Overland Park is a city in the U.S. state of Kansas. It is in Johnson County. It is the second biggest city in Kansas. It is the second biggest city in the Kansas City metropolitan area. In 2010, 173,372 people lived there; in 2017, 191,278 lived there.  It has the Sprint World Headquarters Campus.

History

Overland Park starts in 1905. William B. Strang Jr. created Overland Park.

On May 20, 1960 Overland Park was officially incorporated as a "city of first class". It had 28,085 people living there. In 1990, 111,790 people lived there. In 2010, it grew to have 173,250 people living there. Overland Park officially became the second largest city in the state after becoming bigger than Kansas City, Kansas in the early 2000s.

Overland Park was awarded “Best city to raise a family” and “One of the most popular cities for millenials” in 2018.

Geography

Overland Park is in northeastern Kansas. It is at the junction of Interstate 435 and U.S. Route 69 east of Olathe. The city center is about  south-southwest of downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

The city is on the northern edge of the Osage Plains. Overland Park is a few miles south of the Kansas River.

The United States Census Bureau says that the city has a total area of . Of that,  is land and 0.53 square mile (1.38 km²) is water.

Climate
Overland Park is in between North America's humid subtropical climate and humid continental climate zones. They usually have hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters.

People

2010 census
The 2010 United States Census says that there were 173,372 people, 71,443 households, and 45,516 families living in Overland Park.

Metropolitan area
Overland Park is a city of both the Kansas City, MO-KS Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS Combined Statistical Area.

Economy

The service sector makes up most of the local economy. Health care, retail trade, professional and technical services, finance and insurance, and information technology are Overland Park's five biggest industries. Companies with headquarters in Overland Park include Sprint Corporation, YRC Worldwide, Black & Veatch, Waddell & Reed, Ferrellgas, Ash Grove Cement Company, and Compass Minerals.

Biggest employers
Overland Parks's 2016 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report says that the biggest employers in Overland Park are:

Government
According to Kansas, Overland Park is a "city of the first class". Since 1963, Overland Park has had a mayor-council-manager form of government.

Overland Park is in Kansas's 3rd U.S. Congressional District. Representative Sharice Davids represents them in the United States House of Representatives. For the Kansas Legislature, the city is in the 6th, 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th, 21st, and 37th districts of the Kansas Senate. They are in the 8th, 16th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 27th, 28th, 29th, and 48th districts of the Kansas House of Representatives.

Education

Primary and secondary education
Overland Park has four public school districts. The part of the city north of Interstate 435 is in the Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD). SMSD controls thirty eight elementary schools, two middle schools, six high schools, and multiple support facilities in Overland Park.

There are more than 12 private schools in Overland Park.

Kansas City Japanese School Inc. (カンザスシティ日本語補習授業校 Kanzasu Shiti Nihongo Hoshū Jugyō Kō), a Japanese weekend educational program, is at the Kansas Christian College in Overland Park. It was created in 1979. It was officially approved by the Japanese Ministry of Education (Monbusho), and it was officially established in 1984.

Colleges and universities
 Cleveland Chiropractic College
 Ottawa University - adult campus
 University of Kansas - Edwards campus 
 Johnson County Community College
 Baker University - satellite campus 
 Emporia State University - satellite campus 
 Kansas Christian College
 Rasmussen College

Transportation
Kansas City International Airport is about  north of central Overland Park. Johnson County Executive Airport, a public general aviation facility, is located immediately west of the city in Olathe.

BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad each have a freight rail line through Overland Park.

Media
The Kansas City Star is Kansas City's main newspaper. They publish every day. It has local news, and it publishes a version that is specifically for Johnson County.

Overland Park is in both the Kansas City radio and television markets.

Sister cities
Overland Park has one sister city.
 Bietigheim-Bissingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

References

Other websites

 Overland Park - Chamber of Commerce 
 Overland Park - Visitor's Bureau
 Overland Park City Map, KDOT