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Olathe (o lay' tha)
Shawnee Indian word for "beautiful"

Incorporated: 1857

Location:
on Interstate 35, 20 miles southwest of downtown Kansas City on the Oregon-California and Santa Fe Trail

County Seat to Johnson County, one of the wealthiest counties in the United States

City Population: 122,5001
Since the 1950s, Olathe's population has quadrupled, and today is the fourth largest city in Kansas

City Residents' Median Age: 30.82

Johnson County Population: 516,731

Kansas City Area Population: 2.3 million3

Olathe Market Facts:

  • Median Household Income-$67,0001
  • Total Estimated Households-43,6001
  • Average Home Selling Price-$292,792
  • 92% of the population age 25 and over possesses at least a high school degree2
  • 39% of the population age 25 and over possesses a bachelor's degree or higher2

 

Form of Government: Council-city manager with elected mayor

City Land Mass: 59.8 square miles

Elevation: 1,100 feet

Weather:

  • Average temperatures January: 30.4 degree, July: 79.1 degrees
  • SW Wind=Prevailing Wind
  • Average Rainfall=36 inches (includes snow)

Parks:

  • 43 neighborhood & community parks
  • 9 linear parks
  • 1,213 acres + 293 acres of water
  • 28 miles of bicycle/pedestrian trails
  • 8.9 miles of bike lanes

 

Schools:

  • Olathe District Schools   
  • 32 elementary schools   
  • 8 junior high schools   
  • 4 senior high schools
  • Kansas State School for the Deaf
  • MidAmerica Nazarene University

 

Olathe Public Library: 201 E. Park and 12990 S. Black Bob Road

Sister Cities: Chur, Switzerland and Ocotlán, Mexico

Culture:

  • Olathe is the only city in Johnson County with an arts alliance that offers year-round arts and cultural events through a community theater, orchestra, civic band, chorus and exhibits. Plus, Olathe hosts several annual arts events.
  • The Olathe Community Theatre Associaton is located at 500 E. Loula and a Performing Arts Center is located downtown at 311 E. Park Street.
  • Olathe hosts the annual Johnson County Old Settlers Days celebration, a tradition since 1898.
  • The Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm Historic Site preserves the 19th century westward expansion, and is the last existing stagecoach stop on the Santa Fe Trail.
  • Olathe has been home to the Kansas State School for the Deaf since it was established in 1866. The deaf community continues to be an integral part of Olathe with the Olathe Club for the Deaf, 221 S. Chestnut, and the Deaf Cultural Center and William Marra Museum, 455 E. Park Street.

Sources:

1 - City of Olathe Development Services Dept. - 9/07

2 - 2000 U.S. Census

3 - Mid-America Regional Council

4 - Johnson County Appraiser's Office

5 - U.S. Census Bureau estimate - 2004