Life In Ottawa, Kansas
Ride, walk, or run the Prairie Spirit Trail, explore Ottawa’s historic downtown, and experience a community where outdoor recreation is part of everyday life. Known as the “Trail Crossroads of Kansas,” Ottawa sits at the intersection of the Prairie Spirit Trail and Flint Hills Trail, offering miles of scenic adventure alongside locally owned restaurants, unique shops, year-round community events, and beautiful parks. A strong economy supported by healthcare, manufacturing...
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Key Employers
Ottawa University
Ottawa University is one of Ottawa’s most important employers and a cornerstone of higher education in the community. As a private, nonprofit institution with a strong liberal arts foundation, Ottawa University is known for its focus on academic excellence, character development, and community engagement.
The university offers a wide range of career opportunities across academic departments, student services, administration, admissions, athletics, facilities, IT, communications, finance, and HR. With roles spanning faculty, professional staff, and operational teams, Ottawa University provides opportunities for individuals passionate about education and student success.
Ottawa University’s culture is rooted in service, integrity, and collaboration. Employees are supported through professional development, strong benefits, and a shared mission to prepare students for meaningful careers and lives of purpose.
#employers
AdventHealth Ottawa
AdventHealth Ottawa is a major nonprofit healthcare provider and one of Ottawa, Kansas’s most essential employers, serving the region as a full service hospital and care network. This facility combines world class clinical services with a mission driven focus on whole person care.
The hospital offers a wide range of career opportunities across nursing and clinical care, allied health, patient support, administration, IT, facilities, and leadership roles. With a dedicated team of more than 300 team members and a full spectrum of services, AdventHealth Ottawa supports professionals at all levels of their careers.
#employers
American Eagle Outfitters Distribution Center
American Eagle Outfitters operates a major distribution center in Ottawa that supports the company’s retail stores and e-commerce operations across the country. The facility plays a key role in the company’s supply chain, specializing in warehousing, inventory management, order fulfillment, and logistics. Careers are available in distribution, warehouse operations, transportation, maintenance, engineering, human resources, supply chain, and management, making it one of the area’s largest private employers.
#employers
Kalmar
Kalmar is a global leader in sustainable cargo-handling solutions, manufacturing equipment used in ports, terminals, distribution centers, and industrial facilities around the world. Its Ottawa facility supports the production of heavy equipment while offering careers in manufacturing, engineering, welding, machining, quality assurance, supply chain, maintenance, and operations. As one of Ottawa’s major employers, Kalmar plays an important role in the region’s advanced manufacturing industry.
#employers
Walmart Distribution Center
Walmart operates a regional distribution center in Ottawa that helps supply stores across the Midwest with merchandise and essential goods. The facility plays a critical role in the company’s supply chain and offers careers in warehouse operations, logistics, transportation, maintenance, inventory management, engineering, human resources, and leadership. As one of Ottawa’s largest employers, the distribution center supports efficient product movement while providing a wide range of career opportunities.
#Employers
Garmin
Garmin is a global leader in GPS technology, wearable devices, and smart navigation products, designing innovative solutions for aviation, automotive, marine, outdoor recreation, and fitness. With major operations in nearby Olathe, Garmin offers career opportunities in engineering, software development, manufacturing, supply chain, quality assurance, information technology, finance, marketing, and corporate support. Its proximity to Ottawa makes it an excellent option for residents seeking careers in advanced technology and product innovation.
#employers
Ottawa University
Ottawa University is one of Ottawa’s most important employers and a cornerstone of higher education in the community. As a private, nonprofit institution with a strong liberal arts foundation, Ottawa University is known for its focus on academic excellence, character development, and community engagement.
The university offers a wide range of career opportunities across academic departments, student services, administration, admissions, athletics, facilities, IT, communications, finance, and HR. With roles spanning faculty, professional staff, and operational teams, Ottawa University provides opportunities for individuals passionate about education and student success.
Ottawa University’s culture is rooted in service, integrity, and collaboration. Employees are supported through professional development, strong benefits, and a shared mission to prepare students for meaningful careers and lives of purpose.
#employers
AdventHealth Ottawa
AdventHealth Ottawa is a major nonprofit healthcare provider and one of Ottawa, Kansas’s most essential employers, serving the region as a full service hospital and care network. This facility combines world class clinical services with a mission driven focus on whole person care.
The hospital offers a wide range of career opportunities across nursing and clinical care, allied health, patient support, administration, IT, facilities, and leadership roles. With a dedicated team of more than 300 team members and a full spectrum of services, AdventHealth Ottawa supports professionals at all levels of their careers.
#employers
American Eagle Outfitters Distribution Center
American Eagle Outfitters operates a major distribution center in Ottawa that supports the company’s retail stores and e-commerce operations across the country. The facility plays a key role in the company’s supply chain, specializing in warehousing, inventory management, order fulfillment, and logistics. Careers are available in distribution, warehouse operations, transportation, maintenance, engineering, human resources, supply chain, and management, making it one of the area’s largest private employers.
