Where is Kansas City, Missouri?

Kansas City is the largest city in the state of Missouri. It is located in the western part of the state, on the Missouri River. The city has a population of over 500,000 people.

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Geography

Kansas City is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city had an estimated population of 491,918 in 2018, making it the 38th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central city of the Kansas City metropolitan area, which straddles the Kansas–Missouri state line. Kansas City was founded in the 1830s as a Missouri River port at its confluence with the Kansas River coming in from the west.

Location

Kansas City is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city had an estimated population of 491,918 in 2019, making it the 38th most-populous city in the United States. It is the most populated municipality and historic core city of the Kansas City metropolitan area, which straddles the Kansas–Missouri state line and has a combined statistical area (CSA) of 2,487,056 as of 2017. Most of the city lies within Jackson County, but portions spill into Clay, Cass and Platte counties. The city borders Kansas City, Kansas (KCK), and many suburbs of Kansas City are located within Missouri.

Kansas City was founded in 1838 as a port for steamboats on the Missouri River and became an important stop for settlers heading west. The Santa Fe Trail traveled through town on its way to Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 1856, John Brown led an armed raid on a U.S. Army armory in the town in an attempt to start a slave revolt; he was captured and hanged nearby in what would become known as Bleeding Kansas.”

Climate

Kansas City has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa) with hot, humid summers and cold winters. Spring and autumn are transitional seasons, with April and October being the peak months for severe weather. The yearly mean temperature is 60.4 °F (15.8 °C). On average, January is the coldest month, with a mean temperature of 34.1 °F (1.2 °C). July is the hottest month, with a mean temperature of 79.6 °F (26.4 °C). The extreme high was 113 °F (45 °C) on July 14, 1954; the extreme low was −23 °F (−31 °C) on January 12, 1884.

Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, but is slightly heavier in the spring and summer months. Snowfall in Kansas City usually occurs from late November to early March, but snow as early as October and as late as May isn’t unusual. Although KCI Airport had measurable snowfall in every month from December 1989 through January 1991 inclusive, measurable snow has only fallen in four calendar months—November through February—in Kansas City’s recorded history.

The wettest year was 1993 with 52.82 inches (1,340 mm) and the driest year was 1930 with 24.06 inches (610 mm). The most precipitation in one month occurred in June 1901 when 16.01 inches (407 mm) of rain fell; the most in 24 hours occurred on June 8–9 during that same storm system which dropped 11.50 inches (292 mm) of rain over those two days alone at downtown Kansas City.[56] The highest recorded temperature was 113 °F (45 °C), on July 14, 1954,[57] while the lowest recorded temperature was −23 °F (−31 °C), on January 12, 1884.[58]

History

Kansas City, Missouri was founded in 1838. and officially became a city in 1850. It is located in the Midwestern United States in the state of Missouri. The city is situated on the border of Missouri and Kansas.

Early history

Kansas City, Missouri was founded in 1838 at the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas rivers. The area was considered a good place to build a city because of its location at the navigable waterway juncture and its distance from Native American conflicts. Also, since it was upstream from most settlements in Missouri, Kansas City had the advantage of being a final destination for traders bringing goods into the state.

The first city charter for Kansas City, Missouri was issued in 1839. The city originally encompassed only 240 acres (0.97 km2), but it rapidly expanded through land annexations and became one of America’s largest cities west of the Mississippi River by 1910 with a population of more than 500,000 people.

20th century

Kansas City, Missouri was officially incorporated as a town on June 1, 1850, and as a city on March 28, 1853. The territory straddling the border between Missouri and Kansas at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers was considered a good place to build settlements. In the1800s, Native American tribes including the Shawnee, Delaware, and Kickapoo inhabited this land.

Demographics

As of July 1, 2019, Kansas City’s population is 488,943, making it the 37th largest city in the United States by population. According to the 2010 census, the racial makeup of the city was 60.0% African American, 30.8% white, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 2.9% Asian.

Population

As of 2019, the population of Kansas City, Missouri is estimated to be 488,943, which is an increase of 1.7% from the 2010 census. The majority of the population (60.5%) is white, while the black or African American population makes up 30.8%. Other races make up 8.7% of the population. The median age in Kansas City is 35.4 years old.

Race and ethnicity

According to the 2018 U.S. Census, the racial composition of Kansas City was 63.8% White (48.7% Non-Hispanic White), 28.2% African American, 1.0% Native American, 2.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.5% of the population.

The Kansas City metropolitan area is notable for its large percentage of African Americans compared to other cities of similar size in the Midwestern United States; while African Americans make up only 13 percent of the Midwest’s population as a whole, they make up 30 percent of the Kansas City metropolitan area’s population.

Economy

Kansas City’s economy is anchored in agriculture, food processing, and manufacturing. The city is also a regional hub for business and government services. The city’s economy is also bolstered by its location at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers.

Industries

Kansas City is home to a variety of industries due, in part, to its central location in the United States. The city’s diverse economy is built on manufacturing, agriculture, health care, biotechnology, finance and insurance.

The city’s location along the Missouri River has also made it a hub for transportation and logistics. Kansas City is served by two major airports, and its central location makes it a popular choice for distribution centers and warehouses.

Top employers

Kansas City’s top employers include BMW Manufacturing Co., Cerner Corporation, Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Edward Jones Investments, Ford Motor Company, Garmin International, HCA Midwest Health System, Honeywell FM&T, Hunt Midwest Enterprises, JE Dunn Construction Group, Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association, Kaufman and Broad Home Corporation, Lockton Companies Inc., Mattel Inc., Marriott Hotels & Resorts – Kansas City Downtown Marriott Mice & Convention Center. More than 200 of the area’s largest employers are profiled in the metro’s Business Journal.

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