Open land and small-town support in Odessa
As Interstate 70 heads east from Kansas City , it rushes past Odessa, a small farming city and growing bedroom community. Streets are quiet enough that locals drive golf carts around, and children play outside on green lawns. "It's a family atmosphere — you can let your kids run free," says Chet Meierarend, a broker and owner with Re/Max Premier Properties who lived in the city for 20 years. "And it's old school. Everybody — the whole village — watches them."
Although Odessa lacks a large grocery store or a hospital, there are plenty of modern housing options, and it's about a 20-minute drive to the activity in Blue Springs . According to Meierarend, buyers who choose Odessa don't mind the lack of big amenities. "Sometimes they want to escape the city and the asphalt jungle," he says. "And get out where you can still see trees."
Growing subdivisions with lower taxes and larger yards
Homes in Odessa range from downtown's early-1900s structures to New Traditional properties in expanding subdivisions. The median lot size is around a quarter acre, and farmland stretches around the town for miles. Modest older homes start at around $100,000 to $200,000. Freshly renovated houses or homes built after 2000 tend to be $200,000 to $400,000. Luxury properties with several acres might get up to $700,000.
"The town is growing," Meierarend says. "There are more houses to be built. There are a lot of lots, and now, multifamily units coming up out there." He says the availability of acreage and Lafayette County's low taxes are major appeals to buyers. The area is also eligible for USDA loans.
A small-town school district encourages involvement
Kids can attend Mary K. McQuerry Elementary School from pre-kindergarten through second grade. Niche gives the school a B rating. Odessa Upper Elementary School is for third to fifth grade and is rated B-minus. Odessa Middle and Odessa High schools are both rated B. "The school is small enough that the teachers are very responsive," Meierarend says. "And you can actually have plenty of activities that your kids can participate in." The district's Early Childhood Special Education Center also serves kids aged 3 to 5.
The men's wrestling team at Odessa High won back-to-back state championships in 2024 and 2025, and the football team took home the state title in 2019. "It was like a college atmosphere," says Meierarend, whose nephew was the quarterback then. "I mean, the whole city turned out for the games."
Dyer Park is a central spot for a sporty community
Outdoor recreation centers around Dyer Park, which has basketball courts, pickleball courts and ball fields. The park is a go-to spot for the city's youth sports teams and adult leagues. "Everybody seems to be involved in some type of sporting event," Meierarend says. Right next door, Odessa Aquatic Center is a small community pool with various water slides.
Shopping in a historic downtown, with limited grocery options
The city's historic downtown is home to antique shops, boutiques and homestyle diners. Odessa Creamery has the feel of a vintage ice cream parlor, and JJ's Down Home Cafe is still split into a smoking and non-smoking section. Broken Dollar Saloon serves burgers in an all-American environment, with mounted deer heads and sports on the TVs. "When you walk in there, you'll obviously run into somebody you know," Meierarend says. "Everybody knows everybody." There are more chain options, including Subway and Sonic Drive-In, closer to the interstate.
For years, the closest large grocery store was the Walmart Supercenter in Oak Grove, a 10-mile drive away on I-70. But in 2025, the family-run Odessa Grocery Mart opened to fill that gap. Although its selection is still relatively limited, it provides a place to pick up fresh produce and daily essentials.
Rodeos, racing and retro festivals bring Odessa together
The city has been hosting the Odessa Rodeo since 1988, and the nearby I-70 Speedway is a popular spot to watch dirt track racing. The largest event here is Puddle Jumper Days, which is named after the Puddle Jumper passenger train that used to run through Odessa. The festival has a retro feel with kids' frog races, carnival rides and a parade.
Although there are bigger happenings now and then, Meierarend says that residents generally enjoy a slower pace of life. "Mostly it's being able just to get outside in their own yards and not worry about anything," he says. "You're not going to get run over by a lot of traffic."
Direct interstate access appeals to Kansas City commuters
Without many major employers, Odessa is more of a commuter town. Direct access to I-70 means the 35-mile trip into Kansas City typically takes under 40 minutes. The Missouri Department of Transportation plans to add an additional lane to the stretch of I-70 from Odessa to Blue Springs, to be completed by 2028.
The nearest hospital is St. Mary's Medical Center, located about 18 miles away in Blue Springs. The Kansas City International Airport is about 55 miles away, on the other side of Kansas City from Odessa.
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Written By
Catherine Lashley
