Olathe Real Estate
When Dr. John T. Barton first saw the prairie that would become the city of Olathe, Kansas, he was struck by the natural beauty of verbena and other wildflowers growing wild. Folklore has it that Dr. Barton asked a Shawnee Indian what the word was for “beautiful” and immediately named the city Olathe based on the response.
The town was beautiful indeed for those pioneers headed west in the late 1800’s as Olathe became a major crossroads and haven for trail-weary folk. Olathe, the site where three major trails converged… the Santa Fe Trail, the Oregon Trail, and the California Trail… became a major point of commerce and the last bastion of settled territory for those brave souls who forged the Western expansion. Many sites and artifacts still remain in Olathe today as a remembrance to the pioneering spirit that built this city.
Today, Olathe is the fifteenth fastest growing city in the United States and has been named the fourth best place to live in the central United States by Money magazine. Estimates of 3,000 to 4,000 people move to Olathe each year with no indication of the influx slowing down. The county seat of Johnson County, Olathe is part of one of the most affluent counties in America. The natural history and cultural aspects of Olathe are supplemented by the city’s nationally recognized schools and fertile business and economic growth potential making Olathe a prime spot for families and businesses.
The completion of Interstate 35 in 1957 provided a better link to Kansas City and significantly altered the city’s growth with this new method of accessibility. Today, Interstate 35 is supplemented by Interstate 435, U.S. Highways 56 and 169; and State Highways K-7, K-10, and K-150 to create a network of transportation options.
Amtrak rail service is available from nearby Kansas City to St. Louis where it connects to other lines. Greyhound Bus Lines also operates from Kansas City to points within Kansas and other points within the U.S.
Air travel for Olathe is available from two regional airports: Johnson County Executive Airport and New Century Air Center. Major airports in the area include Mid Continent Airport in Wichita and Kansas City International Airport, both of which are served by major domestic airlines.
Population: 115,000
Median Household Income: $61,111
Median Family Income: $68,498
Per Capita Income: $24,498
Latitude: 38.881N
Longitude: 94.818W
Climate: Average temperature in January is 30.4 degrees and July is 79.1 degrees. Average rainfall is 36 inches including snowfall.
Olathe is on the Central Standard Time Zone and observes Daylight Savings Time.