Sedgwick County, Kansas is nestled in the south central section of the state, in the Arkansas River Valley. The county, named in honor of Major General John Sedgwick, is spread out over more than one thousand square miles. There are twenty-one cities in Sedgwick County, with Wichita serving as the county seat. Wichita is the largest city in the county as well as in all of Kansas, and it contributes nearly one-fifth of the state's population. As of the Census 2000, Sedgwick County's population was 452,869 with 344,284 of that total residing in Wichita.

Sedgwick County's scenic area offers Kansas residents an excellent quality of life. Wichita, the region's center of commerce, has had the honor of being named the All America City in three different years. Sedgwick's vibrant community has an abundance of career opportunities that offer competitive salaries, and the cost of living is five percent below the national average. Housing in a wide variety of settings is available, with prices to fit every budget. In addition, there are a number of police and community programs in place to ensure that the neighborhoods continue to provide safety for homes and businesses. As a result, the area's crime rate is less than half the national average.

Kansas is among the top ten states noted for excellence in education, and is in the top five for quality higher education. Ten school districts within Sedgwick County offer outstanding educational opportunities. In addition, there are nearly forty private and parochial schools. Wichita has the county's greatest concentration of higher learning institutes, including Friends University, Wichita Area Technical College, The University of Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita, Newman University and Wichita State University (the birthplace of Pizza Hut). Other higher education facilities within driving distance include Southwestern College in Winfield, Tabor College in Hillsboro, Bethel College in North Newton and Baker University in Baldwin City. All of the colleges and universities serve as an important resource to the local business community by providing educational support for business and industry.

Sedgwick County, Kansas is home to a variety of successful industries, the most significant of which are related to aviation. These industries have contributed to Wichita's title of "Air Capital of the World". Sedgwick County has historically been the birthplace of nationally and internationally renowned companies such as Cessna, Koch Industries, Beechcraft, the Coleman Company and Bombardier Learjet. The county contributes over forty percent of the state's manufacturing income. Major employers currently thriving in Wichita include Wesley Medical Center, York International and Dillon Food Stores. Bank of America is another large employer with several locations throughout the county.

Sedgwick County provides residents with an abundance of activities and recreational events. The Kansas Coliseum hosts a wide variety of events during the year and is the home of Wichita Stealth Indoor Arena Football and Wichita Thunder Hockey. Sports enthusiasts also enjoy the Wichita Rangers baseball team and the various "Shocker" athletic teams from Wichita State University. Visitors can experience the great outdoors at the Old Cowtown open-air museum and at a number of local parks. Lake Afton Park, in Goddard, offers camping along the shores of a 258-acre lake. The park is located on land once occupied by the Southern Cheyenne Indian, Wichita, Comanche, Osage and Kiowa tribes. Sedgwick County Park, in Wichita, offers activities that include trout fishing, scenic trails for biking and hills for sledding. The most famous tourist attraction in Kansas, the Sedgwick County Zoo, is also in Wichita. The zoo displays over two thousand animals that originated from over four hundred thirty different species. Another site of interest, the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum is located in Wichita's City Hall and is known as the "Palace of the Plains". This museum has preserved the heritage of the area and now serves to educate the community and its visitors.

Sedgwick County's unique combination of friendly people, old west charm and contemporary sophistication makes the area an ideal place to call home.

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