Johnson County, the Kansas City metropolitan area’s growth engine, lies at the heart of the nation and possesses all the ingredients necessary to economic growth and success. The County boasts nationally ranked schools, low crime rate, high quality neighborhoods, low cost of living, and a variety of cultural and entertainment amenities. Moreover, in Money magazine's 2008 annual best places to live, Johnson County had not just one but three cities ranked in the top 50 best places to live in America. Overland Park ranked 9th, Olathe ranked 13th, and Shawnee ranked 39th.

This high quality of life and unsurpassed business environment attracts nearly 10,000 new residents and over 11,000 new jobs each year. Johnson County also accounts for more than half of new businesses in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area (MSA). Johnson County’s population and economic growth rank in the top one-third of Forbes’ rapidly growing premier counties and in the top 9% of all counties in the U.S. It is not surprising, then, that half of the Fortune 100 and one-third of the Fortune 500 firms have operations in Johnson County.

Johnson County is comprised of gently undulating terrain ranging in elevation from 742 feet above sea level near its northern border along the Kansas River to 1,130 feet in the south central part of the County. The County and its 20 incorporated cities and seven townships continue to work together to ensure that the necessary infrastructure improvements are in place to accommodate further growth. Currently, slightly under half of the 477 square miles of land in the county has been developed.

Johnson County residents tend to be rather conservative. Of the 340,772 registered voters in the County in 2008, 48% were registered as Republicans, 22% as Democrats, and 30% were unaffiliated.

Population

Johnson County's current population is estimated to be more than 516,731 and is projected to reach nearly 626,723 by 2015. Johnson County accounted for nearly half the net population growth in the 15-county Kansas City Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).

Approximately 90% of Johnson County residents are white, and females slightly outnumber males (51% vs. 49%). The County's population is aging and living longer. Median age for Johnson County residents increased from 32.8 years in 1990 to 35.2 years in 2006. By the year 2010, about one in four County residents is expected to be age 55 or over.

Housing

The Kansas City metropolitan area consistently ranks among the most affordable in the nation. According to the Business Journal rankings of the top 50 housing markets, the Kansas City metropolitan area ranked 6th in affordability. Coldwell Banker's most recent Home Price Comparison Index listed the average cost of a 2,200 square foot, four bedroom, two and a half bathroom home in Johnson County at $201.650, substantially less than the U.S. average for a comparable home.

Income

Earnings of those working in Johnson County grew 114% between 1995 and 2005 and accounted for 37% of the total earnings of Kansas workers and 43% of earnings in the Kansas City MSA. Johnson County’s per capita personal income was $50,781 in 2006, the highest in the state. The median household income in Johnson County in 2006 was $69,817.

Recreation

Johnson County residents are afforded a wide variety of recreational opportunities. Within the Kansas City Metropolitan Area there are over 50 museums and historic sites, 65,000 acres of park land, and 65 golf courses, 23 of which are in Johnson County. There are also 14 Corps of Engineers regional lakes within a three-hour drive that provide abundant opportunities for boating, water skiing, fishing, and camping. Johnson County’s library system is rated fourth best in the nation among libraries serving populations between 250,000 and 500,000 according to the Hennen’s American Public Library Rating Index.

Education

In its annual “Education Quotient” ranking of the nation’s 2,800 school districts with enrollments of at least 3,300 students, Expansion Management magazine ranked Johnson County’s public school districts among the best. The educational attainment of Johnson County’s population ranks among an elite few nationally, making the local labor pool one of the best in the United States. Of counties in the United States with populations above 250,000, Johnson County ranks first in percent of adults with at least a high school education, sixth in percent with at least a bachelor's degree, and 16th in percent with a graduate or professional degree. Nearly 96% of Johnson County residents 25 years or older have earned at least a high school diploma, 51% have a bachelor’s degree, and 17% have earned a graduate or professional degree. There are currently 29 four-year colleges and universities and 11 two-year colleges offering classes in the area.

Employment

Employment opportunities are unusually good in Johnson County. The Johnson County economy has sustained an average annual job growth rate of 2.7%, compared to 0.6% in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area and 1.4% for the United States. This corresponds to an average net increase of 10,498 new jobs per year. Unemployment in Johnson County remains below the state and national average, and stood at 4.3% as of May 2008.

Johnson County’s unsurpassed business environment and quality of life are the fuels that power one of the Midwest’s principal economic engines. Johnson County’s sustained population and economic growth are testament to the fundamentally superior characteristics that make up the “Johnson County Advantage,” and help explain why Johnson County’s population and economic growth rank the County in the top 9% of all counties nationally.

Offfice of Institutional Research
Johnson County Community College
Compiled July 2008

Data Source: US Census, Department of Labor, County Economic Research Institute, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Johnson County Gov.org, State Library of Kansas, Money Magazine, JoCo Advantage, Bizjournals, National Association of Realtors-HOI