An Equity Profile of the Kansas City Region

This analysis, co-authored by PolicyLink and PERE (Program for Environmental and Regional Equity at the University of Southern California),  about equity in the Kansas City region shows that communities of color are driving the region’s population growth, making their economic inclusion essential to the region’s success. While the region demonstrates overall economic strength and resilience, wide racial gaps in income, health, and opportunity – coupled with declining wages, a shrinking middle class, and rising inequality – place its economic future at risk.

To secure a prosperous future, the region’s leaders must take steps to build a more equitable and sustainable economy. Critical strategies include growing good jobs, connecting unemployed and low-wage workers to job training and career opportunities, and increasing access to economic opportunity throughout the region. Implementing these strategies would put all the region’s residents on the path to reaching their full potential, bringing shared economic prosperity regionwide.