Data KC: Census shows Kansas Citians have many arts, sports, fitness options

When it comes to the performing arts, sports and recreation, the Kansas City area has no shortage of options — or businesses trying to serve patrons and fans.

The U.S. Census Bureau, in the Economic Census it conducts every five years, has an overarching category it calls Arts, Entertainment and Recreation. The 578 “business establishments” it counted under that heading include everything from sports agents and talent promoters to theater companies and orchestras to golf courses, fitness centers and bowling alleys.

In the five-county area — Jackson, Clay and Platte in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte in Kansas — the Census turned up some interesting tidbits and contrasts:

▪ For a category that includes starving artists, fledgling actors and miniature golf course workers, the average salary topping $39,000 might seem hard to believe. One clue for that lies in the big county-by-county variations. Jackson County, home to the Chiefs and Royals, sports a nearly $69,500 average, versus Johnson County’s much more down-to-earth average of $19,039.

▪ As is usually the case in Census counts, populous Jackson County with 227 establishments and Johnson County with 222 dominate. When adjusted for population, however, the numbers are more even. Sprawling but reasonably well-off Platte County moves close to Johnson County by that measure, and Wyandotte County still trails the others by quite a bit.

 

▪ People looking for a place to work out shouldn’t have to look far. The Census counted 187 fitness and recreational sports centers in the five counties.

 

▪ Folks whose idea of golf is trying to avoid hitting little windmill blades will be dismayed to learn that of the 52 golf courses and country clubs in the count, only four are miniature golf centers. Two dozen bowling centers were counted, 11 of them in Jackson County.

▪ Jackson County’s long history served it well in the museum count, where it has 17 of the 25 museums and historic sites counted in the area. It also has 11 of 17 theater companies, and the three professional dance companies listed in the survey.

This story was originally published January 28, 2016 at 12:08 PM with the headline "Data KC: Census shows Kansas Citians have many arts, sports, fitness options."