Welcome sign in, 2026
Bel Aire’s story
71 years in pictures
Census counts: 3,695 in 1990, 8,262 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 3 maps from 1955 on.
- 1955Bel Aire is settled
Population
10,287
2025 Census estimate · +24.4% since 2020
Typical home
$281K
+1.4% in a year
Household income
$98K
median
Median age
35.5
years
Jobs based here
1,447
A commuter town
TownGrade
C+
#97 of 150 in KS
Is Bel Aire a good place to live?
Bel Aire grades C+ overall, ranked 97th of 150 in Kansas, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Residents are healthier than 76% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates and the median household earns $98K. On the other side, its public schools trail 94% of Kansas towns on state tests and graduation. Only 35 of Kansas’ 373 towns score lower on cost of living.
What makes Bel Aire stand out
Where Bel Aire beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
A growing town
Bel Aire has grown 52% since 2010
6,769 counted in 2010 and 8,262 in 2020; an estimated 10,287 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 24.4% since 2020, after 22.1% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Bel Aire grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kansas), ordered by how far Bel Aire is from typical.
SchoolsDOpen →Cost of livingC−Open →HealthWesley Medical Center 6.3 miles awayA−Open →Jobs & income1,447 jobs based hereA−Open →SafetyB+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 39% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.5 of 20; 3.8% of households have no car; 1.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 1% conserved landC+Open →HistoryD−Open →Civic life0.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market19 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 35.5; 50% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bel Aire: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bel Aire, and how to reach them.
PowerEvergy14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Bel Aire water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet9 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site
SchoolsWichita Unified School District 259Circle Unified School District 3752 districts serve Bel Aire; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Kansas you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSedgwick County Election CommissionerSedgwick County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2026
ZIP codes67220, 6722667220 60% · 67226 39%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bel Aire.
Bel Aire fares better on crime within Kansas than nationally and has less tooth loss than most of Kansas.
SchoolsD
Bel Aire earns a D for schools
Its public schools are run by the Wichita school district. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Northeast Magnet High School, with 686 students.
6%of KS districts it outscoresDSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isely Traditional Magnet ElemLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 621 | B+ |
| Northeast Magnet High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 686 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within KS on state tests and graduation
HealthA−
Bel Aire earns an A− for health
Its widest gap with Kansas is tooth loss: 5.4% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 11.3% statewide.
12% of Bel Aire adults report frequent physical distress, where Kansas’ towns sit at 13% and U.S. towns at 14%. 75% of adults had a checkup this year in Bel Aire. Bel Aire beats the Kansas average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
76%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Bel Aire | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 13% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 77% | 79% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 17% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Kansas
7 better25 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Bel Aire | KS |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 5.4% | 11.3% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.8% | 9.9% |
Wesley Medical Center
6.3 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
72nd
percentile among KS towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
About two in three of Bel Aire’s working residents commute to Wichita
Most working residents leave Bel Aire for work: only 4% work in town. Bel Aire’s average trip to work is 20 minutes, close to Kansas’ towns (20 minutes) and below U.S. towns (25 minutes). The top destinations are Wichita (63%), Riverside Township (4%) and Waco Township (3%).
4%work in town
| Bel Aire | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.7% | 15% | 8% |
| Median household income | $98,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Bel Aire4%
Wichita63%
Riverside Township4%
Waco Township3%
Overland Park2%
7 mi
median commute distance
1,447
jobs based in Bel Aire
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 41% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SafetyB+
Crime per resident in Bel Aire is lower than in 67% of U.S. towns
At 12.3 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 89% of Kansas’s graded towns. Violent crime is rare: 12 reported in 2025, 1.1 per 1,000 residents.
The violent crime rate in Bel Aire is 1.1 per 1,000 residents.
