One of the earliest pieces of recorded history relating to Goodland concerns the Kidder Massacre.

On July 2, 1867, a detachment of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment was massacred; second lieutenant Lyman S. Kidder in command of the party, a sergeant, a corporal, eight privates and an Indian guide lost their lives.

A man named Clark showed up in the county in 1887 proposing to create a new town to settle the dispute.

The Supreme Court of Kansas considered various proceedings but did not change the outcome of the vote.

[8] Goodland sprang up around the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad that had been built through it.

[12] Goodland's climate is officially classed as humid continental (Koppen Dfa); although it only just misses a semi-arid (BSk) classification and is also close to a wet-summer continental climate (Dwa).

Winters are generally cold and dry, summers hot and moderately wet.

[15] The 2020 United States census counted 4,465 people, 1,891 households, and 1,103 families in Goodland.

36.5% of households consisted of individuals and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

[2] Goodland has a full-time police department that provides 24/7 law enforcement coverage within the city limits.

Aviation forecasts are created for two sites: Goodland, Kansas, and McCook, Nebraska.

The community is served by Goodland USD 352 public school district, which operates three public schools in the city:[29] The Goodland Star-News is the city's sole newspaper, published twice weekly.

[31][32] KKCI plays a Classic Rock format, broadcasting on 102.5 FM.

[33][34] KWGB, which is licensed to Colby, Kansas, broadcasts from Goodland on 97.9 FM, playing a Country format.

[33][35] Licensed to Goodland, KGCR broadcasts on 107.7 FM from near Brewster, Kansas, playing a Christian Contemporary format.

[37] CBS affiliate KBSL-DT, a satellite station of KWCH-DT in Wichita, is licensed to Goodland and broadcasts on digital channel 10.

After the installation suffered damage from exposure to the weather, Cross returned in 2012 to repaint the piece using a brighter palette.

[40][41] The High Plains Museum includes a replica of the "gyrocopter", a commercially unsuccessful powered helicopter built in Goodland.