WELCOME TO BARTON COUNTY

Our Region

Great Bend is a vibrant community of around 16,000 people located in the heart of America; near the geographical center of Kansas. The central location of the city allows for short travel to anywhere in the state, including Wichita and Kansas City. Denver is also just a mere six hours drive away. The people of Great Bend enjoy conveniences of a larger city, like first rate educational, medical and recreation facilities. For all of the large city conveniences the community still retains its small-town sensibilities and values.

Those sensibilities and values have given rise to innovators and entrepreneurs who have shaped the modern world. Noble Laureate Jack Kilby, inventor of the integrated circuit and pocket calculator spent his formative years in Great Bend. Adventurer and co-founder of JanSport, Skip Yowell, is an alumnus of Great Bend High School.

Incentives available through the City of Great Bend, Barton County, and the State of Kansas make relocation or expansion in the community competitive. Companies in Great Bend enjoy an adaptable and hard working regional labor pool of close to 30,000. Through partnerships with Barton Community College and the State of Kansas, the community has the ability to rapidly train or retain the existing workforce to meet the needs of business.