Harper County, located in south-central Kansas, is a vibrant community of about 6,000 people, living in safe and clean rural towns, with a surprisingly diverse local economy. The population includes an educated and productive workforce, with home-town values and a superior work ethic. Although the county takes pride in its rural lifestyle, free of the hectic urban pace, its conveniently near the larger cities, interstate highways, and industrial centers of today’s world economy.
Harper County is about 45 miles southwest of Wichita, the state’s largest city and home-base for the state’s manufacturing sector. Likewise, it's a short drive to four-lane and interstate highways, Wichita’s Mid-Continent Airport, world-class universities, and numerous cultural and recreational venues. Harper County is valued for its country roads, rolling hills and wooded streams, and the abundant wildlife of the Kansas prairie.
Labor Force
The County boasts a large and diversified manufacturing base of more than 20 firms, ranging in size from several employees to over 100. With a workforce of nearly 3,000, Harper County employees are highly educated, productive and efficient. The 30-mile labor pool is about 24,000, and the 45 mile labor pool is over 100,000, including much of Sedgwick County and the city of Wichita. Kansas is a right-to-work state, and there are no union shops in Harper County.
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Harper County Data
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Land Area (square miles) -- 2000
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801
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Total Population -- 2008
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5,857
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| Average Population Density (per sq. mile) -- 2008 |
7 |
| Median Age -- 2000 |
42.9 |
| Educational Attainment -- 2000 (Population Age 25+) |
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High School Graduate or Higher
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83.8% |
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Some College -- No Degree
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26.8% |
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Associate Degree
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3.9% |
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Bachelor Degree or Higher
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14.0% |
| Average 1-Way Commute to Work (minutes) -- 2000 |
19.6 |
| Civilian Labor Force -- December 2009 |
3,378 |
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Unemployed
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155 |
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Unemployment Rate
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4.6% |
| Business Establishments -- 2007 |
232 |
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Employees
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1,825 |
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Average Annual Pay
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$28,355
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Median Household Income -- 2008
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$37,575
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Source
Land Area, Median Age, Educational Attainment, Average 1-Way Commute to Work -- 2000 Census
Population (July 1 Estimates) -- Census Bureau
Labor Force Data -- Kansas Department of Labor
Business Establishments, Employees, Average Annual Wage/Salary Pay -- County Business Patterns (Census Bureau)
Median Household Income -- Small Area Income & Poverty Estimates (Census Bureau)
Elco Manufacturing, Inc.
Elkhorn Valley Packing Co
Green Line, Inc.
Harper Industries, Inc.
Midwest Machining, Inc.
R & B Oil and Gas
