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Downtown winfield june 2023Winfield, #1 on this list · Photo: Jayhawk1776 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Kansas rankings · Outdoors

Best towns for the outdoors in Kansas

Winfield ranks first on outdoors among Kansas’ 151 towns of 2,500+; 27 of the 151 grade A− or better on outdoors nationally.

The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. How grades work

#1

Winfield

Cowley County · 11,745 people
A+

Outdoors grade, better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #147 of 150 in KS

#2

Paola

Miami County · 5,880 people
A+

Outdoors grade, better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #74 of 150 in KS

#3

Lawrence

Douglas County · 96,367 people
A

Outdoors grade, better than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #77 of 150 in KS

All 151 towns

Outdoors grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

151 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownGradeOverall
1WinfieldCowley County · 11,745 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #147 of 150
2PaolaMiami County · 5,880 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #74 of 150
3LawrenceDouglas County · 96,367 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #77 of 150
4IolaAllen County · 5,240 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #113 of 150
5Arkansas CityCowley County · 11,800 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #150 of 150
6ShawneeJohnson County · 69,848 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #26 of 150
7Fort ScottBourbon County · 7,500 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #122 of 150
8LouisburgMiami County · 5,299 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #33 of 150
9LenexaJohnson County · 60,506 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #23 of 150
10St. MarysPottawatomie County · 2,790 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #54 of 150
11TopekaShawnee County · 125,795 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #136 of 150
12Lincoln TownshipLinn County · 2,730 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #78 of 150
13ManhattanRiley County · 54,673 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #73 of 150
14OsawatomieMiami County · 4,215 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #111 of 150
15HiawathaBrown County · 3,124 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #93 of 150
16HillsboroMarion County · 2,646 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #15 of 150
17MerriamJohnson County · 11,509 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #56 of 150
18RussellRussell County · 4,286 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #137 of 150
19NortonNorton County · 2,651 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #76 of 150
20AtchisonAtchison County · 10,789 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #100 of 150
21HesstonHarvey County · 3,458 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #4 of 150
22GarnettAnderson County · 3,242 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #90 of 150
23ParsonsLabette County · 9,315 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #108 of 150
24LarnedPawnee County · 3,596 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #118 of 150
25Scott CityScott County · 3,855 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #50 of 150
26EmporiaLyon County · 24,137 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #131 of 150
27DerbySedgwick County · 26,606 peopleA−better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #85 of 150
28McPhersonMcPherson County · 13,918 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #71 of 150
29Overland ParkJohnson County · 203,677 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #34 of 150
30HoltonJackson County · 3,396 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #69 of 150
31Smoky Hill TownshipGeary County · 9,191 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #141 of 150
32WellingtonSumner County · 7,541 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #138 of 150
33ChanuteNeosho County · 8,584 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #129 of 150
34HaysEllis County · 21,258 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #57 of 150
35OlatheJohnson County · 150,025 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #18 of 150
36Blue TownshipPottawatomie County · 5,449 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #94 of 150
37LeawoodJohnson County · 34,093 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #20 of 150
38HaysvilleSedgwick County · 11,353 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #110 of 150
39PrattPratt County · 6,574 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #62 of 150
40LeavenworthLeavenworth County · 37,012 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #84 of 150
41WamegoPottawatomie County · 4,912 peopleBbetter than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #6 of 150
42MarysvilleMarshall County · 3,385 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #80 of 150
43WichitaSedgwick County · 400,987 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #149 of 150
44Bonner SpringsWyandotte County · 7,962 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #116 of 150
45Roeland ParkJohnson County · 6,683 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #46 of 150
46HutchinsonReno County · 39,595 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #145 of 150
47HoisingtonBarton County · 2,598 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #79 of 150
48LiberalSeward County · 19,010 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #135 of 150
49ConcordiaCloud County · 4,991 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #96 of 150
50Clay CenterClay County · 4,061 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #99 of 150
51MissionJohnson County · 10,125 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #66 of 150
52KingmanKingman County · 2,884 peopleBbetter than 59% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #105 of 150
53Riverside TownshipSedgwick County · 13,603 peopleBbetter than 59% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #109 of 150
54Prairie VillageJohnson County · 23,008 peopleBbetter than 59% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #13 of 150
55OttawaFranklin County · 12,716 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #88 of 150
56Junction CityGeary County · 22,583 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #142 of 150
57AbileneDickinson County · 6,552 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #61 of 150
58Kansas CityWyandotte County · 157,805 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #146 of 150
59LyonsRice County · 3,488 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #101 of 150
60LansingLeavenworth County · 11,331 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #31 of 150
61SalinaSaline County · 46,094 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #134 of 150
62AugustaButler County · 9,073 peopleBbetter than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #125 of 150
63Aubry TownshipJohnson County · 4,719 peopleB−better than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #2 of 150
64Dodge CityFord County · 27,653 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #124 of 150
65PittsburgCrawford County · 20,569 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #143 of 150
66FairwayJohnson County · 4,181 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #11 of 150
67El DoradoButler County · 12,696 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #87 of 150
68UlyssesGrant County · 5,524 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #38 of 150
69GoodlandSherman County · 4,366 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #123 of 150
70Baldwin CityDouglas County · 4,946 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #19 of 150
71AndoverButler County · 17,370 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #25 of 150
72BurlingtonCoffey County · 2,640 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #103 of 150
73Prospect TownshipButler County · 2,548 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #132 of 150
74Palmyra TownshipDouglas County · 7,847 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #30 of 150
