Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas and is located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River. With a population of over 389,000 as of 2020, Wichita is a major city in the Wichita metropolitan area which had an estimated population of 644,888 in 2020. Like many major U.S. cities, Wichita has witnessed considerable suburban growth and development over the past several decades. Suburbs are residential communities that are located outside of the main urban core of a city but are still closely tied economically and socially to the central city. Suburbs provide people the opportunity to live in a more spacious environment while still having access to the employment, amenities, and resources of the nearby city.
History of Suburban Growth in Wichita
The growth of suburbs in Wichita closely mirrors the overall pattern of post-World War II suburbanization that occurred across the United States. In the decades following WWII, massive suburban development took place around major cities as populations expanded, the middle class grew, and people sought more residential space and newer housing outside of often crowded and aging urban centers. Wichita follows this general trajectory.
Wichita’s population rapidly increased in the postwar period, nearly doubling in size between 1940 (114,966 people) and 1960 (254,698 people). This population boom was accompanied by the construction of new housing and residential neighborhoods on the outskirts of the established city limits. As Wichita expanded its geographical footprint outward, people were moving into these freshly built suburban subdivisions and communities.
This suburbanization accelerated in the 1970s and 1980s, spurred by the growth of the aviation industry and general economic prosperity in Wichita. During this time period, the city annexed large areas of land, some of which had already seen suburban development take place. Neighborhoods such as College Hill, built in the 1960s northeast of downtown Wichita, were eventually absorbed into the expanding city limits. Yet new suburban construction pushed outward even further as growth continued, spreading development farther away from the urban core.
Major Suburbs of Wichita
Today, there are numerous suburbs around Wichita that serve commuters, families, and residents. Some of the major suburbs include:
- Andover – Located to the east of Wichita with around 15,000 residents. Andover has grown rapidly in recent decades as a suburban community with new residential subdivisions. It is considered part of the Wichita metro area.
- Derby – A southwestern suburb of about 23,000 people. Derby has also experienced strong new housing construction and has a mix of residential neighborhoods and local shops and restaurants.
- Goddard – A newer suburb located west of Wichita that has about 5,000 residents. Goddard has grown as a commuter town for Wichita.
- Haysville – An established southern suburb with over 11,000 residents. Haysville is one of Wichita’s oldest suburbs, dating back to its early growth in the 1950s.
- Maize – Located northwest of Wichita with around 5,000 residents. Maize has suburban housing developments for Wichita commuters.
- Valley Center – A northern suburb of over 7,000 people with homes, schools, and parks. It lies just under 10 miles from downtown Wichita.
These suburbs provide traditional suburban amenities like larger homes on bigger lots, newer schools, more open space and parks, and local retail development to serve residents. At the same time, their proximity to Wichita proper allows for an easy commute into the central city for work, leisure, and services.
Population Growth
Examining population data shows how the suburbs around Wichita have grown tremendously over the past 50+ years:
- Andover – 700 residents in 1960 –> over 15,000 today
- Derby – 1,300 residents in 1960 –> over 23,000 today
- Goddard – 482 residents in 1970 –> over 5,000 today
- Haysville – 2,800 residents in 1960 –> over 11,000 today
- Maize – 250 residents in 1980 –> over 5,000 today
- Valley Center – 1,500 residents in 1970 –> over 7,000 today
The population growth in these suburban cities clearly demonstrates the expansion of suburban development around the core city of Wichita over time. From small towns and villages mid-century, they have transformed into quintessential suburbs.
Housing and Development Trends
In addition to population growth, statistics on new housing construction and land development illustrate the suburban nature of communities surrounding Wichita:
- Andover – 1,900 new housing units built between 2000-2009
- Derby – 1,600 new housing units built between 2000-2009
- Goddard – 158 new housing units built in 2019 alone
- Haysville – 800 new housing units built between 2000-2009
- Maize – 300 new housing units built in 2019 alone
- Valley Center – 492 new housing units built between 2010-2019
This continued construction of new residential neighborhoods, comprised predominantly of single-family homes, attracts families and buyers looking for the affordability, space, and quality schools that suburbs provide. In addition to housing, suburbs like Andover and Goddard have seen new retail developments built to service suburban populations, including stores, restaurants, and entertainment options. This combination of residential, commercial, and civic development in the communities surrounding Wichita point to their suburban nature.