#employers
Kalmar
Kalmar is a global leader in sustainable cargo-handling solutions, manufacturing equipment used in ports, terminals, distribution centers, and industrial facilities around the world. Its Ottawa facility supports the production of heavy equipment while offering careers in manufacturing, engineering, welding, machining, quality assurance, supply chain, maintenance, and operations. As one of Ottawa’s major employers, Kalmar plays an important role in the region’s advanced manufacturing industry.
#employers
Walmart Distribution Center
Walmart operates a regional distribution center in Ottawa that helps supply stores across the Midwest with merchandise and essential goods. The facility plays a critical role in the company’s supply chain and offers careers in warehouse operations, logistics, transportation, maintenance, inventory management, engineering, human resources, and leadership. As one of Ottawa’s largest employers, the distribution center supports efficient product movement while providing a wide range of career opportunities.
#Employers
Garmin
Garmin is a global leader in GPS technology, wearable devices, and smart navigation products, designing innovative solutions for aviation, automotive, marine, outdoor recreation, and fitness. With major operations in nearby Olathe, Garmin offers career opportunities in engineering, software development, manufacturing, supply chain, quality assurance, information technology, finance, marketing, and corporate support. Its proximity to Ottawa makes it an excellent option for residents seeking careers in advanced technology and product innovation.
#employers
Ottawa University
Ottawa University is one of Ottawa’s most important employers and a cornerstone of higher education in the community. As a private, nonprofit institution with a strong liberal arts foundation, Ottawa University is known for its focus on academic excellence, character development, and community engagement.
The university offers a wide range of career opportunities across academic departments, student services, administration, admissions, athletics, facilities, IT, communications, finance, and HR. With roles spanning faculty, professional staff, and operational teams, Ottawa University provides opportunities for individuals passionate about education and student success.
Ottawa University’s culture is rooted in service, integrity, and collaboration. Employees are supported through professional development, strong benefits, and a shared mission to prepare students for meaningful careers and lives of purpose.
#employers
AdventHealth Ottawa
AdventHealth Ottawa is a major nonprofit healthcare provider and one of Ottawa, Kansas’s most essential employers, serving the region as a full service hospital and care network. This facility combines world class clinical services with a mission driven focus on whole person care.
The hospital offers a wide range of career opportunities across nursing and clinical care, allied health, patient support, administration, IT, facilities, and leadership roles. With a dedicated team of more than 300 team members and a full spectrum of services, AdventHealth Ottawa supports professionals at all levels of their careers.
#employers
American Eagle Outfitters Distribution Center
American Eagle Outfitters operates a major distribution center in Ottawa that supports the company’s retail stores and e-commerce operations across the country. The facility plays a key role in the company’s supply chain, specializing in warehousing, inventory management, order fulfillment, and logistics. Careers are available in distribution, warehouse operations, transportation, maintenance, engineering, human resources, supply chain, and management, making it one of the area’s largest private employers.
#employers
Kalmar
Kalmar is a global leader in sustainable cargo-handling solutions, manufacturing equipment used in ports, terminals, distribution centers, and industrial facilities around the world. Its Ottawa facility supports the production of heavy equipment while offering careers in manufacturing, engineering, welding, machining, quality assurance, supply chain, maintenance, and operations. As one of Ottawa’s major employers, Kalmar plays an important role in the region’s advanced manufacturing industry.
#employers
Walmart Distribution Center
Walmart operates a regional distribution center in Ottawa that helps supply stores across the Midwest with merchandise and essential goods. The facility plays a critical role in the company’s supply chain and offers careers in warehouse operations, logistics, transportation, maintenance, inventory management, engineering, human resources, and leadership. As one of Ottawa’s largest employers, the distribution center supports efficient product movement while providing a wide range of career opportunities.
#Employers
Garmin
Garmin is a global leader in GPS technology, wearable devices, and smart navigation products, designing innovative solutions for aviation, automotive, marine, outdoor recreation, and fitness. With major operations in nearby Olathe, Garmin offers career opportunities in engineering, software development, manufacturing, supply chain, quality assurance, information technology, finance, marketing, and corporate support. Its proximity to Ottawa makes it an excellent option for residents seeking careers in advanced technology and product innovation.
#employers
Awards & Press
The four must-sees of ottawa
OU Named a 2024-25 Silver Champions of Character
Environmental Stewardship Award
EXCELLENCE AWARD AT BEST OF THE MIDWEST MEDIA FEST
AAA Gold Kansas Community Traffic Safety Award for traffic safety efforts in 2020
19th Safest City in Kansas
Kansas’ Flint Hills Trail State Park Recognized as Hall of Fame Trail
Cost of Living Comparison
See how your current cost of living compares to life in Ottawa, Kansas. Sign up to save your details and auto-load results next time.
MakeMyMove sources all Cost of Living Data from COLI, published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER), without any modification or bias.
COLI data is recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and CNN Money. The data and methodology are described in detail and completely transparent to users, found in the COLI Manual. Both data and methodology are reviewed by an Advisory Board composed of academic researchers and government officials. The Cost of Living Index is referenced in the Census Bureau's Statistical Abstract of the U.S.
According to the COLI Manual, composite differences of <4% and categorical differences of <5% are not statistically significant and should not be treated as necessarily accurate.
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Ottawa Community Feed
Get a feel for what Ottawa is all about from the community's locals who know best.
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