2019 Ratings & Rankings

Top 20 Cities Hiring the Most Workers
Job openings, annual payroll and highest-paid jobs earned KC a spot on “Top 20 Cities Hiring the Most Workers” by CNBC Make It. CNBC Make It, December 2019

Nation’s Top Hackathons
The University of Kansas’ HackKU earns a national ranking on Major League Hacking’s “Nations Top Hackathons,” where students gather in one spot for several days to apply their coding and other technical skills to create ideas for apps, websites, robots and more. The University of Kansas, November 2019

The 2019 Architect 50
BNIM earned the No. 2 spot on ARCHITECT Magazine’s “Architect 50,” ranking business, sustainability and design. ARCHITECT Magazine, November 2019

Best Small Cities in America
WalletHub featured Leawood, Kansas as the No. 1 on the “Best Small Cities in America” list, ranking the highest in affordability, economic health, education and health, quality of life and safety. WalletHub, October 2019

The 11 Best Untapped Cities for Startups in 2019
KC landed on Fundera’s list of “The 11 Best Untapped Cities for Startups in 2019” due to it’s percent of population with a college degree, average rental cost of office space and number of venture capital deals. Fundera, October 2019

Top 20 Hotels in the Midwest
The Fontaine and 21c Museum Hotel Kansas City earned a spot in Condé Naste Traveler’s “Top 20 Hotels in the Midwest: Reader’s Choice Awards 2019.” Condé Naste Traveler, October 2019

The Co-op 100 List
Dairy Farmers of America ranked No. 3 on National Cooperative Bank’s “The Co-Op 100 List,” highlighting the business activity and economic power of member-owned, member-controlled businesses. National Cooperative Bank, October 2019

Adweek 100: Fastest Growing Agencies
Two KC companies, DEG Digital, linked by Isobar and MMGY Global, rank in the 2019 Adweek 100: Fasting-Growing Agencies.  Agencies were chosen based on three years of earned revenue from 2016 to 2018 and at least $250,000 of revenue in 2016. Adweek, September 2019

Great Places in America
Lee's Summit lands on the list for “Great Places in America” due to strong community, and the  unique revitalization of the city. The list highlights streets, neighborhoods and public spaces. American Planning Association, September 2019 

Best Work-Life Balance 2019
Kansas City ranks among other big U.S. cities for being the best for work-life balance. Rankings are built on work intensity, institutional support, legislation and livability. Kisi, September 2019

National University Rankings
Seven Kansas City region Universities rank as Best Colleges by the U.S. News & World Report. The rankings are based on graduation rate performance, financial and faculty resources. U.S. News & World Report, September 2019

Top Financial Executive Leadership
Lisa Ginter of CommunityAmerica Credit Union, Jim Rine of UMB Bank and Ken Williams of Black & Veatch are named on this national list of top financial executives. The list highlights the impact these executives have in their community. The Business Journals' Influencers, September 2019 

Nationally Ranked Degree Program for Criminal Justice
The University of Central Missouri’s online criminal justice degree ranks 19th nationally for affordability by Affordable Schools. Factors include average cost of attendance and student-to-faculty ratio. Affordable Schools, August 2019 

Top 10 Community College for Sustainability
Johnson County Community College ranks as the top 10 Community College for Sustainability by the  Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). This ranking is based on a colleges’ commitment to environmental sustainability. Johnson County Community College, September 2019 

Best College Experiences
Kansas State University earned seven Top 10 rankings in the Princeton Review's "The Best 385 Colleges." Rankings were based on opinions of 140,000 students nationwide and rankings in 62 categories. K-State, August 2019

Most Attended U.S. Gymnastics Championships 
Kansas City set a record for the most attended U.S. Gymnastics Championships when it hosted 33,984 at the Sprint Center over the events. KSHB KC, August 2019

Best Places to Raise a Family
Family fun, health and safety, education and childcare, affordability and socio-economics earned Overland Park, Kansas the No. 1 spot on WalletHub’s “Best Places to Raise a Family.” WalletHub, July 2019

Top 10 in Economic Growth Potential 
Kansas City earned a spot on Business Facilities' "2019 Metro Rankings Report" as a top 10 city for economic growth potential. Business Facilities, July 2019

America's 10 Hottest Zipcodes 
Shawnee, Kansas lands on Realtor.com's "America's 10 Hottest Zipcodes" list. Rankings were determined by median price and days on the market. Realtor.com, July 2019

America's Coolest Pet Stores 2019
Bar K has created so much success in its first year of operation, that it not only is opening other locations outside of the metro, but is earning accolades like the No. 1 spot they scored on Pets+, "America's Coolest Pet Stores 2019." Pets+, July 2019

The 34 Hottest IPAs in America Right Now
BKS Artisan Ales in Brookside landed a spot on Thrillist’s “The 34 Hottest IPAs in America Right Now." The Counterculture IPA is attracting beer-loves everywhere. Thrillist, July 2019

