The “Air Capital of the World” (named for its aviation heritage and America’s largest concentration of aerospace manufacturing employees) is an affordable, urban heart on the prairie. There are countless lists lauding Wichita as “Most Affordable” and “Best City to Move To”—and our #3 Housing Affordability ranking joins the chorus. City luxuries—like the #60-ranked restaurants or #46-ranked convention center—arrive alongside an average one-bedroom rent of around $800. Unsurprisingly, Wichita’s downtown is alight with new developments as investors seek to capture a bit of this Kansas magic. Boutique hotels are springing up, transforming historic buildings along the shore of the Arkansas River as it runs past Equity Bank Park—the city’s Minor League Baseball stadium. They’re joined by Ridge Point, The VUE and other luxury apartment complexes looking to tap into a talent pool drawn by the city’s growing population of large companies (ranked #12). But the largest city in Kansas is also an arts beacon—often cited as the coolest in the state—with big-city cultural icons like the Wichita Grand Opera and Ballet Wichita. Improvements to the city’s Exploration Place will only improve its #54 Museums ranking. The culinary scene, with its 1,200 restaurants and abundant food trucks, is a (delicious) bonus.