Regional Overview / Economic Development for the City of Parsons

An Overview Look at the Parsons Region

Parsons is the most populous city in Labette County, Kansas. Found at the junction of U.S. Route 59 and U.S. Route 400, Parsons is part of a quad-state area (including Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma) centrally located in the heart of the U.S. Local air transportation is available at public-use, Tri-City Airport, 12 miles west of Parsons.

Room to Grow

Parsons offers opportunities for businesses of vision looking for the space and resources to grow. One such resource is Labette County’s Great Plains Industrial Park. GPIP offers more than 6,800 acres of land ready for redevelopment, much with infrastructure already in place. Currently, GPIP is home for the Kansas Proving Ground, a defense company and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.

Parsons also provides cooperation with all taxing entities and a collective tax incentive. A state’s property tax exemption may be approved for up to 10 years for new businesses or the expansion of an existing business that creates new jobs.

Learn More About GPIP

Explore Our Incentives

Workforce & Education

Another advantage is an educated and skilled workforce. Parsons provides K-12 education through two school districts – Labette County Unified District 506 and Parsons Unified School District 503. Local advanced education is available through Labette Community College and technical training programs that include the Welding Training Program and a nationally recognized nursing program.

Labette County USD 506

Parsons USD 503

Labette Community College

The Great Outdoors

As a popular destination for tourism and recreation, Parsons enjoys an abundance of natural beauty, sporting lakes and activities for all ages and interests.

Explore Labette County

Our History

Historically, Parsons was a major hub for railroads and at one time was the third-largest railroad facility west of the Mississippi River. The city was named after Levi Parsons, President of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (Katy) Railroad.