KC ranks low on places Americans think they want to live

The big picture: The results reveal how Americans romanticize certain cities, even when the cities' data contradicts what they say they value.

How it works: About 2,000 respondents nationwide named their top three cities. The survey bases its scores on three main categories — livability, prosperity and lovability.

Zoom in: Kansas City ranked No. 56, well below its relative metro size and considerably behind St. Louis (No. 29).

• This may solidify KC's reputation as a hidden gem (Shhh! Don't tell them about us!), but it does little to reflect the reality of the city's affordability and desirability.
• Even so, the survey ranked KC No. 2 in green space (livability) and No. 17 in labor force participation (prosperity).

The intrigue: New York and Los Angeles ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively, in all three categories, despite evidence to the contrary.

• Livability: The Big Apple ranked No. 160 and LA No. 171 in WalletHub's April survey about the most affordable cities for renters. KC ranked No. 45 and Overland Park No. 8. LA ranked No. 1 for worst ozone days in the American Lung Society's list of most polluted cities, while Kansas City didn't make the list.
• Prosperity: More people live below the poverty line in the metropolitan areas of New York (12.8%) and LA (12.6%) than in Kansas City (9%), according to metro census data.

• Lovability: To be fair, there's a lot to love about the top-ranked cities.

💬 Travis' thought bubble: It's impossible to quantify friendliness and local pride, but I'd rank Kansas City No. 1 in these categories.

The big picture: Kansas City has a lot more to offer than its ranking suggests.

Editor's note: This article has been corrected to reflect that the rent survey was WalletHub's (not NerdWallet's).