Kansas City, the City of Fountains, sits at the western edge of Missouri. It’s known for its historical architecture, vibrant downtown district, and jazz influence. It’s also home to many retirement communities that help residents maximize their full potential as seniors.
Ambiance, type of care, and amenities are some of the factors that make one retirement community stand out from the rest. What are the best retirement communities in Kansas City that incorporate these factors?
Armour Oaks is an urban oasis in a historic neighborhood, while Wexford Place is highly accredited by CARF, an international accreditor of health and human services. Benton House is U.S. News and World Report’s Best in Memory Care for 2022, and Primrose offers Avel eCare Senior Care telehealth service.
Read on to know what made our list of top retirement communities in Kansas City, categorized based on factors that matter to you most. We also included why Kansas City is an ideal place to retire, plus the best parts near Kansas City.
What Makes Kansas City Ideal For Senior Living
Kansas, Missouri’s largest city, offers something for everyone, whatever your interest is!
It has many unique suburban areas that offer plenty of parks, hiking trails, historical landmarks, and shopping destinations.
North Kansas City is a historic suburb often called the ‘Heart of America.’ It’s a fun, family-friendly community close to golf courses and the Country Club Plaza, an ideal afternoon-shopping spot.
Best Areas Near Kansas City
Gladstone
Kansas City surrounds Gladstone, home to downtown Linden Square which hosts local concerts and community festivals year-round. It has scenic parks and recreational centers where you and your family and friends can indulge in boating, camping, and hiking.
Independence
Located just east of Kansas City, Independence is the hometown of President Harry S. Truman, where you’ll get a fair share of local history and artifacts. It’s also the official starting point for the Oregon Trails and Santa Fe.
Liberty
Just 15 miles from Kansas City is this popular spot of American history like the Liberty Jail and Jesse James Bank Museum. It’s also home to favorite culinary venus to grab a bite with your friends and family.
12 Best Retirement Communities in Kansas City, MO
Let’s look at our top picks for the best retirement communities in Kansas City:
- St. Anthony’s Senior Living
- Armour Oaks Senior Living Community
- Connect 55+
- Kingswood
- Wexford Place
- Benton House of Tiffany Springs
- Villa Ventura
- Primrose
- The Madison Senior Living
- Holiday Garden Village
- Brookdale Wornall Place
- Riverstone Retirement Community
We understand your varied interests and priorities, so we grouped the list based on the unique perks of the communities.
Small-Town Charm
1. St. Anthony’s Senior Living
A gated community designed for residents aged 62 and above, St. Anthony’s Senior Living offers a vibrant culture amidst the charm of Brookside.
This neighborhood gives you easy access to shops, grocery stores, and restaurants. Similarly, you’re only minutes away from cultural venus like The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Starlight Theater, Sprint Center, and the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art.
Sponsored by the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, this faith-based community welcomes all faiths, has a dedicated chapel, priests in residence, and the Sisters of St. Anne working in the Assisted Living and Memory Care communities.
2. Armour Oaks Senior Living Community
Armour Oaks is an urban oasis in the historic neighborhoods of Waldo and Brookside. It has 25 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds with walking trails ideal for nature exploration.
Of the retirement communities in Kansas City, Armour Oaks is the oldest continuously operating non-profit organization that gives you a home-like environment while supporting your dignity and independence.
The Garden Villas (Independent Living) has maintenance-free, spacious attached or single-family homes with attached patios.
The Legacy House (Assisted Living) offers unique care packages. Under the Skilled Nursing Care, RNs and LPNs are available round-the-clock to assist you with your ADL, including registered dietitian visits for your special needs and meal planning.
3. Connect 55+
Tucked away in a quiet setting is Connect 55+, a welcoming community where once strangers eventually live as friends. It offers active seniors a high quality of life through its superior amenities, engaging programs, activities, and events.
At Connect 55+, you’re minutes away from downtown Kansas City, giving you easy access to eateries, pharmacies, and local shopping destinations.
Creatively named community amenities that allow you to enjoy your retirement years include:
- Praise multi-denominational chapel
- Score billiards room
- Clicks computer room
- Energize gym
- Styles hair salon
- Socialites game room
- Imagine craft room
- Flicks movie theater
- Refresh serenity room
Continuing Care
4. Kingswood
Kingswood offers on-site care, from Assisted Living and Memory Support to Short-Term Rehabilitation and Long-Term Nursing Care.
As Kansas City’s Senior Living Sweet Spot, its home options aspire to fit your lifestyle. Whether you’re looking for a private villa home, a cozy one-bedroom apartment, or a luxurious two-bedroom unit, you’re free to personalize your space with furnishings and design styles.
Your worry-free, independent lifestyle in Kingswood includes flexible dining options, scheduled transportation, wellness programs, support groups, and amenities like an art gallery and putting green.
5. Wexford Place
Wexford Place offers a wide range of life-enhancing living options for its senior residents.
This is one of the Kansas City retirement communities that achieved the highest level of accreditation from CARF, an international accreditor of health and human services.
Home to people of the Northland for over 30 years, Wexford Place has walk-out patios and balconies, a fitness center, an indoor heated pool, and beautifully enclosed courtyards.
Programs to keep you moving and active include:
- Zumba Gold (a combination of Latin-inspired dance rhythms and easy yet exhilarating movements).
- Shape Master (top-of-the-line fitness equipment).
- Dakim BrainFitness (a digital learning experience to keep your mind sharp).
Award-Winning
6. Benton House of Tiffany Springs
Benton House was named the Best in Memory Care for 2022 to 2023. Fortune Magazine also listed it among the Top 50 Best Workplaces for Aging Services in 2020.
