Kansas City metropolitan area

The Kansas City metropolitan area is a big area that includes cities in both Missouri and Kansas. It is centered around Kansas City, Missouri and covers fourteen counties. With more than 2.2 million people, it is the second-largest area in Missouri after Greater St. Louis and the largest in Kansas.

There are many fun places to visit in the Kansas City area. You can explore museums like the American Jazz Museum and the National World War I Museum, enjoy music at the Kansas City Symphony, or visit the Kansas City Zoo. Sports fans can cheer for teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, the Kansas City Royals, and Sporting Kansas City.

The area also has rich history. Important trails like the California, Santa Fe, and Oregon Trails began near Independence. You can also visit historic neighborhoods such as Westport and learn about famous styles of jazz and delicious barbecue.

Geographic overview

The Kansas City metropolitan area can be thought of as a map split into four parts:

The southeast part includes Kansas City, Missouri, and nearby areas in Missouri. It has a place called the Grandview Triangle.

The southwest part has all of Johnson County, Kansas, including towns known as Shawnee Mission, Kansas. Interstate 35 goes through Johnson County, Kansas from the southwest toward Downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

The northwest part includes Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties in Kansas, and some of Platte County, Missouri. Wyandotte County, Kansas contains Kansas City, Kansas, Bonner Springs, Kansas, and Edwardsville, Kansas. It is run by one government. A bend in the Missouri River separates Wyandotte County, Kansas from Platte County, Missouri.

The northeast part is called the Northland. It includes parts of Clay County, Missouri, such as North Kansas City, Missouri and Parkville, Missouri. The Missouri River helps form the borders here, and its sharpest bend creates a peninsula where the Kansas City Downtown Airport is located.

