McPherson Featured as 'Micropolitan Powerhouse' in National Business Magazine
City and county recognized for manufacturing excellence, education innovation and economic growth.
MCPHERSON, Kan. — McPherson and McPherson County were spotlighted in Business View Magazine's October issue as a "Micropolitan Powerhouse," highlighting the community's success in manufacturing, education and innovation. The city of 14,000 has consistently ranked in the top 10 micropolitan areas nationwide for advanced manufacturing, reaching fifth place nationally just two years ago according to Forbes rankings.
Mayor Tom Brown credits the community's 65-year competitive advantage in electrical rates — the lowest in Kansas — for attracting major manufacturers to the area. "Every one of them, for the most part, uses a great deal of electricity, and that is why they are here," Brown said. The manufacturing success is complemented by a robust agricultural economy, with McPherson County producing corn, wheat, soybeans and maintaining significant petrochemical production through the local CHS refinery. County Commissioner Keith Becker noted unemployment rates consistently hover between 1.9 and 2.3 percent.
The article emphasized McPherson College's dramatic transformation, growing from 750 to 3,500 students with an endowment exceeding $1.5 billion. The college's unique automotive restoration program gained national attention by placing second at the prestigious Pebble Beach competition with a student-restored 1953 Mercedes. Recent infrastructure investments include a $33 million water project increasing reserves by 40 percent and continued industrial recruitment efforts, with city officials recently returning from European trade missions seeking new manufacturing partners.
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