Economic Ties
While suburbs have their own local economic activity, most are still closely tied to central city of Wichita. Despite growth over the decades, the suburbs around Wichita remain economically interdependent with the core city. This is seen in several metrics:
- High percentages of suburban residents commute into Wichita for work every day, between 25-45% across the major suburbs.
- Wichita remains the dominant regional hub for jobs in sectors like aviation manufacturing, healthcare, and education.
- Many suburbs lack major employers outside of local services, retail, and public administration jobs.
- Regional economic activity centered around Wichita provides employment for suburbs. The metro area GDP was $44 billion in 2019.
- Residents regularly commute into Wichita proper for amenities and entertainment like dining, arts, sports, and shopping.
The suburbs around Wichita have obvious economic interconnection and dependence on the opportunities and resources of the central city. This economic relationship reinforces the fact that these communities function as true suburbs.
Transportation and Infrastructure
Transportation infrastructure also links Wichita to its suburbs:
- Highway networks like I-135, I-235, and the Kansas Turnpike provide automobile transportation between the city and suburbs.
- Bus service routes operated by Wichita Transit carry suburban commuters into the city.
- The Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport serves business and leisure travelers from around the metro area.
While many suburbs have local road infrastructure to accommodate increased traffic from development, regional transportation access relies heavily on Wichita’s existing transportation system. Commuter patterns show a strong flow into and out of the city each workday facilitated by this infrastructure. Wichita provides the essential transportation backbone for suburbs.
Civic Administration and Governance
Suburbs are independent municipalities with their own local governments and civic administration:
- Mayors, city councils, police and fire departments, school districts
- However, suburbs rely on Wichita for key amenities and governance:
- Public utilities like water and sewer
- Health systems and hospitals
- Air quality monitoring
- Regional waste management and recycling
- Metropolitan planning organizations
- Common sales tax and policies across the metro area
While governing themselves, suburbs still depend greatly on core city resources and administration for key services and planning. This is another mark of their connection to Wichita as true suburbs.
Culture and Demographics
Culturally, suburbs around Wichita retain much connection to the city:
- New suburban residents bring tastes and backgrounds from Wichita that influence local culture.
- Shared interest in local sports (Wichita State University athletics, Wichita Wind Surge baseball).
- Common regional identities and affiliation with South Central Kansas.
- Demographic profiles of suburbs show strong parallels to Wichita in terms of income, education, occupations, and ethnicity.
- Wichita media market serves entire metro area.
- Participation in cultural amenities and events hosted in Wichita like concerts, parades, and festivals.
There are not necessarily strong cultural distinctions between Wichita and its surrounding suburbs. Residents fluidly interact through shared demographics, regional identities, sports and arts, and the overall functional relationship as bedroom communities to the city.
Conclusion
Based on analysis of their historical development, population expansion, economic ties, transportation integration, local administration, and cultural links, it is evident that Wichita has a well-established and growing network of suburbs. Communities like Andover, Derby, Goddard, Haysville, Maize, and Valley Center exhibit the typical characteristics of suburbs both structurally and functionally. They provide affordable single-family housing, economic opportunities through commuting to urban jobs, quality local schools, civic services for residents, and a sense of community identity. At the same time, these suburbs rely heavily on Wichita proper for employment, resources, amenities, infrastructure, and as a cultural hub. Wichita depends on the vitality of its suburbs to sustain metropolitan growth and provide living spaces for new residents. This interdependent relationship between city and suburb defines how Wichita interacts with its surrounding communities. The suburbs around Wichita play a pivotal role within the overall metropolitan area.