Since 1883, Goddard’s prairie and farmland have slowly filled with people looking to get out of the busier city of Wichita, 15 miles east. That still holds true in what is considered one of the fastest-growing cities in Kansas, which tripled in the population in 20 years. “We expect to grow from 6,000 to 12,000 people in the next 10 years, and that’s’ being conservative,” says Craig Crossette, Goddard’s city administrator. “We’re building about 150 new houses each year.” Housing is just part of the city’s growth. It’s also home to lots of stores, restaurants and regional tourism attractions, including a wildlife center, an indoor water park and facilities that host national baseball, softball and swimming competitions. “We liken ourselves to be a destination for a family-friendly active lifestyle,” says Crossette. “We point back to that when we try to make decisions for our community.” Along with the cost of living being 5% below the national average, Crossette adds that many families are choosing to move to Goddard because of the highly rated public school system, which also happens to be the city’s largest employer.
A few of the homes throughout Goddard back up to small lakes.
Main Street's Barbershop is one of many local shops in Goddard.
Find aquatic adventure at Blast Off Bay, the biggest indoor waterpark in the region at Goddard.
Genesis Sports Complex in Goddard has ten turf athletic fields.
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Housing developments taking over farmland
The median home price in Goddard is $290,000, compared to the national median of $416,700. The city’s housing boom appears to have no end in sight as the surrounding farmland continues to be purchased and turned into modern housing developments of single-family homes and townhouses. “All these housing developments were not here when I first moved to Goddard,” says Michelle Crouch, a real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway, who has lived in Goddard since 2001. “I’ve noticed a lot of people come here and bring their families. I’ve seen a woman buy a house, and then her parents moved two doors down. There was a woman who moved here – then her sister.” There are a few subdivisions south of U.S. 400 with modest houses from the mid-1900s. Out in the more rural areas of town are several custom-built country estates with up to 5 acres and are among the most expensive homes, selling for more than $1 million.
Many homes are built with basements and/or storm shelters. Peak tornado season is from April to June. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which has been recording tornadoes since 1950, the strongest tornado to touch down in Goddard was in 1969. It was an F4 that injured six people. The last tornado encounter came in 2009, when small tornado touched down in an open field, causing no damage or injuries. While residents are encouraged to stay home during severe weather, the city has a public FEMA-standard storm shelter near Linear Park that can fit 86 people.
Goddard is filled with new neighborhoods and residential homes.
You will find rows of new homes throughout Goddard.
Goddard has several new townhouse developments.
There are a wide variety of home styles throughout Goddard.
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Local parks, zoo animals and water slides
Locals enjoy spending time outdoors and have plenty of places from which to choose. “This is a big dog-walking community, and there are a lot of kids,” Crouch says. “There’s not a place you can go without seeing dog walkers and kids out with their parents. Everyone says, ‘Hi, how are you?’ It’s very friendly.” The Goddard Parks and Recreation Department manages two spots, including Means Park, which includes a city pool. At Linear Park, children can climb the rope playground or cool off in the splash park. With Mrs. Cole’s Tropical Sno right by Linear Park, Crouch says it’s typical for families to walk over for a snow cone after playing in the water during the warm summer months.
Goddard has a few recreational hubs that not only attract locals, but people from all over the region and the country. Tanganyika Wildlife Park has more than 400 animals, the third-largest collection in the state. Unlike big city zoos, Crouch says, “It’s very community oriented. They’re very much into getting people involved in every aspect. They do behind-the-scenes tours, you can feed the lemurs and they hold several events. They even had a garage sale once.” Blast Off Bay, the largest indoor water park in the Wichita metro, is another spot where locals can go down seven water slides, ride the surf simulator and play arcade games. Next door is a state-of-the-art fitness center and a 25-meter lap pool at Goddard’s Genesis Health Club, which hosts national swimming competitions. The Genesis Sports Complex is also home to 10 turf softball and baseball fields used by local leagues and regularly hosts state youth and club league tournaments. For the first time, the Babe Ruth League will hold its Midwest Regional Championship at the sport complex in 2025.
Sit back and enjoy the outdoors at Linear Park in Goddard.
Stop by Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard to view the third-larges canimal collection in KS.
The Giraffes at Tanganyika in Goddard are enjoying the nice summer day.
Cool off during the hot summer days at Means Park's Pool in Goddard.
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Goddard Fall Festival and zoo events
In October, Linear Park transforms into a carnival celebrating the Goddard Fall Festival. Residents and visitors from across Wichita start the day with a parade and end the event with a Ferris wheel ride and live music. Tanganyika Wildlife Park hosts seasonal events like Pumpkins at The Park, where visitors can enjoy spooky mazes, haunted houses and more Halloween-themed fun. During the summer, adults can take a Twilight Tour of the zoo while they sip wine and eat food from local vendors.
Highly rated Goddard Public Schools
Goddard Public Schools receives an A-minus grade from Niche and is ranked in the top 20 Kansas school districts. Children are split between five elementary schools, two intermediate schools, two middle schools and two high schools. High schoolers who live on the south side of U.S. Route 400 attend B-plus-graded Goddard High. Those who live on the north side go to Eisenhower High. Public school students of all grade levels also have the option of attend the Goddard Virtual Academy. For private school options, Holy Spirit Catholic School serves kindergarten through eighth-grade students.
Older kids can attend Goddard High school.
Younger kids can attend Clark Davidson Elementary School.
Kids can attend Challenger Intermediate School.
After elementary, kids can attend Goddard Middle School.
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National chains and a small-town Main Street
Kellog Drive, which runs parallel to U.S. Route 400 on both sides, is lined with fast food chains and a few big box retailers. Goddard’s Main Street has a more small-town vibe with a few independent shops and restaurants. Locals can stop by this small, two-block section of town to get meat from a local butcher at Stroot Lockers, which has served the community since 1978, or stop by Mr. B’s Daylight Donuts for a sweet treat and Mrs. Coles Tropical Sno for a snow cone. Beside these small Main Street businesses are city hall, the police station and a public library.
Grab a bite to eat from Sandbox in Goddard.
Subway is one of several national food chains in Goddard.
Cofellow Coffee Parlor is a popular place to satisfy your caffeine needs.
Ace Hardware is one of several large box stores throughout Goddard.
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15-mile straight shot to Wichita
The primary means of travel is by car, as there are no buses or any other types of public transportation. With U.S. 400 running through Goddard, locals can drive 15 miles east directly to Downtown Wichita. Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport is 8 miles away via U.S. 400. The airport offers nonstop flights to 14 major destinations across the country.
Crime rates lower than Wichita and Kansas
Rates of violent crime and property crime in Goddard are lower than that of Kansas and Wichita. In 2023, the chance of being a victim of a violent or property crime was two in 1,000. The Goddard Police Department has 13 full-time officers. They offer free home security inspections, vacation watch requests and provide a map online that shows where and when certain crimes have occurred.
Seth Burkhardt is a licensed agent working out of Wichita. Seth works for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty and is a member of the local MLS. Seth can provide clients with exclusive access to local MLS data and can help determine if the current market conditions are right for them to buy or sell in their local market.
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.
