The Kansas City Metropolitan Area is a fifteen-county metropolitan area, anchored by Kansas City, Missouri, that spans the border between the U.S. states of Missouri and Kansas. As of the 2010 Census, the metropolitan area has a population of 2,035,334. It is the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri after Greater St. Louis and is the largest with territory in Kansas, ahead of Wichita. The area includes a number of suburbs including the following which have a population exceeding 100,000: Independence, Missouri; Kansas City, Kansas; Olathe, Kansas; and Overland Park, Kansas. The following suburbs have a population exceeding 50,000: Blue Springs, Missouri; Lees Summit, Missouri; and Shawnee, Kansas. The Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) serves as the Council of Governments and the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the area.
In 2007, Worldwide ERC and Primary Relocation recognized Kansas City third overall as one of the "Best Cities for Relocating Families" in the United States. Also in 2010, Money Magazine rated Overland Park, Kansas, the 7th best city to live in the United States. Neighboring city Olathe, Kansas, was rated 11th, Lee's Summit, Missouri 27th best, and Shawnee, Kansas, 39th best, Blue Springs, Missouri was rated 49th best. Kansas City is one of two metro areas to have two cities in the top fifteen.
The two halves of the city are referred to by locals as KCK and KCMO.
Read more about Kansas City Metropolitan Area: Geographic Overview, Transportation, Libraries, Business Interests, Local Organizations
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“Kansas City is lost; I am here!”
—A. Edward Sullivan. Professor Quail (W.C. Fields)
“Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.... Now I know we’re not in Kansas.”
—Noel Langley (1898–1981)
“Blind Beggar: How do you know so much about city ordinances?
Inspector Clouseau: What sort of stupid question is that? Are you blind?
Blind Beggar: Yes.”
—Blake Edwards (b. 1922)
“In metropolitan cases, the love of the most single-eyed lover, almost invariably, is nothing more than the ultimate settling of innumerable wandering glances upon some one specific object.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)
“Prestige is the shadow of money and power. Where these are, there it is. Like the national market for soap or automobiles and the enlarged arena of federal power, the national cash-in area for prestige has grown, slowly being consolidated into a truly national system.”
—C. Wright Mills (1916–1962)