75NewtonHarvey County · 18,353 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #133 of 150
76Washington TownshipDoniphan County · 2,966 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #27 of 150
77De SotoJohnson County · 7,083 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #22 of 150
78ColbyThomas County · 5,489 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #42 of 150
79Rockford TownshipSedgwick County · 24,796 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #72 of 150
80Rock Creek TownshipJefferson County · 2,773 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #40 of 150
81CoffeyvilleMontgomery County · 8,460 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #144 of 150
82Garden CityFinney County · 27,402 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #140 of 150
83Mission HillsJohnson County · 3,522 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #17 of 150
84St. Marys TownshipPottawatomie County · 4,018 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #60 of 150
85EllsworthEllsworth County · 3,092 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #16 of 150
86GardnerJohnson County · 26,154 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #51 of 150
87Kechi TownshipSedgwick County · 10,931 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #98 of 150
88BasehorLeavenworth County · 8,249 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #45 of 150
89Rose HillButler County · 4,320 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #24 of 150
90MulvaneSedgwick County · 7,030 peopleC+better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #49 of 150
91ColumbusCherokee County · 2,866 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #119 of 150
92TonganoxieLeavenworth County · 6,208 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #64 of 150
93Osage CityOsage County · 2,784 peopleC+better than 43% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #91 of 150
94Bel AireSedgwick County · 10,287 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #97 of 150
95HugotonStevens County · 3,545 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #106 of 150
96Great BendBarton County · 14,266 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #120 of 150
97Emma TownshipHarvey County · 4,017 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #9 of 150
98Tecumseh TownshipShawnee County · 7,829 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #43 of 150
99GalenaCherokee County · 2,788 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #114 of 150
100Baxter SpringsCherokee County · 3,823 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #117 of 150
101Minneha TownshipSedgwick County · 3,472 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #95 of 150
102IndependenceMontgomery County · 8,193 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #107 of 150
103Sherlock TownshipFinney County · 2,907 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #130 of 150
104Park CitySedgwick County · 9,458 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #121 of 150
105South HutchinsonReno County · 2,516 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #102 of 150
106Union TownshipSedgwick County · 2,704 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #12 of 150
107EudoraDouglas County · 6,506 peopleC+better than 35% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #32 of 150
108Gypsum TownshipSedgwick County · 10,370 peopleC+better than 35% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #92 of 150
109Reno TownshipReno County · 4,360 peopleC+better than 35% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #104 of 150
110Big Creek TownshipEllis County · 2,622 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #21 of 150
111Wamego TownshipPottawatomie County · 5,838 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #3 of 150
112Valley CenterSedgwick County · 7,685 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #14 of 150
113BeloitMitchell County · 3,288 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #75 of 150
114Williamsport TownshipShawnee County · 4,334 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #81 of 150
115FrontenacCrawford County · 3,443 peopleCbetter than 29% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #63 of 150
116Garden City TownshipFinney County · 5,667 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #148 of 150
117Bruno TownshipButler County · 19,221 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #41 of 150
118LindsborgMcPherson County · 3,824 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #5 of 150
119Eudora TownshipDouglas County · 7,870 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #59 of 150
120EdwardsvilleWyandotte County · 4,748 peopleCbetter than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #139 of 150
121Monmouth TownshipShawnee County · 3,224 peopleC−better than 23% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #55 of 150
122Richland TownshipButler County · 2,620 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #58 of 150
123Salem TownshipSedgwick County · 9,673 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #83 of 150
124Fairmount TownshipLeavenworth County · 12,817 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #47 of 150
125Spring HillJohnson County · 10,777 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #29 of 150
126Gardner TownshipJohnson County · 2,550 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #44 of 150
127Madison TownshipRiley County · 9,403 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·No overall grade
128Valley Center TownshipSedgwick County · 5,036 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #35 of 150
129Franklin TownshipFranklin County · 3,179 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #68 of 150
130Soldier TownshipShawnee County · 15,282 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #52 of 150
131GoddardSedgwick County · 6,638 peopleDbetter than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #36 of 150
132Baker TownshipCrawford County · 3,483 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #126 of 150
133Grant TownshipSedgwick County · 5,743 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #8 of 150
134MaizeSedgwick County · 7,853 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #65 of 150
135Auburn TownshipShawnee County · 3,319 peopleDbetter than 11% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #37 of 150
136Pleasant TownshipButler County · 5,459 peopleDbetter than 10% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #67 of 150
137Oaklawn-Sunviewunincorporated, Sedgwick County · 2,789 peopleDbetter than 10% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #86 of 150
138Attica TownshipSedgwick County · 9,068 peopleDbetter than 10% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #39 of 150
139Fort Rileyunincorporated, Geary County · 8,606 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #115 of 150
140Mission TownshipShawnee County · 10,195 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #53 of 150
141Washington TownshipCrawford County · 3,543 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #112 of 150
142Stranger TownshipLeavenworth County · 5,467 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #89 of 150
143Park TownshipSedgwick County · 8,984 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #48 of 150
144St. George TownshipPottawatomie County · 5,056 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #128 of 150
145Garden TownshipCherokee County · 2,713 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #127 of 150
146Morton TownshipSedgwick County · 2,819 peopleDbetter than 5% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #1 of 150
147Towanda TownshipButler County · 2,574 peopleD−better than 3% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #82 of 150
148ClearwaterSedgwick County · 2,792 peopleD−better than 3% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #7 of 150
149Sherman TownshipLeavenworth County · 2,920 peopleD−better than 3% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #10 of 150
150Ninnescah TownshipSedgwick County · 3,563 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #28 of 150
151Belle Plaine TownshipSumner County · 3,025 peopleD−among the lowest in the U.S.·Overall B · #70 of 150
Quick answers