The Benton House offers Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Adult Day Programs, giving you unique experiences where independence thrives. It’s one of the retirement communities in the Kansas City area that balances independence and support. A team of professional staff takes care of burdensome tasks so you can focus on the more important things in your life.
Choose among studio, studio deluxe, one-bedroom, and one-bedroom deluxe, measuring from 330 to 550 square feet and with various layouts and views.
The entire community is on one level, surrounded by a beautifully landscaped courtyard and grounds. There’s a media center, full-service beauty and barber salon, and a country kitchen where you can share stories and recipes with your peers.
7. Villa Ventura
Villa Ventura is committed to excellent senior-living services, earning the badge Caring Super Star from Caring.com for 2022. It’s among the Kansas City retirement communities that offer lifestyle options, allowing you to continue creating memories.
As a community that values and celebrates your family’s voice and legacy, Villa Ventura offers both Assisted and Independent Living.
Its signature programs include Laughter Yoga, a fun way to increase your blood flow and improve your breathing in a group setting without relying on humor or jokes.
Villa Ventura’s Concierge Service eliminates the stress of travel, deliveries, and errands from your daily routine. Other perks of this service include coordinating professional appointments, scheduling transportation, and arranging room service.
Telehealth
8. Primrose
As more Americans discover the benefits of telehealth solutions, Primrose is among the retirement communities in the Kansas City area which offer this type of service.
Primrose’s Avel eCare Senior Care telehealth service benefits include:
- 24-hour access to a team of geriatric-trained medical providers from the comfort of your apartment
- Reduced transfer to the hospital or the emergency room by being cared for by trained staff in a setting familiar to you
- Monitored urgent care needs and collaborations with your primary care physician
On top of telehealth services, Primrose ensures your comfort and freedom to enjoy what you want when you want through its spacious floor plans and amenities.
Its multiple floor plans include one- and two-bedroom layouts, spacious closets, full kitchens, and sound-proof walls. Among its amenities are a salon, movie theater, game room, bistro, and library.
Pet-Friendly
9. The Madison Senior Living
At The Madison, people are the heart of its community. Taking pride in its range of personalities and passions, it’s a retirement home that empowers your individuality.
Apart from being one of the retirement communities in Kansas City that’s pet-friendly, your lifestyle is done your way at The Madison. Take a splash in the pool, energize through workouts in the fitness center, or indulge in classic films in the theater. Whatever perks your interest, the community is yours to explore.
The floor plans offer custom-fit living, whether it’s for Assisted Living, Independent Living, or Memory Care. Choose from studios with a bath to two-bedroom units with two baths, ranging from 283 to 810 square feet of spacious apartments.
Woodland Setting
10. Holiday Garden Village
Holiday Garden Village is among the Kansas City retirement communities that combine natural beauty with urban conveniences.
Offering its residents an active lifestyle in a peaceful woodland setting, Holiday Garden Village is an independent senior living community where you can spend time with your friends while exploring senior-life living in the city.
Starting at $1,500 a month, choose among spacious studio, one-and two-bedroom apartments with walk-in tubs and private balconies. The price includes housekeeping services, utilities, complimentary transportation, and three chef-prepared meals.
Amenities include:
- Resident kitchen
- Fitness equipment
- Theater
- Activity room
- Billiard lounge
- Computer Room with Internet Access
- Laundry Facilities
- Safety Rails
- Guest Suite
- Barber/Beauty Salon
- Chapel
- Large Screen TV Lounge
- Game Room
- Library
- Locked Mailboxes
11. Brookdale Wornall Place
Brookdale Wornall Place combines the comforts of home with the conveniences of community life. Whether you’re looking for an assisted or independent senior living, this exceptional community will not disappoint.
It’s near I-435, so you’re only a short drive away from Saint Joseph Health Center and popular Kansas City amenities like shops and restaurants.
There are three floor plans in either one- or two-bedroom configurations, complete with wall-to-wall carpets, natural light, and a fully equipped kitchen.
Amenities include:
- Indoor, therapy, and whirlpools
- Fitness center
- Parking
- Concierge service
- Courtyard and garden
- Therapy room
- Arts and crafts studio
- Theater
- Wi-Fi access
- Landscaped grounds
- Business centers
- Meeting rooms
- Computers
- Postal services
- Emergency alert system
- Transportation
- Library
- Beauty/Barbershop
- Chapel
- Game room
- Walking Paths
- Pub/Sports bar
- Snack shop
- Piano
Luxurious Lifestyle
12. Riverstone Retirement Community
Set amidst beautifully manicured landscapes, Riverstone is among the retirement communities in the Kansas City area that offers luxury indulgences in sports, music, and food.
You’re just a few minutes away from the world’s most excellent barbecue joints, casinos, jazz pubs, and nationally-acclaimed shopping destinations.
Its all-inclusive monthly rent has no buy-in fees or long-term leases, giving you a resort lifestyle abundant with choices and flexibility. Experience the value and luxury built into Riverstone’s list of amenities:
- Custom cabinets
- Designer countertops
- Washer and dryer hook-ups
- Ceiling fans
- Cable TV and Wi-Fi
- Full kitchens
- Spacious walk-in closets
Conclusion: 12 Best Retirement Communities in Kansas City, MO
To review, our top picks for the best retirement communities in Kansas City are as follows:
- St. Anthony’s Senior Living
- Armour Oaks Senior Living Community
- Connect 55+
- Kingswood
- Wexford Place
- Benton House of Tiffany Springs
- Villa Ventura
- Primrose
- The Madison Senior Living
- Holiday Garden Village
- Brookdale Wornall Place
- Riverstone Retirement Community
Kansas City offers a perfect blend of urban and rural flavors with divergent lifestyles and environments that cater to your unique preferences.
We incorporated your distinct tastes in curating this article, anticipating that whatever community you choose to retire to, Kansas City is up for the challenge.