Wichita is taxed under Kansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.58% and a 6.5% state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).