Kansas City is an amazing place to go to college!
Students who attend college in Kansas City (KC) have access to innovative start-up businesses and large multinational corporations, which are ideal for internships, research experiences, and career-making opportunities.
Home to more than 100 BBQ restaurants, 29 lakes, 134 miles of trails and bikeways, a vibrant arts scene, world-class dining, and museums like the Nelson-Adkins Art Museum, Harry S. Truman Presidential Library, and the National World War I Museum and Memorial. And if you’re a sports fan, you’ll love that Kansas City is home to four professional sports teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs (American Football), Sporting KC (Major League Soccer), KC Current (National Women’s Soccer League) and the KC Royals (Major League Baseball).
KC offers something for everyone!
Sports Capital: Chiefs, Royals, and More
Another great thing about KC is that it’s so centrally located in the United States. The city is just a few hours’ drive from some of the most popular destinations in the country, like Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, and New York City. Plus, Kansas City International Airport offers flights to destinations worldwide, making it easy to travel from KC to anywhere in the world.
But once you’re in Kansas City, why go anywhere else? The city is full of events, festivals, and activities that make it easy to stay connected while in school. Plus, Kansas City is an incredibly affordable place to live. With rent rates below the U.S. average and a relatively low cost of living, it’s easy to find an affordable place to call home while attending college in KC.
Kansas City is a great city for college students and families alike. Whether you’re looking for exciting nightlife, award-winning museums, or the great outdoors, Kansas City has something to offer everyone. From its stunning scenery to its excellent job opportunities and cultural attractions, Kansas City is one of the best cities to attend college! So if you’re looking for a vibrant and diverse college experience with plenty of the world’s tastiest barbeque, look no further than Kansas City!
You won’t regret it. Kansas City is an amazing place to go to college!
Kansas City History
Kansas City was established in the 1800’s with the first town, called the “Town of Kansas” being formed in 1838. Due to its proximity with the Missouri River, this small town of Kansas quickly started to grow. Kansas City and its surrounding areas played a big role in U.S. history, with it being a place where battles were fought in the Civil War to its prime locations for the railroad and those heading West.
Kansas City had a boom in its construction in the late 19th century and heading into the early 20th century. This boom saw the city begin to be structured and built into what it is today, with skyscrapers beginning to form a skyline, and whole areas like the Country Club Plaza being developed. The roaring 20’s set the city on this pace, and it never looked back.
The Great depression brought a lot of cities to a standstill, but KC kept moving forward. With developments in music and a fondness for its Art Deco design, a corrupt mayor at the time kept it from many of the downfalls of the Depression. From there the city expanded outwards as the developing of suburbs and neighborhoods that are still around today continued.
Today, Kansas City is considered to be one of the best cities in America to work and live. For more information on its history, follow this link: KC History
Life in the Midwest
Life in the Midwest is characterized by the friendliness of its people. Whether you are a family member or a stranger, you will be surprised by how often people will go out of their way to show some kindness; whether through a simple handshake or making an extra effort to shovel the snow off of someone else’s driveway.
Time tends to move different here than a lot of other places in the U.S. Like other places, we do value one another’s time and don’t want to waste it, so we still will be timely in our arrival, but we also care so much about spending time together that once you made it to a meeting (on time), you may find it harder to give a quick goodbye than in other places.
We like to say that “The home is where the heart is”. This may be truer in the Midwest then anywhere else you will travel. Though there are still plenty of activities and places to meet up, we often find that the best place to share quality time is in someone’s home, and over a nice home cooked meal.
A lot could be said, but we’d prefer to just let you experience it for yourself, welcome!
Weather
Seasons
Kansas City has all 4 seasons: Winter (December-February), Spring (March-May), Summer (June-August), and Fall (September-November). Depending on the season, the temperature can vary drastically and so can other aspects of the weather. Something to keep in mind in regards to the seasons in Kansas City is, there are actually no seasons. What we mean is that though it should be warm in the Spring season and Cold in the Winter season; we often have days where it is the opposite. It is not uncommon for it to be 60 degrees F (15.5 degrees C) and sunny in January or 32 degrees F (0 degrees C) in October.
