Downtown KC is almost back to pre-pandemic foot traffic
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Downtown Kansas City has recovered about 95% of its pre-COVID visitor foot traffic, rebounding from pandemic-era lows to levels that almost rival 2019 and outpace many major cities.
Why it matters: KC's recovery is happening more fully because it is no longer tied to one group returning, unlike in other states, where downtowns are still waiting on office workers.
By the numbers: According to the Downtown Council of Kansas City, downtown KC drew 7.2 million unique visitors in 2025.
- Those visitors made 40.1 million trips in total.
Flashback: Pandemic shutdowns in 2020 wiped out daily foot traffic tied to offices, events and tourism.
- By early 2023, activity had recovered to only 46% of 2019 levels.
Zoom out: Many downtowns are still lagging behind pre-pandemic activity.
- San Francisco has recovered to about 70% of 2019 visitor levels, Chicago to about 80% and Denver to about 82%, according to the same Downtown Council report.
State of play: Downtown's activity now comes from a mix of workers, residents and visitors at different times of day.
- Return-to-office numbers have recovered to about 76% of pre-pandemic levels, with higher return rates among workers who live closer to downtown.
- Downtown's residential population has grown to more than 33,000 as of early 2026, adding consistent daily foot traffic.
- Tourism, events and entertainment drive traffic beyond the workday.
The bottom line: KC's recovery is not just about getting people back. It is about who is coming back and why, and that shift is helping downtown recover faster than many others.