Divisions

See also Kansas City, Missouri at Wikivoyage

Areas

Main article: Neighborhoods of Kansas City, Missouri

• Downtown Kansas City is a part of western Kansas City, Missouri, where offices and many entertainment places are found. The area has been improving since 2000 and grew by over 7,000 people between 2000 and 2005. The Power and Light District, Historic Garment District, and the T-Mobile Center are in downtown.
• The Northland is north of the Missouri River, in Clay and Platte Counties, Missouri. It includes the northern part of Kansas City, Missouri, called Kansas City, North, and the city of North Kansas City.
• River Market is north of downtown, south of the Missouri River, and west of Highway 9, with a big farmers' market.
• North Kansas City is a city surrounded by Kansas City, Missouri.
• Shawnee Mission is an area in northeast Johnson County, Kansas that includes 16 cities and towns.
• The Waldo Residential District (Waldo) is near 75th Street and Wornall Road in Kansas City, Missouri.
• Country Club Plaza ("the Plaza") is a fancy shopping area built in 1923, and was the first shopping area built outside a city in the United States.
• The Country Club District has neighborhoods along Ward Parkway near the Country Club Plaza.
• 39th Street (also called the Volker neighborhood or "Restaurant Row") has many restaurants, bars, and shops in Kansas City, Missouri.
• University of Kansas Hospital (KUMED) is the hospital on the KU Medical Center campus.
• Benton Curve is a curve where Interstate 70 and Benton Boulevard meet in Kansas City, Missouri; the area often has traffic problems.
• Pendleton Heights is a neighborhood in northeast Kansas City, Missouri, with many old Victorian houses.
• The Grandview Triangle is where four major highways meet: Interstate 435, Interstate 470, Interstate 49, and U.S. Route 71. It has had many accidents but has been improved recently.
• Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard is a street named for a former mayor and current Congressman, Emanuel Cleaver, in Kansas City, Missouri.
• 18th and Vine Historic District (18th and Vine) has the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum. This area was important for Kansas City's history with Black businesses.
• The Library District is around the new Central Library in Kansas City, Missouri.
• 135th Street (Overland Park, Kansas) is a shopping area with malls, restaurants, and movie theaters.
• Prariefire is a modern shopping and fun area with restaurants and a bowling place. The Museum of Prariefire is its main attraction.
• Strawberry Hill in Kansas City, Kansas, was home to many people from eastern Europe. Later, many Latino families lived there.
• Hospital Hill is near 23rd Street and Holmes Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, with big hospitals and schools.
• Argentine in Kansas City, Kansas, is one of the oldest neighborhoods with Latino families, with people moving there since the 1800s.
• The Crossroads Arts District is between the downtown area and Union Station, with many art galleries. Local artists have exhibits there on the first Friday of each month.
• Quality Hill is a neighborhood on a hill west of downtown Kansas City, Missouri, across from the Charles B. Wheeler Airport.
• Washington-Wheatley is a historic neighborhood for Black people southeast of the 18th and Vine area.
• The Westside is a neighborhood near Southwest Boulevard and Interstate 35, with a history of African American and Latino families.
• Westport is a historic area with old buildings and many places to eat and have fun.
• Valentine is north of Westport and has the historic Uptown Theater.
• West Bottoms has some of the oldest buildings and was where the city's stockyards used to be. It is now known for its arts, the American Royal, Hy-Vee Arena, antique shops, and First Fridays events.
• Rosedale is the southernmost part of Kansas City, Kansas, with the main hospital of the University of Kansas Health System. It was the last area added to Kansas City, Kansas, before the Unified Government was created.
• Union Hill
• Armourdale is a neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas, with a history of Latino families.
• Sheffield is an industrial area in the Blue River valley on the northeast side of the city.
• East Bottoms, also called the Industrial District, is mainly for businesses and railroads.
• Brookside is a walking-friendly area built in the 1920s, with shops at 63rd Street and Brookside Boulevard.
• Hanover Heights is a small neighborhood in Rosedale, Kansas City, Kansas, once known for antique shops.
• The Historic Northeast District (Northeast) is a collection of neighborhoods for working-class families and immigrants between downtown Kansas City and the suburb of Independence.
• The Truman Sports Complex, at the junction of I-70 and I-435, has several sports places. It includes Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs NFL team; and Kauffman Stadium, home of Major League Baseball's Kansas City Royals.

Jackson County, Missouri

Downtown

Main article: Downtown Kansas City

Downtown Kansas City, Missouri has 25,204 people. Downtown is the historic center of Kansas City, Missouri, with the city's original town site, business areas, and homes. It is bounded by the Missouri River on the north, the Missouri-Kansas state line on the west, 31st Street on the south, and Woodland Avenue on the east. The downtown area includes the Central Business District and its buildings, which form the city's skyline. The Downtown Loop is formed by Interstates 670, 70, and 35. Within the downtown loop are many tall buildings and skyscrapers that make up the city's skyline. The downtown loop also has small, special neighborhoods such as Quality Hill, the Garment District, the Financial District, the Convention Center District, and the Power and Light District.

Other nearby areas are River Market and Columbus Park, both between the downtown loop and the Missouri River. Between the downtown loop and the state line are the Westside neighborhood and the West Bottoms, at the bottom of the bluff next to Kaw Point. East of the loop are the 18th & Vine District, the North Bottoms, and Northeast Kansas City (the East Bottoms, Northeast, and Pendleton Heights). South of the loop is the Crossroads District, Union Hill, Crown Center, Hospital Hill, Longfellow, Wendell Phillips, and Washington Wheatley.

The Kansas City Convention Center, Municipal Auditorium, City Hall, Lyric Theater, Midland Theatre, Ilus Davis Park, and Barney Allis Plaza are in the Central Business District inside the downtown loop. The T-Mobile Center and the College Basketball Experience are in the Power & Light District, also inside the downtown loop. The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is on a high point just south of the downtown loop. South of the loop is the Crossroads District, Union Station, Crown Center, the National World War I Museum, Liberty Memorial, Penn Valley Park, University Health Truman Medical Center, Children's Mercy Hospital, and the 18th & Vine District. North of the loop are City Market within the River Market and Richard L. Berkeley Riverfront Park. West of the loop within the West Bottoms are Hy-Vee Arena and Hale Arena.

