The Greater Wichita region is a region on the rise, regularly appearing at the top of national rankings across a wide range of industry and quality of life indicators. The following are a few of the region’s accolades and areas of recognition.
#4 in Manufacturing Jobs as Percent of all Jobs
of the 100 largest U.S. metro areas (based on Lightcast data, 2021)
#1 in Percentage of “Very High-Tech” Manufacturing Jobs
of the 100 largest U.S. metro areas (based on Lightcast data, 2021)
#1 for Growth of Jobs
Over the last 10 years; 2009-2019 (Brookings, 2020)
#1 Best U.S. City for 5G Coverage
Based on each city's area that is covered by the three top U.S. carrier's 5G networks (WhistleOut, 2020)
Top 10 in Growth of Business Productivity
Over the last 10 years; 2009-2019 (Brookings, 2020)
Named one of the Best-Ran Cities in the U.S.
Based on financial stability, education, healthy, safety, economy, nfrastructure and pollution (WalletHub, 2023)
#3 Engineering Hub in the U.S.
(Engineering Daily, 2017)
Top 20 City to Be Your Own Boss
based on percentage of self-employed, incomes, living costs, tax environment (Entrepreneur, 2017)
Top 10 for Having an Equitable Economy
(Brookings, 2020)
“One of the Coolest Cities in America”
(2019 Thrillist)
Top 10 City for First-Time Home Buyers
offering affordability, accessibility and stability (Smart Asset, 2018)
#2 City With the Lowest Cost of Living
Based on rent prices, utility costs, gas prices and internet rates in the 75 most populous US cities (Move.org, 2020)
Top 3 Most Affordable U.S. Cities for Working Adults
Using data from the American Community Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau (Site Selection Magazine, 2024)
Wichita is the 4th Best City to Move to in 2024
Based on housing costs, cost of living, crime rates, air quality, quality of education, median income, employment rates, weather, entertainment establishments, average commute time and net migration to the city. (Forbes, 2024)
#1 for Regulatory Freedom
Based on data from the Freedom in 50 States study (Cato Institute, July 2021)
#4 Business-Friendly Regulatory Environment in the U.S.
(Pacific Research Institute 2019)
Top 10 Best Place to Make a Living
(Money Rates 2017)
1 of only 8 Constitutional Right to Work States
(National Right to Work)
#3 Best Place to Move to for Work
(OnlineU, September 2022)
Key information for site selectors and businesses:
