Population (metro): 596,643

Unemployment rate: 7.6%

Cost-of-living index: 92.5

Median household income: $48,508

Several aviation manufacturing and research companies, including Spirit AeroSystems and Cessna Aircraft, set the tone for commerce in Wichita. Some of the companies have suffered significant layoffs in recent years -- and the city's job growth overall may be sluggish through 2011 -- but Kansas is invested in helping a key industry fly high, and engineers continue to be in demand here.

Wichita has a high livability factor often only found in towns a fraction of its size: People are friendly, commutes are short, and the cost of living is unusually low. A suburban house with 3,466 square feet of space, an updated kitchen, five bedrooms and a finished basement was recently listed for $264,900.

Learn more about Wichita:

Best Value Cities 2011: Read about Wichita's affordability & culture

VIDEO: Take a walking tour of Wichita