Midtown/Plaza

Midtown/Plaza is entirely in Kansas City, Missouri with 40,355 people. It is just south of downtown, bounded by 31st Street on the north, the state line on the west, West Gregory Boulevard (71st Street) on the south, and Troost Avenue on the east. Midtown/Plaza has many cultural places, shops, entertainment, big hospitals, universities, and crowded neighborhoods.

Midtown/Plaza has many special and historic neighborhoods, including Westport, Hyde Park, and Southmoreland. Shopping is centered on the Country Club Plaza, which has fancy stores, hotels, and restaurants. Brookside and Westport also have smaller shops for neighborhoods and special kinds of stores. Midtown is home to Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City and Research Medical Center. Cultural places include the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Uptown Theater, Starlight Theater, the Kansas City Zoo, Loose Park, and Swope Park. Swope Park has a soccer complex that is home to the Swope Park Rangers, a USL Championship team that is the official reserve side for the area's Major League Soccer club, Sporting Kansas City. Big schools include the University of Missouri–Kansas City, Rockhurst University, Kansas City Art Institute, Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Midwest Research Institute, and Penn Valley Community College.

East Side

East Side of the Metro is mainly eastern Jackson County, which is the far-eastern urban side of Kansas City, Missouri and large suburbs of Blue Springs, Independence, and Lee's Summit. The area includes western Lafayette County Missouri and the far northeast part of Cass County Missouri. The East Side of Metro includes the Missouri suburbs of Independence,Grandview,Blue Springs, Raytown, Lees Summit, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, Sugar Creek, River Bend, Lake Lotawana, Lone Jack, Greenwood, Unity Village, Buckner, Pleasant Hill, Bates City, Odessa, and Lake Tapawingo. Arrowhead Stadium, home of the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs and Kauffman Stadium, home of the MLB's Kansas City Royals are on the eastern edge of Kansas City. The Cable Dahmer Arena home of the ECHL's Kansas City Mavericks and the MASL's Kansas City Comets is in Independence.

Johnson County, Kansas

Johnson County, Kansas has many cities with a population of 609,863. It has the biggest economy in the metropolitan area and is growing the fastest. Cities include Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee, Leawood, Lenexa, Prairie Village, Gardner, Merriam, Mission, Roeland Park, Fairway, Lake Quivira, Mission Hills, Mission Woods, Westwood, and Westwood Hills. Big companies include Garmin, Black & Veatch, and AMC Theatres, and the secondary headquarters of T-Mobile. Many local places and shopping areas are in Johnson County, such as Oak Park Mall, Town Center Plaza, and Prairie Fire.

The Northland (Missouri)

The Northland is north of the Missouri River, bordered by the Kansas state line on the west. The southern half of Platte County, and much of Clay County make up the area. The Northland is a fast-growing, mostly suburban part of the metropolitan area, although much of it is inside the city limits of Kansas City, Missouri. The economy of the Northland is led by Cerner, Kansas City International Airport, Ford Kansas City Assembly Plant, the Zona Rosa shopping community and three riverboat casinos. The metro area's biggest amusement park, Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun, is in the Northland. Big schools in the Northland include Park University, William Jewell College, and the Maple Woods campus of Metropolitan Community College. The Northland is also home to the popular Smithville Lake. Communities of the Northland outside the city limits include Parkville, Kearney, Liberty, Platte City, Gladstone, Riverside, Smithville, North Kansas City, and Weatherby Lake.

