Olathe (o lay’ tha)
Shawnee Indian word for “beautiful”
Incorporated
1857
Location
Olathe is part of the Kansas City major metropolitan area, located on interstate 35 just 19 miles southwest of downtown Kansas City. County Seat to Johnson County, one of the wealthiest counties in the United States.
City Population
144,963
Since the 1950s, Olathe’s population has quadrupled, and today is the fourth largest city in Kansas.
City Residents’ Median Age
34
Johnson County Population
610,949
Kansas City Area Population
2.15 million
Form of Government
Council-city manager with elected mayor
Weather
Average temperatures January: 39º, July: 89º
SW Wind = Prevailing Wind
Average Rainfall = 36 inches (includes snow)
Schools
Olathe Public Schools
- 35 elementary schools
- 10 junior high schools
- 5 senior high schools
Others - Kansas State School for the Deaf
- MidAmerica Nazarene University
Olathe Public Library
1078A W. Santa Fe and 16100 W. 135th St.
Olathe Market Facts
- Median Household Income: $98,627
- Total Estimated Households: 51,891
- Average Home Selling Price: $349,379
- 94.3% of the population age 25 and over possesses at least a high school degree
- 44.5% of the population age 25 and over possesses a bachelor’s degree or higher
City Land Mass
60.97 square miles
Elevation
1,100 feet
Parks
- 43 neighborhood community parks
- 9 linear parks
- 1,213 acres + 293 acres of water
- 57 miles of bicycle/pedestrian trails
- 18 miles of bike lanes
Sister Cities
- Chur, Switzerland
- Ocotlán, Mexico
Culture
- Olathe is the only City in Johnson County with an arts alliance that offers year-round arts and cultural events through a community theater, orchestra, civic band, chorus and exhibits. Plus, Olathe hosts several annual arts events.
- The Olathe Community Theatre Associaton is located at 500 E. Loula and a Performing Arts Center is located downtown at 311 E. Park Street.
- Olathe hosts the annual Johnson County Old Settlers Days celebration, a tradition since 1898.
- The Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm Historic Site preserves the 19th century westward expansion, and is the last existing stagecoach stop on the Santa Fe Trail.
- Olathe has been home to the Kansas State School for the Deaf since it was established in 1866. The deaf community continues to be an integral part of Olathe with the Olathe Club for the Deaf, 221 S. Chestnut, and the Deaf Cultural Center and William Marra Museum, 455 E. Park Street.
Diversity in Olathe
Olathe became more diverse in the past decade, with non-white residents increasing from 11.4 percent of the population to 16.9 percent. The African-American population increased from 2.7 to 5.3 2000 and 2010; the Asian population increased from 2.7 to 4.1 percent; and the number of Hispanics or Latinos of any race increased more than 150 percent and increased from 5.4 percent of the population to 10.2 percent.
Awards
- In 2021, the City of Olathe was named one of the Safest Cities in the U.S. by the SmartAsset website.
- In 2020, the City of Olathe was awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA).
- In 2020, the City of Olathe’s Venues at 061 was inducted into the The Knot Best of Weddings Hall of Fame.
- The City of Olathe was named the seventh-best place to trick-or-treat in the U.S. in 2019 by SmartAsset.
- In 2019, Olathe was named the fourth safest city in the U.S. and 12th most livable mid-sized city in the U.S.
- In 2019, the City of Olathe was named the Greenest City in Kansas by Insurify.
- In 2018, the City of Olathe was named the #3 spot on the Military Times list of best mid-size cities to live in.
- In 2017, the City of Olathe was ranked by USA Today as one of America’s 50 best cities to live in.