Metro Characteristics

Counties

Communities

Neighborhoods

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KC by County

Urban and Suburban Counties

• Clay County, Mo.
  Population: 202,078
  Clay County is one of the fastest growing counties in the metro area – more than 20 percent in the last decade. Offers suburban and rural lifestyle options, plus a 7,000 acre recreational lake, Triple-A rated school districts, quaint town squares and national retailers.
• Douglas County, Kan.
  Population: 102,914
  Home of the University of Kansas in Lawrence (link to KC by Neighborhood), this county is about a 40 minute drive from Kansas City. Small towns, rolling farmland and rivers dot the land along Kansas Highway 10.
• Jackson County, Mo.
  Population: 662,959
  Home to the region’s largest urban communities, the Kansas City Royals and Chiefs, as well as a $4.5 billion makeover of Kansas City, Mo.’s downtown. Location of major corporate headquarters for Hallmark Cards, H&R Block, American Century Investments and the Midwest’s premier shopping and dining district, The Country Club Plaza. Also features a number of suburban and rural communities within close proximity to the main urban core.
• Johnson County, Kan.
  Population: 506,562
  Population and economic growth in this county rank in the top half of the nation. Also ranks in the top one percent of income with more than one-third of Fortune 500 companies present in the area – including headquarters for Applebee’s, Garmin, Black & Veatch and YRC Worldwide. The largest city is Overland Park which has been ranked in the top three cities in the nation to raise a family.
• Shawnee County, Kan.
  Population: 169,871
  Location of the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka where the majority of its residents reside and enjoy their own zoo, museums and attractions. Home of Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Payless ShoeSource and major employers like Frito-Lay and Hallmark.
• Platte County, Mo.
  Population: 82,085
  Home to Kansas City International Airport, this county has seen a more than 25% growth in the last decade. New retail and residential development has soared in recent years, while some of the county’s historic areas have continued to thrive.
• Wyandotte County, Kan.
  Population: 155,750
  Kansas City, Kansas, Bonner Springs and Edwardsville are the primary communities. Home of the state’s most popular tourist attraction, The Legends at Village West featuring national retailers, unique restaurants and destination hotels. Location of the Kansas International Speedway – the only Midwest NASCAR track, and the University of Kansas Hospital, a leader in cardiovascular, neurological and cancer research and treatment.

Exurban Counties

• Buchanan County, Mo.
  Population: 84,904
  Located in Northwest Missouri, the county’s largest city is St. Joseph with a population of 74,000. An hour drive from Kansas City, St. Joseph is well known for its leadership in animal health, food processing and manufacturing. Offers a blend of small town suburban and rural lifestyles.
• Cass County, Mo.
  Population: 94,232
  Fast growing county on the southwest edge of Kansas City, which has seen a nearly 30% growth in the last decade. Home to 12 major communities which provide small town anonymity with the perks of big-city life.
• Leavenworth County, Kan.
  Population: 73,113
  West of the Kansas City metro, the county seat is Leavenworth, Kan. A unique blend of nationalities and socioeconomic diversity due to the presence of the Fort Leavenworth military base and federal penitentiary. Features small town living with plenty of antique shops and a historic riverfront downtown.

Rural Counties

• Atchison County, Kan.
  Population: 16,804
  Primarily rural, more than 60% of the county resides in Atchison, the county seat. Atchison is a charming town featuring Victorian mansions and brick streets. Top notch schools, as well as the home of Benedictine College. Atchison is also home to Shannon Industrial Park which has benefited from millions of dollars in community development grants.
• Clinton County, Mo.
  Population: 20,715
  If you’re looking for a rural lifestyle, this is your county. Cameron and Plattsburg are the largest communities and are each about an hour’s drive to Kansas City’s suburbs.
• Franklin County, Kan.
  Population: 26,247
  Popular location for manufacturing and distribution operations, the American Eagle Outfitters distribution center will expand to 1 million square feet in 2007. Home of Ottawa University in the county seat of Ottawa. The city has invested in new sewers, roads and bridges as they have turned their attention to new development.
• Johnson County, Mo.
  Population: 50,784
  About an hour’s drive from the Kansas City metro area, offers ideal small town living. Warrensburg, the largest community, is home to Central Missouri State University, and the B-2 Bomber at Whiteman Airforce Base makes its home in Knob Noster. Close to the Lake of the Ozarks – one of the Midwest’s premier recreational lake areas.
• Lafayette County, Mo.
  Population: 33,108
  Just east of the Kansas City area, features 13 idyllic and historic communities. Lexington, Missouri, is the location of the Battle of Lexington during the Civil War in 1861.
• Livingston County, Mo.
  Population: 14,558
  A large rural area northeast of Kansas City, Livingston County features 19 communities and three school districts. The largest community and county seat is Chillicothe.
• Miami County, Kan.
  Population: 30,496
  A popular bedroom community south of Kansas City. New housing has been springing up in Louisburg and Paola, Miami’s county seat. Population has grown in the county by 20.8% in the last decade. Quaint homes and the Great Mall of the Great Plains are features found here.
• Ray County, Mo.
  Population: 24,101
  Just 30 minutes from Kansas City, you’ll find the county seat of Richmond. Peaceful, rural living is the main asset of the area. A farming community, Richmond hosts festivals throughout the year including one spotlighting the mushroom.