Wyandotte County, Kansas

Wyandotte County, Kansas has 169,245 people and contains Kansas City, Kansas, Bonner Springs, Kansas, and Edwardsville, Kansas. Kansas City, Kansas is called "KCK" to be different from the larger Kansas City, Missouri (KCMO). It has many homes, the Fairfax Industrial District, and the Village West entertainment district. The General Motors Fairfax Assembly Plant is in the Fairfax Industrial District. Village West has many attractions. This includes sporting places such as Sporting Park, home of the area's MLS soccer team Sporting Kansas City, the Kansas Speedway, which hosts NASCAR races, and Field of Legends, home of the independent baseball team, the Kansas City Monarchs, and the Legends shopping district. Bonner Springs has the Azura Amphitheater (also called the Sandstone Amphitheater), the National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame, Wyandotte County Historical Museum, and the yearly Kansas City Renaissance Festival.

Cass County, Missouri

Cass County, Missouri has 107,824 people and contains parts of "South Kansas City". This area is the most southern part of Kansas City, Missouri, and the suburbs of Harrisonville, Belton, Loch Lloyd, Peculiar, and Raymore.

Leavenworth County, Kansas

Leavenworth County, Kansas has 81,881 people and contains the cities of Leavenworth and Lansing, and the Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary.

Population

Main article: List of municipalities in the Kansas City metropolitan area

The Kansas City metropolitan area has many people living in it. In 2018, about 2.1 million people lived there.

More than 500,000

• Kansas City, Missouri – Pop: 508,090

More than 100,000

• Overland Park, Kansas – Pop: 202,893
• Kansas City, Kansas – Pop: 156,607
• Olathe, Kansas – Pop: 141,290
• Independence, Missouri – Pop: 123,011
• Lee's Summit, Missouri – Pop: 101,108

50,000–99,999

• Shawnee, Kansas – Pop: 67,311
• Blue Springs, Missouri – Pop: 58,604
• Lenexa, Kansas – Pop: 57,434

20,000–49,999

• Leavenworth, Kansas – Pop: 37,351
• Leawood, Kansas – Pop: 33,902
• Liberty, Missouri – Pop: 30,167
• Raytown, Missouri – Pop: 30,012
• Gladstone, Missouri – Pop: 27,063
• Grandview, Missouri – Pop: 26,209
• Belton, Missouri – Pop: 23,953
• Gardner, Kansas – Pop: 23,287
• Prairie Village, Kansas – Pop: 22,957
• Raymore, Missouri – Pop: 22,941

10,000–19,999

• Grain Valley, Missouri – Pop: 15,627
• Ottawa, Kansas – Pop: 12,625
• Lansing, Kansas – Pop: 11,239
• Merriam, Kansas – Pop: 11,098
• Excelsior Springs, Missouri – Pop: 10,553
• Smithville, Missouri - Pop: 10,406
• Kearney, Missouri – Pop: 10,404
• Harrisonville, Missouri – Pop: 10,121

Counties

The area covers a large space of 7,952 square miles (20,600 km²) including some water.

Associated areas

Cities like Lawrence, Kansas and Saint Joseph, Missouri are often talked about with Kansas City, but they are separate areas.

The Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City MO-KS Combined Statistical Area (CSA) includes several smaller areas around it. The combined area covers 9,220 square miles (23,900 km²) including some water.

Politics

The Kansas City metro area often switches between supporting Republican and Democratic parties. Since the year 2000, it has voted equally for candidates from both parties. This is different from most big cities in the United States, which usually support Democratic ideas. Because of this, Kansas City has a slightly more Republican feel compared to other big areas of similar size, including St. Louis in Missouri.

Economy

The Kansas City area has many jobs and businesses on both sides of the border between Missouri and Kansas. In 2019, Missouri had a little more than half of all the jobs, and Kansas had the rest. During that year, Kansas added more new jobs than Missouri did.

Some big companies and places to visit in the area include Oracle, AT&T, BNSF Railway, GEICO, Asurion, T-Mobile, AMC Theatres, Citigroup, Garmin, Hallmark Cards, H&R Block, General Motors, and many more. There are also several popular shopping places like City Market and Country Club Plaza.

