High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The economy of Kansas City Metropolitan Area is anchored by Kansas City, Missouri, which is the largest city in Missouri and 40th largest city in the United States. The Kansas City Metropolitan Area is the 27th largest in the United States based on the United States Census Bureau`s 2004 population estimates. The Kansas City area is a large, influential, and important economy in its region. Historically, Kansas City, Missouri has been the third largest beef capital in the United States (behind Chicago and Cincinnati) and home to the second largest rail network. The Kansas City Metropolitan Area houses many factories, manufacturing plants, an official international trade zone, and more foreign trade zone space than anywhere else in the nation KC SmartPort.