With so much variety, we encourage you to follow the link bellow that shows the average low and high temperature by month; but, for this resource, we just included the hottest and coldest times of the year.
The average hot season lasts for 3.6 months, from May 31 to September 16, with an average daily high temperature above 80°F. The hottest month of the year in Kansas City is July, with an average high of 90°F and low of 73°F.
The cold season lasts for 3.0 months, from November 27 to February 26, with an average daily high temperature below 50°F. The coldest month of the year in Kansas City is January, with an average low of 24°F and high of 41°F.
Along with the season comes a variety of precipitation. There is the possibility of rain year-round, but the most rain is seen in the months of April-June. Though Winter’s are cold, there is not always a guarantee of snow. The months with the most snowfall are January-February, but can extend before and after these months.
Beyond temperature and precipitation, Kansas City can have severe wind and high humidity. Though culturally known for our tornados, where Kansas City is located often avoids the majority of tornados, with the ones we don’t avoid being mostly minor. We advise always following the proper protocol in these situations, but want to assure you that it is safe.
Neighborhoods
There are many historical neighborhoods in Kansas City, all of whom have their own unique culture; and with that, different types of activities. For a general overview and interactive map of Kansas City, use Visit KC’s interactive map to explore for yourself! KC Interactive Map
Transportation
Kansas City’s metropolitan area is one of the more spread out compared to cities of similar population, which can make traveling a bit of a challenge at times. Thankfully, for as much space as there is, there is equal means of transportation.
- Buses: Kansas City buses are free for all riders through 2023, but as the end of the year approaches, many believe that this will continue for the foreseeable future. For information regarding bus schedules and routes, see the Ride KC website and download the app “transit” today.
- KC Streetcar: If you find yourself downtown, this is another free method of transport. Just keep in mind that since the full track is only 2.2 miles long, the areas you can get to are limited from the River Market to Union Station/Crown Center and back. According to the city of KC, with the popularity of the streetcar downtown being so high; they have started construction to extend the route of the streetcar by another 3.5 miles and is set to be completed in 2025.
- Bikes and Scooters: Rental bikes and scooters can be found scattered throughout the city and are a viable method of transportation within the city limits. If you wish to explore the surrounding metropolitan area, though possible by bike or scooter, a car or bus would be your best method.
- Uber/Lyft/Other Ride Share Apps: Being a bigger city that is so spread out, you should have no issue finding a ride through common apps like Uber and Lyft.
- Rental Cars: With other options available, a rental car will likely not be your first or best choice of transportation, but is always available if need be.
- Taxis: Kansas City does have taxis, but may be harder to find. With taxis mostly limited to the most populated areas downtown and in the Plaza area, though an option, other methods would be suggested.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Host City !!
- Conde Nast Traveler named Kansas City one of the 23 best places in the United States to visit in 2023.
- MSN selected Kansas City as the #3 favorite city to visit in the U.S.
- CNBC recognized Kansas City as the world’s best travel and remote work destination.
- Kansas City ranks as the eighth-hottest U.S. job market.
- Brookings recognized Kansas City as a “rising star” for technology jobs.
- U.S. News & World Report ranks Kansas City #10 Best Getaway in the Midwest.
- Time2play named Kansas City the #2 top city across the United States and Canada.
- Kansas City’s strong folk music scene is ranked #2 best in the U.S.
- Financial Times named Kansas City a top 10 U.S. city for foreign business.
- The Kansas City region ranks #3 in the nation for high-paying occupations, according to U.S. News & World Report.
- Overland Park (a suburb of Kansas City) was voted the #1 top farmers’ market in the United States.
- CNN Travel named Kansas City one of 22 “refreshingly underrated” travel destinations.