Andover mixes suburban living with Butler County’s rural environment while going all in on events for this community of 16,000 and growing. Though it’s stretched by a 7-mile commercial strip, the true hub of the city revolves around Andover Central Park, a place known not only for outdoor recreation but also for festivals and concerts that bring neighbors together regularly. Along with having one of the lowest crime rates in the Wichita metro, it’s celebrated for its public school district, which ranks among the best in Kansas. “Andover’s biggest selling point has always been its schools,” says Caleb Claussen, a Realtor with Reece Nichols South Central Kansas. The city's cost of living is higher than that of Wichita but still 2% lower than the national average. The average income is around $109,000, with a median home price about $140,000 higher than its big-city neighbor.
Located in the Midwest’s Tornado Alley, Andover has been hit by two tornadoes in three decades, with the most recent in 2022. However, the community remains resilient. “There were all sorts of people volunteering,” says Claussen. “A group from our office went to help clean up. There were a ton of relief efforts.”
Andover may be just 15 miles from Wichita, but the city still has an identity of its own.
There are a few duplexes throughout Andover as well.
Kids love to play on the playground at 13th Street Sports Park.
Enjoy a round of golf at Andover Municipal Golf Course.
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Outdoor fun at Andover Central Park
Andover Central Park is the place to go for outdoor fun. “Depending on the weather, you can find families and individuals throughout the day in the park – waking their dogs, running, walking, fishing, playing on the playground, and the list goes on,” Megan Schapaugh, the city’s public information officer. The 80-acre park features nature paths surrounding Lake George, which has six docks from which people can fish for largemouth bass and bluegill, stocked by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. Much of the park’s 80 acres is used for an 18-hole disc golf course. Kids can also have fun on the playground while dog owners let their pups loose in the fenced-in dog park. At the park’s entrance is the Andover Public Library and City Hall. And it’s impossible to miss the large Capitol Federal Amphitheater that’s frequently used for concerts and community events. It’s not the only park in town, though. There are four other mini parks with playgrounds and the 13th Street Sports Park, which opened in 2024 with baseball and softball fields, basketball and sand volleyball courts, a pickleball complex and a splash park.
Andover has three golf courses, including the award-winning Flint Hills National Golf Club. Designed by famous architect Tom Fazio, this private, 18-hole course is ranked the second-best in Kansas by Golf Digest and even earned a spot in the nation’s top 100 in 2019. Other options include the public, nine-hole Andover Municipal Golf Course and Terradyne Country Club.
Kids love to climb on the playground at Andover Central Park.
Enjoy a round of disc golf at Andover Central Park.
Andover Central Park offers an excellent fishing lake.
Andover Central Park is 80-acres of outdoor recreation.
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Greater Andover Days and other annual festivals
Locals look forward to the annual Greater Andover Days, a weekend-long festival held on the fourth weekend after Labor Day at Andover Central Park. The festival started in 1967 and features dozens of events, including a parade, disc golf tournament and carnival rides. There’s also a concert every year, followed by a fireworks show. The park is home to several other events throughout the year, including Burger Battle, Taco Fest and a summer concert series featuring local musicians. Occasionally, national touring artists will perform at the amphitheater as well.
Highly sought-after Andover Public Schools
Andover Public Schools earns an A grade from Niche and is ranked the best school district in the Wichita metro and the fourth in Kansas. It operates six elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools, including Andover High and Andover Central High. Juniors and seniors have the option of attending Andover Center for Advanced Professional Studies, where they can get hands-on experience in fields such as nursing and engineering, while getting more experience through shadowing and internships with the school’s network partners. Andover is also home to Butler Community College’s newest location, which opened in 2020. Wichita State University is about 9 miles away.
For middle school, kids can go to Andover Middle School.
Andover High is a popular school for residences in the area.
Younger kids living in Andover can attend Robert M. Martin Elementary.
Another schooling option is Andover Central Middle School.
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Newer single-family homes and the risk of tornadoes
The median home price in Andover is $349,450, with homes staying on the market for an average of 68 days. The city features several homeowners associations with an assortment of single-family homes and townhouses built between the late 1990s and today. Some houses are built in the countryside with acres of land and farm views. These can sell anywhere from $350,000 to more than $2 million depending on the size.
Tornado Alley can be a volatile region, especially during peak tornado season between April and June. Andover has been severely impacted by two tornadoes in a 31-year span. In April 1991, the city was hit by an F5 tornado that killed 17 people and destroyed more than 300 homes. An EF3 tornado came through in April 2022, damaging 21 homes and more than 1,000 buildings, including Prairie Creek Elementary. Because of the high risk of tornadoes, most houses are built with storm shelters or basements, which are the safest places in a home during a storm. The city also has three designated public tornado shelters: City Hall, Andover Public Library and the restrooms at Andover Central Park. Andover operates warning sirens and a cell-phone based alert system. Aside from these weather factors, Andover is a city of all four seasons, with summer highs averaging in the 90s and winter lows in the 20s.
You will find plenty of New Traditional Homes with brick siding in Andover.
Newly constructed white farm houses are also very common in Andover.
Andover is full of small modern homes with unique architectural designs.
There are a wide variety of home styles throughout Andover.
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Shopping and dining on Andover Road
Andover Road, which runs right through the center of the city, is the main thoroughfare for shopping and dining. It’s lined with a mix of national chain restaurants and local establishments. There aren’t as many stores as restaurants, but Dillons is the city’s main grocery store. There’s also a Goodwill, Ace Hardware and Atwoods, another hardware store. Towne East Square, one of the largest shopping centers in Wichita, is also about 8 miles from Andover.
Grab a bite to eat at Timbuktu Bar & Grill in Andover.
There are several outlet stores throughout Andover.
Stop at Atwoods for home and farmer supplies in Andover.
Los Cocos is a popular Mexican restaurant in Andover.
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Two highway routes to Downtown Wichita
Depending on where one lives, it’s about a 10- to 15-mile drive west to Downtown Wichita. Those who live on the north side can take Interstate 35, while central and southside residents have quicker access to U.S. Route 400. Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport is also about 20 miles west, offering direct flights to 14 U.S. cities.
Lower-than-average crime rates
According to FBI statistics, rates of property crime and violent crime in Andover are below that of the United States, Kansas and Wichita. In perspective, residents have a 0.5% chance of being the victim of a violent crime and a 1.1% chance of being the victim of a property crime. Part of the Andover Police Department’s commitment to public safety includes assigning an officer to each homeowners association to address any concerns. With Andover being so big on community events, it comes as no surprise that the city’s first responders host annual gatherings, too, including the Police and Fire Community Cookout and National Night Out, which is an event held all over the country to strengthen relationships between neighbors and law enforcement.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
