Throughout 2025, community conversations have been held across Pottawatomie County to identify needs and priorities at the local, regional, and county-wide levels. The idea is that having a broad understanding of these things will allow us to connect needs with resources and facilitate collaboration to address solutions.
For the first time since the original cap was set in 1985, the limit for Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) has been raised to $7,500, effective January 1, 2026,. This is more than just a tax code update—it’s a meaningful shift that can benefit both families and employers.
Economic data for Pottawatomie County in the second quarter generally fell within expected ranges, but did show slight downturns compared to the same time period in 2024. Sales and use tax totals over the second quarter lagged slightly (although year-to-date totals for 2025 still outweigh 2024), and monthly home sales are still slightly behind those of last year. However, these downturns have been generally small, and the county labor force has remained strong at over 13,600 total individuals working or looking for work.
The Kansas Department of Commerce’s Housing Assessment Tool (HAT) is designed to help communities take a structured, data-driven look at their local housing conditions and needs. The following highlights from Wamego’s HAT can inform the development of housing projects and are a key requirement for developers seeking support through programs like the Reinvestment Housing Incentive District (RHID), Moderate Income Housing (MIH) grants, and other public resources aimed at addressing housing challenges.
Pottawatomie County is a great place to live and work. It’s also home to some great people! In our “Meet Your Neighbors” series, we’ll introduce you.
Pottawatomie County is a great place to live and work. In our “Get To Know Your Community” series, we’ll introduce you to what makes this region special.
Pottawatomie County is a great place to live and work. In our “Get To Know Your Community” series, we’ll introduce you to what makes this region special.
This afternoon, we had a productive conversation with the Caterpillar Real Estate team, who confirmed that Solar Turbines—a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar—will be taking over the Wamego facility.
Pottawatomie County’s initial economic data for 2025 includes strong labor force data and year-over-year sales and use tax growth. While these indicators started off strong, home sales were slow, even seasonally, with year-over-year data for home closings trailing last year’s cumulative data for the same time period.
In this year of growth and transition, we helped local employers attract and retain talent, supported business expansion, and played a key role in job creation. Through strong partnerships, we fostered collaboration and provided businesses, stakeholders, and residents with valuable resources. We also enhanced communication by producing economic reports, tracking key indicators, and sharing insights through newsletters and web content.
