Your weekly snapshot of Wichita’s local economy, hiring trends, small-business activity, and consumer signals — updated weekly, every Friday.

Close-up of a job search scene with a newspaper, red marker, and telephone, indicating job hunting.

Local Hiring & Jobs

  • Aerospace hiring remains steady.
  • Retail and service hiring is stable as holiday staffing winds down.
  • Unemployment remains low and unchanged this week.
  • No major layoffs announced in Wichita.
Close-up of hands holding a wallet with cash, depicting financial management.

Consumer Spending

  • Restaurant and coffee shop traffic steady.
  • Beauty & personal care: stable.
  • Shoppers remain price-sensitive but activity is normal for early December.
Spacious indoor shopping mall with glass ceilings and a modern design, including escalators and shops.

Business Activity

  • New openings:
    • Small bakery opening near College Hill
    • New nail studio announced in East Wichita
  • Closures:
    • One independent boutique downtown closed due to slow fall sales
  • Permits & expansions:
    • Minor renovations filed for two restaurant spaces in West Wichita
    • One new commercial build-out approved near Greenwich Rd.
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Risk Level

Overall environment remains stable. No red flags this week.
Interest rates remain elevated, which continues to pressure borrowing conditions for new small-business launches.

This Week’s Takeaway

Wichita’s local economy remains steady with no major disruptions. Hiring is stable, consumer activity is consistent with early-December patterns, and no significant closures occurred. Conditions remain steady but sensitive to borrowing costs, which continue to be the main drag on new business formation.

GO Threshold Scorecard

Each indicator is marked: ✔ Favorable ⚠️ Caution ❌ High riskbased on current data and local trends.

•Jobs market: ✔
• Local layoffs: ⚠️ (minor layoffs regionally, not Wichita-specific)
• Consumer spending: ⚠️ (steady but price-sensitive)
• Small-business credit conditions: ⚠️ (tight lending standards continue)
• Commercial real estate (retail/office): ⚠️ (vacancy still elevated; leasing slow)
• Inflation trend: ⚠️ (sticky services inflation persists)
• Interest rate environment: ❌ (rates remain restrictive)
Updated: December, 8th, 2025

This Week’s Wichita Headlines

. Aerospace hiring remains steady as Spirit and Textron maintain production levels
• Local retailers report normal holiday traffic and cautious spending patterns
• City permit filings show ongoing remodeling but limited new construction
• No major Wichita-based layoffs reported this week
• Federal rate environment unchanged, borrowing remains expensive for new businesses

ALL SOURCES Used

Labor & Hiring
• Kansas Department of Labor — Weekly Unemployment Report
• BLS Kansas statewide employment trend
• Wichita Eagle Business & Local News (Dec 1–8)

Consumer Activity
• Mastercard SpendingPulse national trends (Dec 2025)
• KWCH Retail/Local Business segments
• KAKE & KSN local reporting

Business Openings/Closures
• City of Wichita Building & Trade Permit Dashboard
• KWCH Local Business “Openings & Closures”
• Wichita Chamber of Commerce updates

Economic & Credit Environment
• Federal Reserve — latest rate guidance
• NFIB Small Business Optimism & Credit Conditions Survey