KC is a low cost-of-living city with a vibrant arts scene. It is one of the only mid-size cities in the US to have a symphony orchestra, opera company, ballet company, theatre company, and musical theatre company. It is also the home of several world-class museums, including the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the National World War I Memorial.

The UMKC Volker campus is located in the heart of Midtown KC, just blocks from the Country Club Plaza shopping area, and only a few miles from downtown.