Transportation

Highways

The Kansas City metropolitan area has more freeway lanes per person than any other large city in the United States. This is 27% more than the second-place city, 50% more than the average U.S. city, and nearly 75% more than the city with the fewest freeways.

Interstates

The Kansas City area connects four major U.S. interstate highways:

• I-29 – North to St. Joseph, Missouri
• I-35 – North to Des Moines, Iowa and south to Wichita, Kansas
• I-49 – South to Joplin
• I-70 – East to St. Louis and west to Topeka, Kansas

Other interstates that pass through the area include:

• I-435 – A loop through several counties in Missouri and Kansas. It is the second-longest loop highway in the U.S., and the fourth-longest in the world.
• I-470 – Connects parts of South Kansas City with Lee's Summit and Independence.
• I-635 – Connects areas in Kansas to several interstates.
• I-670 – A southern bypass of I-70 and part of the downtown loop. Signs show it as East I-70 when leaving I-35 going north.

US Highways

U.S. Highways serving the Kansas City Metro Area include:

• US 24 – Runs between downtown Kansas City and Independence, Missouri.
• US 40 – An east-west highway that also serves as an alternate route for I-70.
• US 50 – Enters the area and follows I-435, then splits off to go east to St. Louis. Its old route through some cities was renamed Route 350.
• US-56 - Runs east along a parkway into the Plaza area of Kansas City.
• US 69 – Connects areas north and serves as a freeway in one county, linking several cities.
• US 71 – In the north, runs with I-29, and serves as a freeway south from downtown.
• US 169 – Connects areas in the north.

Kansas state highways

Kansas highways in the area include:

• K-5 – A minor freeway north of Kansas City, Kansas.
• K-7 – A freeway linking several counties in Kansas.
• K-10 – A freeway linking I-435 to other cities.
• K-32 – A highway linking Lawrence to Wyandotte County.

Missouri state highways

Missouri highways in the area include:

• Route 7 - Serves the eastern suburbs, running north and south through several counties.
• Route 9 – A minor freeway northwest of North Kansas City.
• Route 45 – Known as Tom Watson Parkway, it runs from I-29 to another highway.
• Route 58 - Serves the southern suburbs.
• Route 92 – A narrow road connecting several cities.
• Route 150 – Links southern Lee's Summit and Grandview to Kansas suburbs.
• Route 152 – A freeway in Kansas City's Northland.
• Route 210 – A minor freeway east of North Kansas City.
• Route 291 – A minor freeway connecting several cities.
• Route 350 – A road in Raytown.

Other roads

Other important roads include:

• 18th Street Expressway – Carries traffic through central Wyandotte County.
• Ward Parkway – A scenic road near the state line with historic homes.
• Broadway – A street in downtown Kansas City with entertainment spots.
• The Paseo – A long boulevard that runs from the river bluffs to the south.
• Shawnee Mission Parkway – An older highway serving Shawnee Mission.
• Troost Avenue – A street dividing parts of the city.
• Swope Parkway – A road leading to a large city park.
• North Oak Trafficway – A major road in the Northland.
• Barry Road – A commercial street in the Northland.
• 87th Street Parkway – A parkway extending from Overland Park to De Soto.

Street numbers

The Missouri side of the metro south of the Missouri River uses a grid system shared with Johnson County in Kansas. Most east-west streets are numbered and most north-south streets have names. Addresses on east-west streets start from Main Street in Kansas City, Missouri, and on north-south streets from St. John Avenue or the river.

Air

The metro has several airports. The main airport is Kansas City International Airport (MCI), located northwest of downtown Kansas City, Missouri. It opened in 1972 and got a new single-terminal building in 2023.

The smaller Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport is north of downtown and was the area's main airport until 1972. It is still used for smaller planes and air shows.

Two smaller airports for private planes are in Johnson County, Kansas. New Century AirCenter is near Olathe and Gardner. Johnson County Executive Airport has one runway and is a busy airport in Kansas.

Rail

Kansas City is a hub for freight trains run by several big railroad companies. Kansas City Terminal Railway and Kaw River Railroad help with local train services.

