Subtopic: Geographic Overview
– The Kansas City metropolitan area spans 14 counties across Missouri and Kansas.
– It covers 8,472 square miles and has a population exceeding 2.2 million.
– The area is anchored by Kansas City, Missouri.
– Major rivers in the area include the Missouri River and the Kansas River.
– Downtown Kansas City is a significant hub within the metropolitan area.
Subtopic: Population and Economy
– The Kansas City metropolitan area ranks 30th in the U.S. by population.
– It has a GDP of $169.5 billion as of 2022.
– Key employers in the area include Cerner Corporation, AT&T, and BNSF Railway.
– The area is home to notable shopping centers such as Crown Center and Country Club Plaza.
– Major industries include healthcare, technology, and finance.
Subtopic: Infrastructure and Transportation
– The area operates on Central Standard Time (UTC-06:00).
– Notable highways serving the region include I-35, I-70, and I-435.
– Kansas City Union Station is a prominent transportation hub.
– The Kansas Speedway is owned by NASCAR.
– Public transportation options include buses and a streetcar system.
Subtopic: Cultural and Entertainment Attractions
– Cultural attractions in the area include the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
– Entertainment venues like Starlight Theater and the Kansas City Zoo are popular.
– Major sports franchises in the area include the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals.
– The region is known for its historic jazz scene and barbecue culture.
– Annual events like the Kansas City Renaissance Festival attract visitors.
Subtopic: Historic Landmarks
– Historic features include the confluence of the California, Santa Fe, and Oregon Trails in Independence.
– The Harry S. Truman Historic District preserves the legacy of the former president.
– Neighborhoods like Westport and 18th and Vine have significant historical importance.
– KC is known for its unique styles of jazz, vaudeville theater, and barbecue.
– Landmarks like the National World War I Museum showcase the area’s rich history.
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With 8,472 square miles (21,940 km2) and a population of more than 2.2 million people, it is the second-largest metropolitan area centered in Missouri (after Greater St. Louis) and is the largest metropolitan area in Kansas, though Wichita is the largest metropolitan area centered in Kansas. Alongside Kansas City, Missouri, these are the suburbs with populations above 100,000: Overland Park, Kansas; Kansas City, Kansas; Olathe, Kansas; Independence, Missouri; and Lee's Summit, Missouri.
Kansas City metropolitan area | |
|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO–KS MSA | |
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 Interactive map of the Kansas City metropolitan area (Counties in red; Kansas City, Missouri in Green) | |
| Coordinates: 39°06′N 94°35′W / 39.1°N 94.58°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State(s) | - Missouri - Kansas |
| Largest city | Kansas City, Missouri |
| Cities with population over 50,000 | - Overland Park, Kansas - Kansas City, Kansas - Independence, Missouri - Olathe, Kansas - Lee's Summit, Missouri - Shawnee, Kansas - Blue Springs, Missouri - Lenexa, Kansas |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8,472 sq mi (21,940 km2) |
| Highest elevation | 1,1601 ft (353.51 m) |
| Lowest elevation | 6901 ft (210.31 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 2,192,035 |
| • Rank | 30th MSA (2,192,035), 24th CSA (2,528,644) in the U.S. |
| • Density | 260.0/sq mi (100.4/km2) |
| GDP | |
| • MSA | $169.5 billion (2022) |
| Time zone | UTC−06:00 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−05:00 (CDT) |
Business enterprises and employers include Cerner Corporation (the largest, with almost 10,000 local employees and about 20,000 global employees), AT&T, BNSF Railway, GEICO, Asurion, T-Mobile (formerly Sprint), Black & Veatch, AMC Theatres, Citigroup, Garmin, Hallmark Cards, Waddell & Reed, H&R Block, General Motors, Honeywell, the Ford Kansas City Assembly Plant, The Kansas City Star, Bayer, Children's Mercy Hospital, Truman Medical Center-Hospital Hill, and Andrews McMeel Universal (representing Garfield, Calvin and Hobbes, and Doonesbury). Shopping centers include City Market, Crown Center, Country Club Plaza, Independence Center, Legends Outlets Kansas City, Oak Park Mall, Ward Parkway Center, and Zona Rosa.
Cultural attractions include the American Jazz Museum, the Kansas City Symphony, Kansas City Union Station, the National World War I Museum, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, the National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Arabia Steamboat Museum, Uptown Theater, Midland Theatre, the Kansas City Zoo, Swope Park (featuring Starlight Theater), Sandstone Amphitheater, the Kansas City Renaissance Festival, Worlds of Fun, Oceans of Fun, and several casinos. Major league sports franchises include the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs, the MLB's Kansas City Royals, and the MLS's Sporting Kansas City. The Kansas Speedway is owned by NASCAR.
Historic features include the confluence of the eastern endpoints of the California, Santa Fe, and Oregon Trails in Independence; the Harry S. Truman Historic District; and the neighborhoods of Westport, 18th and Vine, and Pendleton Heights. Historic cultural origins include KC styles of jazz, vaudeville theater, barbecue, and steak.