How the Partnership’s Strategic Priorities are Propelling Wichita Forward
By Emily Barnwell
Wichita is increasingly gaining recognition as a destination city, a vibrant hub for top-tier talent and dynamic growth.
Recently, Forbes named Wichita the fourth-best city to move to in 2024 while Empower ranked it as the No. 3 most affordable U.S. city for working adults. In November, Wichita State University was ranked No. 1 for aerospace engineering R&D expenditures with a total of $327 million from all funding sources. Not to mention, Wichita’s charm extends to pet owners, earning the accolade of being one of the top cities for furry friends.
Empower captured Wichita’s essence: “Wichita is considered a fantastic city for families, with dozens of unique museums and parks. While the landscape might be flat, the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers add plenty of natural beauty to Wichita’s surroundings.”
It’s important to recognize Wichita’s growth is not the result of a single initiative. Instead, it results from a collaborative effort involving multiple organizations, community members and stakeholders. The Partnership is honored to contribute to the city’s ongoing success through its strategic priorities of jobs, talent and quality of life.
Jobs: A Thriving Economy
Economic growth is at the core of the Partnership’s mission. The team works in collaboration with partners to accelerate the creation of jobs and increase capital investment through expansion and retention, attraction and entrepreneurship in south-central Kansas.
Forbes notes Wichita has a 98% employment rate, highlighting the city’s strong economy and labor market, which is great for residents and businesses.
The Partnership actively promotes the region’s opportunities and innovation through industry tradeshows, supplier visits and site visits. These initiatives are designed to spotlight Wichita’s business-friendly environment and supportive ecosystem, making it an attractive location for expansion and investment.
Talent: A Vibrant, Global Community
The Partnership’s Talent Team plays a crucial role in attracting and retaining top talent. By working alongside employers, HR professionals and community members the team supports talent development through innovative initiatives outlined in the Talent Roadmap.
Efforts include enhancing collaboration between industry and education, connecting community leaders to guide recruitment and retention, and creating numerous talent resources like Choose Wichita and the Skills Navigator. These initiatives ensure that Wichita stands out as a vibrant and forward-thinking community.
Quality of Life
Forbes applauded Wichita for its strong employment market, favorable climate and affordable housing options, ranking it among the most desirable cities in which to live and work in 2024.
It noted Wichita has a median family income of $60,856 and of its Top 5 cities, Wichita had the lowest median monthly housing at only $930.
In addition to an impressive 128 sunny days per year, Wichita boasts an extensive restaurant scene, an ever-expanding arts community, beautiful parks, museums and a vibrant downtown. Alongside the $1.7 billion invested downtown since 2019, the core has a development pipeline of more than $760 million in residential, commercial and educational projects.
The Partnership’s strategic priority of quality of life ensures Wichita remains affordable, safe and welcoming. By championing beautification efforts in the core and transformational projects like the Wichita Biomedical Campus and EP2 Initiative, the Partnership helps make Wichita increasingly competitive and attractive to talent from around the globe.