Amtrak passenger trains stop at Kansas City's Union Station. There are daily trains to Saint Louis and Chicago, and another daily train to Los Angeles.

Transit

Public buses in the area are run by the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA). The Metro Area Express (MAX) is a fast bus line that started in 2005, linking several important areas. Buses in Johnson County, Kansas, are run by Johnson County Transit, known as The JO.

The KC Streetcar is a modern streetcar line in downtown Kansas City that opened in 2016. It runs between River Market and Union Station along Main Street.

There are no commuter rail services.

Intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound Lines and Jefferson Lines at the Kansas City Bus Station.

Cultural attractions

Architecture

Main article: Architecture of Kansas City

The buildings in Kansas City, Missouri, and the surrounding area were designed by some of the world's most famous architects. You can see their work in many important places.

• The KCTV-Tower is a tall pyramid-shaped tower that reaches 1,042 feet into the air. It has lights that shine at night and can be seen from far away.
• The American Century Investments complex has two red-brick towers. They are near the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
• Kansas City Community Christian Church, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, shoots a beam of light into the sky at night.
• Bartle Hall has a part that looks like a bridge and four tall towers with metal sculptures on top.
• The Veterans Affairs Medical Center has a big "VA" sign.
• The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts looks like the famous Sydney Opera House with its curved glass and steel design.

Colleges and universities

The Kansas City area has many places for students to learn and grow. Some of the biggest schools include Johnson County Community College, Metropolitan Community College, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Park University, and Kansas City Kansas Community College.

Other schools in and around the area include Avila University, Baker University, Benedictine College, Calvary University, Cleveland University-Kansas City, DeVry University, Donnelly College, Friends University, Graceland University, University of Arkansas Grantham, Haskell Indian Nations University, Highland Community College, Kansas Christian College, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, Kansas State University Olathe Innovation Campus, Metropolitan Community College, MidAmerica Nazarene University, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Missouri Western State University, National American University, Nazarene Theological Seminary, Northwest Missouri State University, Ottawa University, Park University, Pinnacle Career Institute, Pittsburg State University, Rasmussen College, Rockhurst University, Saint Paul School of Theology, University of Central Missouri, University of Kansas, University of Kansas Edwards Campus, University of Kansas Medical Center, University of Missouri–Kansas City, University of Saint Mary, and William Jewell College.

Libraries

The area has several public libraries, including the Kansas City Public Library in Missouri, the Mid-Continent Public Library, the Kansas City, Kansas Public Library, and the Johnson County Library. There are also private libraries such as the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum and the Linda Hall Library.

Media

Print

The Kansas City Star is the main daily newspaper for the area. It is owned by The McClatchy Company, which also publishes two weekly papers for nearby towns.

Other newspapers include The Kansas City Kansan, which is now online only, and several weeklies like the Liberty Tribune and The Examiner. There are also special-interest papers such as Dos Mundos for Spanish-speaking readers and Mi Raza for the Hispanic community.

Broadcast

Main article: Broadcast Media in Kansas City

The Kansas City area is home to many television and radio stations. Over 30 FM and 20 AM radio stations serve the region, along with stations from nearby cities like Topeka and St. Joseph.

Television

Television stations in the Kansas City area include:

• WDAF-TV, channel 4 (Fox)
• KCTV, channel 5 (CBS)
• KMBC-TV, channel 9 (ABC)
• KTAJ-TV, channel 16 (TBN)
• KCPT, channel 19 (PBS)
• KUKC-LD, channel 20 (Univision)
• KCWE, channel 29 (The CW)
• KSHB-TV, channel 41 (NBC)
• KMCI-TV, channel 38 (independent)
• KGKC-LD, channel 39 (Telemundo)
• KPXE-TV, channel 50 (Ion Television)
• KSMO-TV, channel 62 (MyNetworkTV)

Radio

Some of the popular radio stations in Kansas City are:

