Longfellow
A rental-heavy enclave with turn-of-the-century mansions and contemporary new builds
Longfellow’s sidewalk-lined streets are brimming with homes from the early 1900s. Pastel-painted Queen Anne mansions sit on 10,000-square-foot lots enclosed by hedges or wrought iron fences. Concrete staircases lead to five-bedroom American Foursquares with stone porches and detached one-car garages. Though rarer, shed styles and contemporary builds have started popping up in the last five years. Buying here costs between $400,000 and $800,000, a range higher than a Kansas City home’s average $250,000 selling price. Comprised of 71% renters, the neighborhood has multi-family properties from the turn of the century, and a few townhouse complexes were built throughout the early 2000s. “Most of the renters are people who actually work in the hospitals, not UMKC students,” says Knetzer. Residents should be advised that the area holds a 7 out of 10 crime score on the CAP Index.Kansas City Public Schools and proximity to Hospital Hill
Though Longfellow Elementary closed at the end of the 2023 school year due to lack of funding, children here can now attend Garcia Elementary, which receives a C-minus grade from Niche. Next, students may continue to D-plus-rated Central Middle and Central High, earning a C-minus. The high school offers a Graduation Recognition Incentive Program, rewarding $300 to students with 100% attendance at the end of the year.Home to the University Health Truman Medical Center and the Children’s Mercy Emergency Room, the aptly named Hospital Hill district is immediately north of Longfellow. The UMKC School of Medicine is also here, where future doctors enter a 6-year program simultaneously earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree.
Locals can enjoy Christmas at Crown Center or walk to the World War I Museum
At Sheila Kemper Dietrich Park, kids can climb the mint green sea serpent poking out of the rubber terrain or conquer imaginary high waters in the sailboat. A quick stroll through Longfellow Park’s wide-open green space leads to Crown Center, an entertainment hub and the Hallmark Cards headquarters. Inside, escalators connect two floors, where visitors can eat handmade fudge from Chip’s Chocolate Factory or buy a new pack of crayons at the Crayola Store. Blacktip reef sharks and lion’s mane jellyfish swim through the Sea Life Aquarium. A scale-model Arrowhead Stadium and other miniature Kansas City landmarks are at Legoland. Christmas is when Crown Center comes alive. A 100-foot-tall Douglas-fir tree towers over the ice rink in the concrete square out front, where life-sized nutcrackers stand, and children run around the gingerbread village, complete with dark green and candy cane-striped wooden playhouses.Locals can also walk to Penn Valley Park, a 176-acre stretch with an asphalt sidewalk network weaving between other Kansas City destinations like the Money Museum in the Federal Reserve Bank. Boasting Egyptian Revival-style architecture, the nation’s first-ever World War I Museum is on top of Memorial Hill. Propaganda posters, life-size trenches and tanks fill the interior, and the outdoor observation deck features massive Assyrian sphinx statues and the 217-foot-tall Liberty Memorial Tower for panoramic views of the Kansas City skyline.

An urban farm maintained by the Longfellow Community Association
On Saturday mornings, neighbors volunteer at Longfellow Farm, a quarter-acre sprawl filled with rows of carrot bushels, lettuce heads and eggplant vines. Those part of the Longfellow Community Association can grab produce from the pantry or sit under the greenery-covered gazebos to enjoy a freshly picked apple. The group provides several other services integral to Longfellow, from the Fall Festival Potluck held at the farm to the virtual community meetings on the first Monday of every month.Early morning cafes within walking distance and barhopping at Martini Corner
From vintage records at Sister Anne’s to monsteras in Virgil’s Plant Shop, Longfellow is sprinkled with numerous quirky establishments. Retro diner stools line the brass bar at Succotash, where patrons can build their own egg scrambles. The Filling Station is a hang-out for UMKC medical students, offering cold-pressed juice and an airy patio to study on. Yard games dot the outdoor bar at The Brick House on 31st Street, also home to Tower Tavern, a sports pub serving American grub. “We call this bar area Martini Corner. People barhop on the block every weekend,” says Knetzer. Marsh’s Sun Fresh Market and Nature’s Own Health Market are only 3 miles south in Westport. Fifteen blocks of familiar retailers, like Nike and Apple, are in Spanish-style storefronts on the Country Club Plaza, just 4 miles in the same direction.Easy access to Interstate 71 and RideKC bus stops
While Knetzer describes Longfellow as undeniably walkable, locals still have to drive to some Kansas City locations. Interstate 71 is east of the neighborhood, and a 20-mile drive north on the highway leads to the Kansas City International Airport. All following the Troost MAX Route northbound through downtown, numerous RideKC bus stops are located throughout the area.

Agents Specializing in this Area
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Lainey Puglisi
RE/MAX Heritage
(913) 703-5425
80 Total Sales
1 in Longfellow
$306,000 Price
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Bob Washburn
Compass Realty Group
(913) 386-5792
135 Total Sales
3 in Longfellow
$265K - $365K Price Range
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Sanctuary Real Estate Team
KW KANSAS CITY METRO
(913) 404-5375
70 Total Sales
1 in Longfellow
$725,000 Price
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Sandy Murphy
Responds QuicklyReeceNichols - Country Club Plaza
(816) 203-3811
159 Total Sales
1 in Longfellow
$420,000 Price
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Kristin Malfer
Responds QuicklyCompass Realty Group
(913) 374-6056
795 Total Sales
3 in Longfellow
$615K - $1M Price Range
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Andrea Buettner-Wardell
Responds QuicklyWardell & Holmes Real Estate
(913) 379-2902
353 Total Sales
3 in Longfellow
$290K - $416K Price Range
Schools
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, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.Parks in this Area
Transit
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Longfellow | US |
---|---|---|
Homicide | 5 | 4 |
Sexual Assault | 6 | 4 |
Assault with Weapon | 6 | 4 |
Robbery | 6 | 4 |
Burglary | 6 | 4 |
Motor Vehicle Theft | 6 | 4 |
Larceny | 7 | 4 |
Crime Score | 6 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Longfellow Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Longfellow, Kansas City sell after 17 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in Longfellow, Kansas City over the last 12 months is $245,000.
Housing Trends
Neighborhood Facts
Open Houses
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Saturday, Aug 212 - 2pm
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to
, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Finances
Education and Workforce
Weather
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
Very Walkable
Walk Score®
Good Transit
Transit Score®
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
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