About Leawood

With more than 60 years of tradition, Leawood, Kansas, set in northeast Johnson County, is both a premier residential community and a prestigious business address. The City features an inviting mix of elegant established neighborhoods, new high-profile developments and distinctive office buildings. Leawood truly combines the best of historic tradition with the momentum of the contemporary.

Native Americans were the first inhabitants of the area eventually established as Leawood and in the early 1700’s Daniel Boone explored the land with French and American traders. Among those who made Leawood what it is today was Oscar G. Lee, a retired police officer from Oklahoma. When Lee arrived in 1922, he brought with him a lifetime of dreams about his own future. He sought to make those dreams real on land he purchased between what is now 79th and 103rd Streets and State Line and Belinder Roads. This purchase became the foundation of present-day Leawood. Then in 1948, following the establishment of a housing development by the Kroh brothers, Leawood was incorporated.

From the start, the residents of Leawood hoped and planned for a tightly knit community with the convenience of a big city and the peacefulness of a small town. Today, with picturesque parks and streets, highly rated schools and welcoming churches, Leawood is all that the founders had envisioned.

Additional Resources

• Leawood Historic Commission
• Historic Oxford Schoolhouse
• Leawood Fire Department History
• Leawood Police Department History

Over the last 20 years, the City has had one of the fastest growing populations in the State of Kansas and is considered one of the top growth areas in the country. The City expects to reach an estimated population of 38,875 within the next 10-15 years, and has a master development plan in place to guide future development.

The 2010 Census showed a total city population of 31,867. The population in the 1990 U.S. Census was 19,693 and in the 2000 US Census it was 27,656. As shown in the table, the City’s population has more than doubled since 1980. The City estimates that population will increase approximately .5% annually. Similarly, the entire area has experienced substantial growth. According to the 2010 Census, the State of Kansas experienced a 6.1% growth in population from the 2000 census; the County saw a 20.6% growth; and Leawood a 15.2% increase. Currently Johnson County makes up 19% of the total population for the state of Kansas.

The City of Leawood’s socioeconomic profile can be characterized by high levels of population growth, educational attainment, and home values. The City attracts many upper-middle to high-income families moving into the area for the first time or from surrounding cities. The City is home to the State’s wealthiest zip code, 66211. The following is a list of comparative statistical information for the City, based on the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau.

Leawood has been fortunate to consistently remain below the national and state averages for unemployment rates throughout the years. The annual averages are shown in the below graph for Kansas, Johnson County and Leawood.

The City is considered one of the most beautiful communities in northeastern Kansas. The land, characteristic of this part of the state, consists of flat valleys and gently rolling hills. Indian Creek and Tomahawk Creek waterways connect in central Leawood and the Blue River flows through the southern part of the City.

The incorporation of the City of Leawood in 1948 set a standard against which all other Johnson County cities would eventually be judged. Leawood is widely recognized as a desirable place to live and work. Leawood is continuing to design an exciting future city with a prospering business climate as well as a fully preserved and enhanced quality of life.