Living in North Overland Park, Kansas: Why the Oldest Part of the City Is Now the Most Interesting

If you've been following Overland Park, you've probably been watching the south side and all the new construction past 167th Street. But some of the most interesting money in this city right now is going into its oldest neighborhoods: North Overland Park, everything north of I-435.

North Overland Park is a great fit if you want one-story living, mature trees, real yards and a walkable downtown, and you'd rather renovate a 1960s ranch than buy a brand-new two-story. It's also where Overland Park's biggest redevelopment projects are happening, so it pays to know what's planned near any home you're considering. I'm Hannah Murrell, I've spent my whole life in Johnson County, and here's how I'd explain this part of town to a friend.

Where is North Overland Park?

There's no official line, so I use I-435: everything north of the highway. That includes Downtown Overland Park, the neighborhoods around 95th Street, Oak Park Mall, Corporate Woods, and the area up toward Shawnee Mission Parkway.

This is the original Overland Park. Founder William Strang started platting the town in the early 1900s and ran an interurban rail line, the Strang Line, through it. After World War II, families filled this area with brick and frame ranches, followed by split-levels through the '60s and '70s. That's still the housing stock today.

• Homes: Mostly mid-century ranches and split-levels, with plenty of one-story living
• Setting: Established streets, mature trees and full-size yards
• Schools: Much of the area is in the Shawnee Mission School District, but school boundaries don't follow city lines, so always verify the district and assigned schools by address

Who buys homes in North Overland Park?

In my experience, it's three groups:

• First-time buyers who want into Johnson County at a more approachable price
• Downsizers who want everything on one floor
• Renovators who'd rather update a 1962 ranch than buy new construction

How much do homes cost in North Overland Park?

North Overland Park costs a lot less than the south side. Here's what the MLS sold data showed at the time of filming, covering the prior twelve months of single-family sales:

A few more numbers from that same data, also at the time of filming:

• About half the homes that sold north of I-435 were ranches, and the median one was built in 1961
• Almost 98% of Overland Park's sales under $350,000 happened north of I-435
• There was only about a month of inventory, and the typical home went under contract in three days

So if you're shopping under $350,000 in Overland Park, this is basically the whole market, and you'll want to be ready to move fast. One more thing buyers miss: North Overland Park isn't one market. A 1950s ranch near Shawnee Mission Parkway and a renovated mid-century near Mission Road are very different price conversations. The specific neighborhood matters more than the ZIP code.

What's being built in Downtown Overland Park?

Downtown Overland Park. Photo: Brylie Oxley, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Downtown is filling in, and it's filling in with people. North Overland Park isn't just the affordable, older option anymore. It's become the city's biggest redevelopment frontier, and it starts downtown.

• Clock Tower Landing: In June 2026, the city opened a new $34 million home for the Overland Park Farmers' Market, with a mass-timber pavilion and a public plaza. The market can now run year-round. My favorite detail is that the old pavilion wasn't just torn down. The city donated it to Garnett, Kansas, which took it apart to reuse.
• Canvas at 80th and Metcalf: Hunt Midwest broke ground in October 2026 on 227 apartments, with an opening targeted for early 2029.
• Townhomes at 71st and Metcalf: In July 2026, the city approved 29 townhomes on a long-vacant lot despite neighbor concerns. That's the kind of "missing middle" housing Overland Park doesn't have much of.

What's happening at Metcalf South, Oak Park Mall and Corporate Woods?

The older commercial sites are being reimagined, and most of the plans add housing. That's the tension you'll feel all over North Overland Park. People bought here because it's established, and the city's long-range planning is steering new housing into exactly these established areas.

• Metcalf South (97th and Metcalf): Most of the old mall site is now a QuikTrip, a Lowe's and a row of restaurants. The former Sears site was approved for apartments despite neighbor opposition.
• Oak Park Mall (95th and Quivira): Johnson County's only remaining traditional enclosed mall filed a rezoning application in July 2026. The plan includes about 260 apartments, a 120-room hotel, new park space, and an expanded theater and conference space for The Culture House. It's still working through the city's approval process.
• Corporate Woods (US-69 and College Boulevard area): In August 2026, the owner filed its first applications to start turning the office park into more of a neighborhood, with new housing and retail. It's early.

What is the Meridian project at the old Brookridge golf course?

Meridian is a roughly $2 billion, 200-acre mixed-use plan on the former Brookridge golf course near I-435 and Antioch, backed by a $200 million public financing package the city approved in 2019. There was a groundbreaking celebration in 2023, but since then most of what you've seen out there is road and site work.

The city has extended the project's deadlines more than once. Under the current amended agreement, the first building (more than 300 apartments with ground-floor retail) must start by July 31, 2027. As of late October 2026, the developer says construction could start by the end of this year.

Here's my advice. If you're buying anywhere near that site, you're not just buying a house. You're buying a front-row seat to whatever happens next door, so ask about it before you write an offer.

What is there to do in North Overland Park?

What North Overland Park has that most of the south side doesn't is a real downtown you can walk.

• Strang Hall: A food hall right in the middle of downtown
• Santa Fe Drive: Boutiques and record stores
• The Dressing Room: A speakeasy hidden behind a women's clothing boutique. You answer a question to get through the secret door.
• Parks and trails: Thompson Park downtown, the Indian Creek Trail, and an off-leash dog area at Stoll Park
• Movies: Glenwood Arts at Ranch Mart for indie films, plus the historic Rio Theatre on 80th Street, which everybody up here would love to see lit up again

Is Pinehurst Estates a good neighborhood?

Yes. At the time I'm writing this, Niche ranks Pinehurst Estates, near 95th Street and Antioch by Indian Creek, as the #1 neighborhood to live in Overland Park. That's a decades-old neighborhood, not a new subdivision. As the story goes, the name comes from a pine tree planted on every original lot. When I pulled the sales data, I found there's more to this neighborhood than the ranking tells you, and I break that down in my full ranking of the best neighborhoods in Overland Park.

That's the story of North Overland Park in one neighborhood. It's not flashy and it's not new. It's just good, and people are noticing.

Is North Overland Park a good place to live?

Yes, especially if you want one-story living, mature trees, a walkable downtown and a lower price point than South Overland Park. Just go in with your eyes open about what's being built nearby, because up here the neighborhood around your house is changing faster than the houses are.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between North and South Overland Park?

North Overland Park (north of I-435) is older and more affordable, with mostly mid-century ranches and a walkable downtown. South Overland Park has more newer construction and higher prices. At the time of filming, the median single-family sale was about $387,000 in the north and about $675,000 in the south.

What school district is North Overland Park in?

Much of North Overland Park is in the Shawnee Mission School District. District boundaries don't follow city lines, though, so always verify the district and assigned schools for a specific address.

Are there homes under $350,000 in Overland Park?

Yes, and nearly all of them are north of I-435. At the time of filming, almost 98% of Overland Park's sales under $350,000 happened in North Overland Park, and homes were going under contract in about three days.

Keep exploring Johnson County

• Living in Overland Park, Kansas: What to Know Before You Move
• One-Level Living in Johnson County (Without Giving Up Everything)
• Best Johnson County Neighborhoods for Low-Maintenance Living and Downsizing

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Thinking about North Overland Park, or trying to figure out which pocket of it fits your budget? My relocation guide walks you through Johnson County city by city. Call 913-744-4720 or email [email protected] and I'll send it to you.

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Hannah Murrell | Murrell Signature Real Estate Group, Keller Williams Kansas City Metro | The Red Bow Standard