Johnson County · KS
Gardner, KS
Founded 1857 · 27.2 miles from downtown Kansas City · population 24,526
The market, last twelve months
Half of the homes that sold went under contract within 14 days. The median sale closed at 100.0% of asking - at list. 61% closed at or above the original list price, which is the better measure of how much room a buyer actually has.
Aggregated from Heartland MLS closed sales, twelve months to July 2026. Individual sale prices are not shown - Kansas and Missouri are non-disclosure states and MLS rules do not permit their public display. Ask for the full report if you need them.
How it came to befounded 1857 · where the name comes from · 3 dated events
Laid out on 320 acres in the summer of 1857 as a Free-State settlement, settled primarily by emigrants from Massachusetts, at the point where the westward trails divided. source
The name. Named for Henry Joseph Gardner, governor of Massachusetts from 1855 to 1858, reflecting the Massachusetts origins of the settlers who founded the town. source 1 source 2
Incorporated thirty years after the town was laid out. source
- 1857Town laid out on 320 acres by Free-State settlers, most from Massachusetts. source
- 1858First post office established. source
- 2008Gardner Junction Park opened as a joint project of the National Park Service, the Santa Fe Trail Association, KDOT, the Kansas Historical Society, the Johnson County Museum and the City of Gardner, which manages the site; the Park Service installed six interpretive panels. source
The housing stockmedian built 2007
The median home sold here was built in 2007. Most of what sells was built between 1988 and 2025. That closely matches the Census figure of 2003 for all housing, so sales are broadly representative of the stock. 51% of sales included finished basement space beyond the above-grade footprint - which matters here, because square footage quoted above grade can understate a house considerably.
By property type, sales broke down as Single Family (444), Townhouse (19), Half Duplex (9), Patio/Villa (1).
What's hereGardner Junction Park, Gardner Lake
Gardner Junction, immediately east of town, is the point where the Oregon and California Trails split away from the Santa Fe Trail. Johnson County government calls it 'one of the most important points along the three historic trails: it's where the trails divided.' source
A wooden sign on the west edge of Gardner reading 'road to Oregon' pointed northwest at the split; it is one of the best-known artefacts of the overland trail era. source
Correction worth carrying: the BNSF Logistics Park Kansas City intermodal facility and refuelling yard are in Edgerton, about three miles west, not in Gardner. Gardner shares the USD 231 school district with Edgerton, which is where the two are often conflated. source
Neighborhoods with their own market data4 with enough sales to report
4 subdivisions in Gardner had enough closed sales in the last twelve months to report on individually.
| Subdivision | Sold | Median price | $/sq ft | Days | Built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cypress Creek | 58 | $346,430 | $243 | 63 | 2025 |
| Prairie Trace | 39 | $467,500 | $258 | 97 | 2025 |
| Symphony Farms | 29 | $569,500 | $323 | 20 | 2025 |
| St. Johns Highlands | 27 | $342,500 | $228 | 19 | 2018 |
Practical detailschool district · highways and transit · 1 employers
- Schools
- Gardner Edgerton USD 231. District boundaries do not follow city limits - USD 231 also covers Edgerton and surrounding unincorporated territory. Confirm the attendance area for any specific address. Confirm the assigned school for any specific address before you rely on it. source
- Getting around
- Interstate 35, US 56 and K-7 serve the city. New Century AirCenter, the former Olathe Naval Air Station, is the nearest general-aviation field. source
- Employers located here
- Gardner Edgerton USD 231. Listed as present in the city, which is not a statement about hiring.
People from hereBubba Starling, John Means
More images2 more from the archives
Thinking about buying or selling here?
The numbers above describe the market. What they cannot tell you is what your own house is worth in it, or which of these streets fits what you need. Ask me about Gardner.