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.
Top 10 Tier 2 Metros by Total Projects
Organizations and businesses are investing in their cities to position them for success. (Site Selection 2024)
#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, infrastructure 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)
#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)
1st Most Affordable U.S. City for Single Renters
Based on median non-family household income, "studio" unit rent and population county from the U.S. Census. (RentHop 2023)
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)
Wichita Ranks 17th for U.S. Metros Using the Most Active Forms of Transportation
Based on a study of nearly 850 million people from 794 cities across the world, the data compares who commutes by private car, public transportation or active travel (i.e, walking, cycling or both). (Complexity Science Hub; "The ABC of mobility", by R. Prieto-Curiel and J.p. Ospina, Environment Internaltional, Elsevier Ltd., March 2024)
Top 10 Cities For Pet Owners
Based on data across 13 key metrics, to include dog veterinary cost, cat veterinary cost, veterinary access and pet-friendly spaces, Wichita ranks 5th in Forbes' top 10 cities in America for pet owners. (Forbes 2024)
#3 Most Affordable Cities to Live In
The ranking used data from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI and the U.S. Department of Labor. Four areas were considered: Quality of Life, Value, Desirability, and Job Market. (U.S. News and World Report)
Top 10 Cities to Retire in U.S.
Wichita’s housing, grocery and transportation costs are significantly lower than the national average, making it one of the best cities to retire rich. (GoBankingRates 2025)
#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 2022)
Key information for site selectors and businesses:
