Overgrazing by cattle had destroyed the natural vegetation cover, and the movement of sand seriously endangered the town.

The characteristic weather in the Kecskemét region of Kiskunság is continental warm, dry, sometimes extreme.

The amount of sunlight makes it possible for the region to produce agricultural products such as wheat, apricots, red peppers, and tomatoes.

As Kecskemét was situated at an important trading route, it grew as a customhouse and a market-place; in 1368 it was identified in one of King Louis I of Hungary's charters as an oppidium (town).

During the Turkish invasion, settlers from neighboring villages sought shelter in Kecskemét, which was protected by defensive palisades.

At the end of the 18th century, animal breeding started to decline in economic importance, as the fields had become overgrazed and denuded.

Cottage-type settlements grew up at the vineyards to house workers, a pattern still characteristic of the rural areas around the town.

With their accumulation of capital, peasants began to adopt bourgeois customs and goods, stimulating trade in the town.

Such regional wealth led to construction of new buildings, especially those surrounding Kecskemét's main square.

During the war and especially May–June 1944, Hungarian authorities rounded up and deported most of the Jews from the city to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where most were killed.

Due to reorganisation in local government, Kecskemét lost its big territory; several new independent villages were formed in the area.

In 1950, for the first time, Kecskemét took on a significant political administrative role, as it was made seat of the country's largest county, Bács-Kiskun.

In the special system of the so-called controlled economy under the Communist regimes, such status provided political and financial advantages that greatly helped the city continue its growth.

[8] The Stuttgart-based company invested €800 million (US$1.24 billion) to build the new plant, which is expected to create 3,000 new jobs in the region.

In 2010, with competitive funding from the EU, the city launched a number of trolley bus lines and in 2011 completely rebuilt the town centre as a trolleybus and pedestrian tourist zone.

The city had a thriving Jewish population before World War II, as represented by their grand synagogue.

The local Municipal Assembly, elected at the 2019 local government elections, is made up of 21 members (1 Mayor, 14 Individual constituencies MEPs and 6 Compensation List MEPs) divided into this political parties and alliances:[13] List of city mayors from 1990: Kecskemét is twinned with:[14] Kecskemét also cooperates with:[14] The MH 59th "Dezső Szentgyörgyi" Tactical Wing, the only jet fighter unit of the Hungarian Defence Forces, is based at Kecskemét air force base.