67%of U.S. towns report more crimeB+Safety Grade
| Bel Aire | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.1 per 1,000 residents | 2.5 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 8 per 1,000 residents | 11.1 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Bel Aire1.1
Kansas4.8
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Bel Aire8
Kansas19.2
U.S.15.5
67th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
89th
percentile among KS towns
12
violent crimes reported in 2025
84
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
#76for trails in KS
| Bel Aire | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.4% | 2.1% | 4.3% |
1.4%
conserved · 65 of 4,515 acres
1.2 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Eagle Lake Park | 0.8 mi | 14 |
| 2. Central Park Playground | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in Bel Aire
Bel Aire has chilly winters and warm summers. Bel Aire’s July high is 92°F.
13″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–46°
Spring45–68°
Summer67–90°
Fall47–70°
Oct 27
typical first frost
Apr 10
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade C−
Homes in Bel Aire are worth about $281K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Bel Aire home is worth about $281,000, up 1.4% in a year, 14% above the Kansas typical home. Among 149 Kansas towns, just 6 have a higher median rent than Bel Aire. 82% of Bel Aire households own their home.
$281KZillow home value
| Bel Aire | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,649 a month | $975 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 82% | 72% | 73% |
Typical home value
Bel Aire$281K
Kansas$246K
Market temperature
19
days on market
100.4%
sale-to-list price
+1.4%
value change, 1 year
30
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Bel Aire
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 61% of U.S. communities. Since 1999, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Bel Aire.
39risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
2
paid flood claims since 1999
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Nearby attractions
All 13 attractions →Sedgwick County Zoo and 9 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Bel Aire. Close and well known come first.
10 mi Zoo & aquariumSedgwick County Zoo
8 mi MuseumExploration Place
10 mi MuseumKansas Aviation Museum18 mi Zoo & aquariumTanganyika Wildlife Park
8 mi MuseumWichita Art Museum
8 mi MuseumGreat Plains Transportation MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Sedgwick County Zoo: Patrick Pelletier, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Exploration Place: 04stx, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kansas Aviation Museum: David G. Keith, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wichita Art Museum: FUBAR007, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Great Plains Transportation Museum: Atsf3768 at English Wikipedia, Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bel Aire
19pages on Bel Aire
The big questions
SchoolsDBehind 94% of KS districts · 5 schoolsSafetyB+1.1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than KS on 7 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC−$281K typical home · up 1.4% in a yearWork & commuteA−$98K median household income · 1,447 jobs hereNatural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 39% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
5 within 15 miles of the center of Bel Aire
Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and TechnologyCommunity college · Public · Wichita1.8 mi$7,238 in-state tuitionWichita State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Wichita4.7 mi$9,684 in-state tuitionKansas Health Science UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Wichita7.9 mi
About 5 of every 100 Bel Aire residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Bel Aire for work
Where Bel Aire’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,447jobs based in Bel Aire
4%of working residents work in town
7 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Bel Aire
City in Sedgwick County, Kansas
Bel Aire is a city in Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States, and a northeastern suburb of Wichita. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 8,262.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1955
- Area
- 6.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,394 ft
- Area code
- 316
Bel Aire’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Bel Aire.
Payne TownshipWichitaGreenwichKechi TownshipKechiBel Aire
How the neighbors grade
| Town | KS rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bel Aire | #97 | C+ | C− | B+ | D | A− |
| Payne Township | — | — | C− | — | A | A |
| Wichita | #149 | D | B | D− | D | C+ |
| Greenwich | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Kechi Township | #98 | C+ | B | — | D | B− |
| Kechi | — | — | C | — | D | A− |
Payne Township and Kechi have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Payne Township, Kechi Township and Kechi report no FBI crime data of their own. Greenwich isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Bel Aire with a neighbor →
Questions about Bel Aire
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bel Aire, KS a good place to live?
Bel Aire grades C+ overall, better than 36% of U.S. towns and #97 of 150 in Kansas. It grades A− for health, B+ for safety and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Bel Aire, KS expensive?
Yes. That is 4 years of the area's median household income ($70,655 across the Wichita, KS metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.