• WHB (810 AM) - Sports
• KPRS (103.3 FM) – Urban
• KCMO-FM (94.9) – Classic Hits
• KQRC (98.9 FM) – Rock
• KFNZ (610 AM) and KFNZ-FM (96.5) – Sports
• KMBZ (98.1 FM) – News/Talk
• WDAF-FM (106.5) – Country
• KZPT (99.7) - Adult Top 40
• KMXV (93.3) - Top 40
• KFKF (94.1) - Country
• KCFX (101.1) - Classic Rock
• KCMO (710 AM) and KCHZ (95.7 FM) – Talk

Public and community radio

• KCUR (89.3 FM) – NPR affiliate
• KANU-FM (91.5) and KTBG (90.9 FM) – college radio stations; also NPR affiliates
• KKFI (90.1 FM) – Locally owned station
• KGSP (1480 FM) – Park University college station

Specialty radio

Three AM radio stations broadcast in Spanish to serve the Hispanic community:

• KCZZ (1480 AM) – Spanish Sports talk
• KDTD (1340 AM) – Mexican regional
• KYYS (1250 AM) – Classic hits

Business interests

The Kansas City metropolitan area has many big companies. The largest private employer is Cerner Corporation, a global healthcare IT company based in North Kansas City. Cerner employs nearly 10,000 people locally and has a total workforce of nearly 20,000, including global employees. In August 2014, Cerner bought a competitor, Siemens Healthcare. The company has several campuses, including its World Headquarters in North Kansas City, Innovations Campus in South Kansas City, and Continuous Campus in Kansas City, Kansas.

Other major employers include AT&T, BNSF Railway, GEICO, Asurion, T-Mobile, Citigroup, EMBARQ, Farmers Insurance Group, Garmin, Hallmark Cards, Husqvarna, H&R Block, General Motors, Honeywell, Ford Motor Company, MillerCoors, State Street Corporation, The Kansas City Star, and Waddell & Reed. Kansas City also has a large pharmaceutical industry, with companies like Bayer and Aventis having a big presence here.

Headquarters

Many large companies and organizations have their headquarters in the Kansas City area, mostly in Kansas City, Missouri. Some of these include:

• American Century Investments, an investment management firm
• AMC Theatres, a movie theater chain based in Leawood, Kansas
• Andrews McMeel Universal, a company that represents popular media features like Dear Abby, Garfield, Calvin and Hobbes, and Doonesbury
• Applebee's, a restaurant chain that moved to Glendale, California in 2015
• BATS Global Markets, a stock exchange in Lenexa, Kansas
• Black & Veatch Corporation, an engineering firm in Overland Park, Kansas
• Burns & McDonnell, an engineering firm in Kansas City, Missouri
• Oracle Health (formerly Cerner), a supplier of healthcare information technology solutions in North Kansas City, Missouri
• Church of the Nazarene
• Commerce Bancshares, a bank serving Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois
• Community of Christ International Headquarters in Independence, Missouri
• Dairy Farmers of America National Headquarters in Kansas City, Kansas
• DST Systems, a provider of information processing and computer software services and products
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA)
• Ferrellgas, a retailer and distributor of natural gas based in Liberty, Missouri
• FishNet Security, a provider of information security services and technology resale in Overland Park, KS
• Fort Dodge Animal Health, an animal health pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturer, part of Wyeth, based in Overland Park, Kansas
• Freightquote.com, the largest online third-party logistics provider
• Garmin, the largest maker of GPS-based electronics, based in Olathe, Kansas
• Hallmark Cards, the largest maker of greeting cards in the U.S.
• HNTB Corporation, an architectural and engineering firm
• H&R Block, a financial corporation known for tax preparation services, and former parent company of CompuServe
• Hostess Brands, maker of Twinkies and other snack cakes (closed in 2024 after J.M. Smucker purchase)
• Huhtamaki, makers of Chinet paper dinnerware in De Soto
• Inergy, L.P., retailers and distributors of natural gas
• International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers
• J. E. Dunn Construction Group, a construction contractor
• Kansas City Board of Trade, a commodity futures and options exchange
• Kansas City Power and Light Company, a provider of electricity and energy-related products and services
• Kansas City Southern Industries, operators of a Class I railroad
• Lockton Companies, the largest privately held insurance brokerage in the U.S.
• MK12 Studios, a filmmaking, animation, and design studio
• National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
• Newport Television, a privately held broadcasting company
• People to People International, an organization founded by President Dwight Eisenhower
• Perceptive Software, makers of "Image NOW" software in Lenexa, Kansas
• Polsinelli, a national law firm
• Populous (formerly HOK Sport + Venue + Event), a major sports architectural firm
• Russell Stover Candies
• T-Mobile, which keeps the former Sprint campus as a secondary headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas
• Tradebot, a high-frequency trading firm
• UMB Financial Corporation, a commercial bank serving the Midwest
• Unity Church
• Veterans of Foreign Wars
• Waddell & Reed, an investment management and brokerage firm in Overland Park, Kansas
• Walton Construction, a construction contractor
• YRC Worldwide Inc., a large transportation service provider formerly known as Yellow Freight, based in Overland Park, Kansas

The Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank is one of twelve such banks in the United States.

Hospitals

• AdventHealth Lenexa City Center
• AdventHealth Shawnee Mission
• AdventHealth South Overland Park
• Centerpoint Medical Center
• Children's Mercy Hospital
• Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute
• Kansas City Veterans Affairs Hospital
• Kindred Hospital Kansas City
• Lee's Summit Medical Center
• Menorah Medical Center
• North Kansas City Hospital
• Olathe Medical Center
• Overland Park Regional Medical Center
• Providence Medical Center
• Research Medical Center
• St. Joseph Medical Center
• Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City
• Saint Luke's East Hospital
• Saint Luke's South Hospital
• St. Mary's Medical Center
• University Health Truman Medical Center
• University of Kansas Hospital (KU Med Center)

Shopping centers

• Adams Dairy Landing
• Blue Ridge Crossing
• Crown Center
• Country Club Plaza
• The Great Mall of the Great Plains (Demolished March 2017)
• Independence Center
• The Landing Mall
• Legends Outlets Kansas City
• Metcalf South Shopping Center (Demolished June/July 2017)
• Metro North Mall (Demolished 2016)
• Oak Park Mall
• Park Place
• Summit Fair
• Summit Woods Crossing
• Town Center Plaza
• Town Pavilion
• Ward Parkway Center
• Zona Rosa

Natural environment

The USDA helps count the number of trees in the Kansas City area. Some counties have many trees, like Cass County, MO, with about 43,740,000 trees, and Miami County, KS, with about 38,700,000 trees. In total, there are about 249,450,000 trees in the area.

The most common types of trees here are American elm, northern hackberry, Osage-orange, honeylocust, and eastern redcedar. These trees grow in both cities and forests across the region.

Local organizations

The area is home to special places that celebrate different cultures and histories. Two examples are the Irish Museum and Cultural Center and Congregation Beth Israel Abraham Voliner. These organizations help people learn about and honor their heritage.

Notable people

Many famous people have lived or were born in the Kansas City metropolitan area. From Kansas City, Missouri, we have well-known cartoonists like Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks, musicians such as Count Basie and Melissa Etheridge, and actors like Don Cheadle and Ellie Kemper. Important figures such as Amelia Earhart, the pilot, and writer Ernest Hemingway also came from this area.

From Kansas City, Kansas, notable individuals include actors Eric Stonestreet and Janelle Monáe, along with Matt Vogel, the puppeteer who brings Kermit the Frog to life. Independence, Missouri, was home to President Harry S. Truman and actress Ginger Rogers. Other famous people come from places like Overland Park, Lenexa, Olathe, and Lee's Summit, each contributing their own talented individuals to the world.