Questions people ask

Which Kansas town is best for the outdoors?

Winfield (Cowley County) ranks first on outdoors among 151 towns, with an A+; Paola and Lawrence follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a outdoors grade (151 in Kansas). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Kansas page.

Go deeper

More Kansas lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Kansas rankings →
Best places to live150 towns · #1 Morton TownshipBest small towns104 towns · #1 Morton TownshipMost affordable towns151 towns · #1 GalenaSafest towns80 towns · #1 LindsborgTowns with the best schools151 towns · #1 Morton TownshipHealthiest towns150 towns · #1 FairwayBest towns for jobs & income151 towns · #1 Mission HillsMost walkable towns151 towns · #1 MarysvilleTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk151 towns · #1 MerriamMost historic towns151 towns · #1 Fort ScottTowns with the most civic life149 towns · #1 GoodlandTowns with the least snow151 towns · #1 El DoradoDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns151 towns · #1 GoodlandDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters153 towns · #1 Garden TownshipDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers153 towns · #1 UlyssesDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers153 towns · #1 HiawathaDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes151 towns · #1 Mission HillsDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes149 towns · #1 Oaklawn-SunviewDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns150 towns · #1 MaizeDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries70 towns · #1 GirardDescribed, no letters
Other states

Best towns for the outdoors in other states

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