Where do millennials have the best cost of living? 
Cost of living and jobs factored into Kansas City being a top city where millennials have the best cost of living. Dallas Business Journal, July 2019

The Best States for Retirement
Kansas and Missouri both landed a spot in the top 10 of Bankrate's "The Best and Worst States for Retirement." Affordability, crime, culture, weather and wellness were factored into the decision. Bankrate, July 2019

10 Best Cities for Startups to Survive
KC ranked on “10 Best Cities for Startups to Survive” list by Inc. Startup growth, density and sustainability contributed to the ranking. Inc, June 2019

Top 20 Best U.S. Cities for Startups 
Commercial Café ranked KC in the "Top 20 Best U.S. Cities for Startups" list. KC ranked No. 1 for startup growth rate, No. 2 for startup density and No. 9 overall. Commercial Café, June 2019 

America's 100 Best Wine Restaurants of 2019 
The Antler Room and Tannin both earned a spot in Wine Enthusiast Magazine's "America's 100 Best Wine Restaurants of 2019" list. The selections were based on the food, service and atmosphere. Wine Enthusiast Magazine, June 2019

Top 25 Graduate Schools for an Acting Degree
The University of Missouri Kansas City ranked in The Hollywood Reporter's, "Top 25 Graduate Schools for an Acting Degree." Their production partnership with New York's The Acting Company, along with the talent that comes out of UMKC landed the spot.The Hollywood Reporter, June 2019

Best Children's Hospitals by Specialty 
Children's Mercy Hospital ranked in the top 30 of every specialty in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals by Specialty" list; top 15 in three categories. U.S. News & World Report, June 2019

Top 50 Construction Law Firms
Husch Blackwell earned a spot on Construction Executive's "Top 50 Construction Law Firms" list. Rankings were based on number of employees, construciton practice as a percentage of total firm revenues and more. Construction Executive, June 2019

The Top 10 Places for Creatives in 2019
SmartAsset named Kansas City on of the “Top 10 Places for Creatives in 2019” due to low cost of living and low concentration of people employed in creative jobs. SmartAsset, May 2019

Best Overall Restaurants
OpenTable released a list of the best restaurants split between Kansas and Missouri. Rankings were based on food, service, ambiance and value. KC Business Journal, May 2019

Top 500 Design Firms

Kansas City earned numerous spots on ENR's "Top 500 Design Firms." Several factors were considered, including: infrastructure, total design revenue, market growth and more. ENR, May 2019

Five Places Emerging as America’s New Tech Spots
MarketWatch mentioned both Kansas City and St. Louis in the “Five Places Emerging as America’s New Tech Spots” due to Google Fiber, a top city for women in tech and more. MarketWatch, April 2019


What Works Cities Certification

Kansas City earned a national standard of excellence for city governance, “What Works Cities Certification,” which shows which cities are best at using data to improve residents’ lives. Bloomberg Philanthropies, April 2019

Top Costume Design Schools

The University of Missouri-Kansas City ranked on the "Top 10 Costume Design Schools" by The Hollywood Reporter. Both skills taught and notable alumni helped UMKC make the list. The Hollywood Reporter, February 2019

2019's Healthiest Employers

Healthiest Employers LLC, ranked 23 KC area employers on "2019's Healthiest Employer" list. Rankings were based on culture, commitment, planning and more. KC Business Journal, February 2019

Badge of Honor for Nursing Excellence

AdventHealth received a Magnet Recognition from The American Nurses Credentialing Center, which awards organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursling excellence. Advent Health, January 2019

Cocktail Bar of the Year
The Monarch Bar was named Cocktail Bar of the Year for 2019 by Nightclub & Bar, the bar industry authority. The Nightclub & Bar awards recognizes industries across the nation that have shown expertise and innovation in evolving the nightclub and bar industry. Nightclub & Bar, January 2019

Top Online Graduate Nursing Programs
UMKC ranked in the top 25 Online Graduate Nursing Programs of 2019 by U.S. News & World Report for the seventh year in a row. UMKC, January 2019

The Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker
MovieMaker ranked Kansas City on The Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker 2019. KC’s local project incentive offer and the vibrant cross-section of the Midwest helped make the list. MovieMaker, January 2019 

Highest Selling Pickup Truck in the U.S.
The Ford F-Series vehicles, made in Kansas City, became the highest-selling pickup in the U.S. for the 42nd in a row. KC Business Journal, January 2019

Smart50 Awards | Award-Winning Mobility 
Connected vehicle integration won a Smart50 award in mobility from Smart Cities Connect. The Smart50 awards recognize the most innovative and influential work. Smart Cities Connect, January 2019

World Leaders in On-Time Performance

Kansas City International Airport ranked high on a worldwide study by the Punctuality League of on-time performance. 58 million flight records in 2018 of the world’s largest airlines and airports led to the ranking. OAG, January 2019

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