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About the city of Wichita

Downtown Wichita skyline with river.

Wichita is at the center of everything. As Kansas' largest metropolitan area—with a growing population approaching 700,000—Wichita is the commercial, financial, medical, cultural and entertainment hub for the state. Despite its growth, Wichita hasn't lost its friendly Midwestern feel, and that makes it a virtual utopia for aspiring college students.

A secret no longer

Wichitans have known for years—but now national publications are taking note of our low cost of living, growing economy and excellent quality of life. Everywhere you go, you'll see people wearing and displaying the city flag to show pride in what the city of Wichita has become.

A few of Wichita's recent honors include:

  • No. 3 U.S. Advanced Industry Hotspot
  • No. 1 Most Affordable College Town in America
  • No. 1 Cheapest Apartment Rent in U.S.
  • No. 2 Most Affordable City in the U.S.
  • No. 2 Most Recession-Proof City
  • No. 4 The Best Cities To Move To
  • No. 3 Top U.S. Midsized Cities For New Grads
  • Top 10 Best Places to Live
  • Top 10 Best Value City
  • Top 20 Best Cities for Gen Z
  • No. 1 Best Sports Event Host City
Keeper of the Plains

THE COLLEGE TOUR

Wichita: The City is our Campus

Wichita State University and the city of Wichita share a powerful partnership that fosters entrepreneurship, economic growth, and community development. Learn more about how this collaboration creates opportunities for students and enhances the quality of life for all Kansans.

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Exploring Wichita

  • After hours

    Wichita features more than a dozen distinct shopping, dining and entertainment districts, each with their own vibe and flair. Go clubbing in Old Town. Shop for new looks in Douglas Design District boutiques. Meet up with friends in Delano.

  • Foodies rejoice

    Wichita has an incredible spectrum of restaurants, brewpubs, food trucks and coffeehouses. It's what caused Livability.com to name Wichita among its Top 10 Surprising Foodie Cities. There's even a Food Truck Plaza on campus with fine cuisine on the move five days a week.

  • Arts and culture

    From national acts performing at Wichita's 20,000-seat downtown arena to a thriving local arts and music scene—there is always something happening. Just walking on our campus exposes you to one of the nation's top outdoor sculpture collections.

Soak up the sun

Wichita sits in the center of the U.S. Great Plains and enjoys excellent weather and a mild climate for most of the year. The city has been ranked one of the Top 20 Sunniest Cities in the U.S. with nearly 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. Our students take advantage by exploring the city's 100+ parks and 150 miles of bike and hiking trails—and by enjoying events on our beautiful 330-acre campus.

Wichita Scenes


  • As the largest festival in Kansas, Riverfest brings multiple stages of live music, energetic activities like zip lines, helicopter rides, eating contests and river exploration and the ever-popular food court.
  • Wichita features more than 10 distinct shopping, dining and entertainment districts, each with their own vibe and flair. Go clubbing in Old Town. Shop for new looks in Douglas Design District boutiques. Meet up with friends in Delano.
  • INTRUST Bank Arena is a modern, state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venue, perfect for concerts and conventions alike.
  • Open Streets ICT is a FREE community-building event that closes a usually busy street to traffic and opens it for biking, walking, running, dancing, yoga, and more!
  • As the largest festival in Kansas, Riverfest brings multiple stages of live music, energetic activities like zip lines, helicopter rides, eating contests and river exploration and the ever-popular food court.
  • The Sedgwick County Zoo is home to 3,000 individual animals of nearly 400 species. These residents are grouped geographically and in settings that duplicate their natural habitats
  • The Keeper of the Plains is a 44-foot tall steel sculpture standing at the point where the Big and Little Arkansas rivers join together in downtown Wichita.
  • Delano is home to dozens of unique shops, art galleries and restaurants.
  • The Keeper of the Plains is a 44-foot tall steel sculpture standing at the point where the Big and Little Arkansas rivers join together in downtown Wichita.
  • Intrust Bank Arena is a modern, state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venue, perfect for concerts and conventions alike.
  • The Donut Whole is a coffeehouse, donut shop, art gallery and live music venue located in the Douglas Design District in downtown Wichita, Kansas. Since January 2009 we have been making cake-batter donuts from scratch every day using regional ingredients, and our coffee bar features top-quality espresso drinks and drip coffee made from beans roasted just down the street at the famous Spice Merchant.
  • With vibrant cultural experiences and diverse residential options, walkable amenities and easy access to either side of town, Downtown Wichita offers a unique pace and perspective within the city.
  • Open Streets ICT is a FREE community-building event that closes a usually busy street to traffic and opens it for biking, walking, running, dancing, yoga, and more!
  • Tanganyika Wildlife Park, 20 miles from Wichita State in Goddard, Kansas, is the 3rd largest animal collection in Kansas, and one of the largest attractions in the state. They have over 40 exhibits featuring 9 interactive stations, 400 animals and 37 successful breeding programs.
  • Old Town is an outdoor museum of centuries old architecture and a myriad of murals by locally sourced artists. In Wichita, Old Town is synonymous with Fun, Food, Family and spectacular Nightlife. Old Town is nestled right in the heart of Wichita, Kansas. Among the brick-lined streets and historic lampposts are a collection of converted brick warehouses dating back to the mid 1800s. Built with brick and native limestone accents, these distinctive architectural features define the character of Old Town.
  • The Pop-Up Urban Park transformed and activated an eyesore in the urban core of Wichita into a thriving public space where the community can interact and connect. Enjoy a bright, thriving environment as you revel in delicious fare prepared by local food trucks serving at the Pop-Up Park.
  • Keepers on Parade is a public art project proudly brought to you by Together Wichita.Ten feet tall fiberglass Keeper of the Plains replicas were painted, adorned and magically transformed by local artists
  • The Pop-Up Urban Park transformed and activated an eyesore in the urban core of Wichita into a thriving public space where the community can interact and connect. Enjoy a bright, thriving environment as you revel in delicious fare prepared by local food trucks serving at the Pop-Up Park.
  • With vibrant cultural experiences and diverse residential options, walkable amenities and easy access to either side of town, Downtown Wichita offers a unique pace and perspective within the city.

A center of innovation and industry

Innovation

Wichita is known as the Air Capital of the World, a nod to its large aircraft industry—but we have a long history of entrepreneurial spirit and business success. Some of the world's most innovative companies are proud to call Wichita home — including some located right on WSU's campus. The city's size and thriving business community give Shockers endless opportunities for experiential learning and creative collisions with entrepreneurs, dreamers and experts from all disciplines who are working for positive change in the world. 

Enginnering students at internship.
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