Wichita, Kansas

These are the two things residents most often cite as the best characteristics of living in Wichita. It’s extremely easy to get around and people are genuinely friendly. On first blush, these might seem disconnected. We think not only are they related but they also are byproducts of something important to consider. Life in Wichita is slower-paced, not so frantic with traffic to put you in a foul mood, or drive you to unfriendliness. That leads both directly and in general to a friendlier population. If you’re looking for a kinder, gentler place for your family put Wichita on your list.

Look, if you seek the pace of New York, or the economic vitality of San Francisco, or the sheer size of Chicago or Los Angeles then you’re probably not considering Wichita anyway. That acknowledgment set aside, Wichita is not going to satisfy even a middling level demand for a city that never sleeps. While there is a growing energy in the downtown area, for a city with a population of 400k it’s still pretty quiet.

Wichita is absolutely one of the cities people describe as “great for raising a family”. If that’s enough for you then come on down (or up or over). Whether you find it active socially depends on where you’re coming from. It’s a small city (or big town) in terms of a downtown social and cultural experience relative to big coastal cities, or midwestern/south-central cities like Chicago or Houston. The food, bar, and downtown living scene has been growing particularly in the Olde Town neighborhood, but again, it will seem quiet or active depending on your last home.

If you want to see what locals get up to in Wichita check out the calendar of events.

The city’s economy has historically centered on the aerospace industry. They call it the “Air Capital of the World”, so people moving here often come to work for companies like Spirit, Cessna, Beechcraft, and Learjet. There are other major employers including Koch Industries, Coleman, and Cargill, which keep the economy diversifying. Expect some growth to start coming from WFH’ers looking to buy homes and raise children in a family-friendly, affordable city.

There is a significant economic development plan for the greater Wichita Region from a group called the Greater Wichita Partnership. Key fundamental efforts include:

-Utilizing data, analytics and new intelligence to enhance corporate recruitment, talent attraction and entrepreneurship efforts
-Expanding development and utilization of speculative building incentive programs to capture projected growth in the logistics sector
-Updating Advanced Manufacturing marketing and attraction to incorporate the region’s Digital Transformation competency

Wichita efforts to transform have already seen success via the ICT21 Industrial District development. This new Class A industrial campus offers significant employment opportunities and removes an eyesore from the early 1900's.