Johnson County · KS
Roeland Park, KS
Founded 1883 · 5.4 miles from downtown Kansas City · population 6,763
The market, last twelve months
Half of the homes that sold went under contract within 3 days. The median sale closed at 100.0% of asking - at list. 64% 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 1883 · where the name comes from · 5 dated events
John Roe, an immigrant from Ireland, settled on 267 acres in 1883 on part of what is now Roeland Park; the family home, built in 1890, was known locally as the 'Cedars of Merriam'. The Roe family sold 280 acres to developer Charles Vawter in 1937, and Vawter named his subdivision Roeland Park. source 1 source 2
The name. From the Roe family farm - Vawter's 1937 development was named Roeland Park after John Roe, and fourteen years later the subdivision's name became the city's name. source
Incorporated as a third-class city on July 2, 1951, with a population of roughly 1,875. The reason is documented and specific: to stop his developments being annexed by Mission, Charles Vawter persuaded the board of directors of the Roeland Park Homes Association that Roeland Park should incorporate. source 1 source 2
- 1883John Roe settles 267 acres; the Roe house is built in 1890. source
- 1905William Strang plats the 'Southridge' streetcar suburb on the interurban line. source
- 1937The Roe family sells 280 acres to developer Charles Vawter, who names the subdivision Roeland Park. source
- 1951Incorporated as a third-class city on July 2 to avoid annexation by Mission. source
- 1958The 1890 Roe home is razed to make room for the Roe Boulevard / Shawnee Mission Parkway interchange. source
The housing stockmedian built 1948
The median home sold here was built in 1948. Most of what sells was built between 1940 and 1958. That closely matches the Census figure of 1950 for all housing, so sales are broadly representative of the stock. 40% 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.
What's hereRoeland Park Community Center and Aquatic Center, Cedar Roe Library
A city that exists because of an annexation fight: it was incorporated in 1951 specifically so the Roeland Park Homes Association's subdivisions would not be annexed by Mission. source
Part of the land was earlier platted as a streetcar suburb: in 1905 William Strang developed 'Southridge' here, served by the Missouri and Kansas Interurban Railway. source
Neighborhoods with their own market data1 with enough sales to report
1 subdivision in Roeland Park had enough closed sales in the last twelve months to report on individually.
| Subdivision | Sold | Median price | $/sq ft | Days | Built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roeland Park | 61 | $325,000 | $296 | 2 | 1942 |
Practical detailschool district · highways and transit
- Schools
- Shawnee Mission USD 512. boundaries do not follow city limits - the predecessor Roeland District 92 was one of the districts unified into USD 512 in 1969 Confirm the assigned school for any specific address before you rely on it. source 1 source 2
- Getting around
- Roe Boulevard and Shawnee Mission Parkway meet at an interchange built in the late 1950s; Interstate 35 and the state line are minutes away. Historically served by the Missouri and Kansas Interurban Railway. source
People from hereJohn Carmack, Catherine Fox
More images1 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 Roeland Park.