Satisfaction in Kansas City up in all but two categories
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Downtown Kansas City. Photo: Travis Meier/Axios
Kansas Citians think the city is doing a better job now than in any of the past six years, according to annual resident survey results.
Why it matters: KCMO isn't perfect, and folks have the usual gripes about road conditions, but they generally see things trending in the right direction.
The big picture: The ETC Institute survey, which has been given in 500 cities since 1999, serves as a temperature check for how residents feel about city services.
- Compared to other cities' residents, Kansas Citians are pretty happy with where they live, with an overall score that's 14 points higher than the national average in major cities.
By the numbers: KC saw major year-over-year sentiment gains in policing (up 16.8%), city communications (up 9.3%) and housing (up 9%).
- The lowest-ranked category was street, sidewalk and infrastructure (25.5%), although satisfaction was up 12% from two years ago.
- The highest-ranked categories were fire and ambulance services (74.3%), airport facilities (73.4%) and solid waste services (67%).
Yes, but: Airport satisfaction slipped 2.1% from last year, with cleanliness down 6.9% and decreases in near-gate seating, parking and concessions — and that was before the World Cup.
- Environmental quality efforts saw a bigger year-over-year decline of 5.9%, although most subcategories showed improvements.
What they're saying: Office of Environmental Quality staff tell Axios they are focusing on the city's tree canopy, using $17 million in combined federal grants to plant more trees and restore Blue River habitats.
- As for the airport, KCI still ranked No. 4 among large North American airports, according to JD Power's 2026 Airport Satisfaction Study.
Zoom out: About two-thirds of residents say KCMO is a good place to live, up almost 3% year-over-year, and more than 4 out of 5 plan to live here for the next five years.
- "We celebrate the results of the survey, but we know we are not done," city manager Mario Vasquez said in a statement.
The fine print: The survey went out in fall 2025 and spring 2026, totaling 3,725 online and mailed responses, with at least 600 in each of the six City Council districts.