Sedalia is located in Pettis County, of which it is the county seat, 67 miles SE of Kansas City between Tipton and Knob Knoster along Highway 50 near Knob Noster State Park and Bothwell State Park. Home of the yearly Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival in June.
The population estimate for July 1, 1998 was 20,447, an increase of 647 since 1990.