How would you rate the overall quality of life in the Kansas City Area? (St. Louis: transplants, crime)
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Possible job transfer to Kansas City/Overland Park area.
New here to City-Data, My wife and I are considering a possible move to KC/OP area - We are both in our late thirties with a four year toddler, originally from the West Coast, I was born in Seattle, grew up in Northern Cal, Menlo Park area and lived in San Diego & O.C. for 17 years - Wife is from Texas but grew up in So Cal and went to college in San Diego - We have been living in Houston TX for the past three years and are definitely ready for a change. We have only been to K.C. once before in June for three days and were impressed by how neat & clean it looked, especially compared to Houston, how non-congested the roadways were along with the friendliness and congeniality of the people we met.
I am in telecom industry and my wife is a RN here in Houston, I would transfer from our Houston office to the Overland Park HQ with the same salary and my wife would look for a RN position after we were settled - We would love to get some current insight from transplants to the area, especially folks who moved to K.C. from the East and West Coasts or larger Mid-West/Southeast cities along with natives who have left the area and moved on to other cities.
[How would you compare K.C. to where you currently live or have moved here from?
Transplants, what do you think about the area now that you're here in K.C.- was it a good move for you and would you do it again? Where did you move from? Those who have left KC, what do you miss about the area, and are you happier elsewhere now that you moved away? For those who are native to the area, what were the best and worst parts of growing up in this region of the country?
Where are the top areas to live for families on the Missouri side? - Our son will be starting kindergarten in a year, outside of Overland Park which I understand has excellent public schools - which areas on the Missouri side have the best K-12 public schools and offer the best overall quality of life in terms of recreation, lay-out, vibrancy and environment, safety, entertainment options, quality retail, and proximity to other areas. Also would it be advisable to live in MO and work in Overland Park tax-wise?
How progressive is the Kansas City area --- We live in Houston which was a huge culture shock for me, VERY socially conservative and evangelical like the majority of Texas, lot's of rednecks once you get 15 miles outside the major cities of TX - We would prefer a more balanced and progressive culture - I think we would be considered fiscally conservative and socially liberal - prefer Independent Libertarianism aka Libertarian approach to government - I think Orange County,parts of Upper New England and Colorado seem to embrace this type of political culture.
Both of us grew up Catholic, but don't attend church on a regular basis and when we do we go to a great Episcopal church in Houston -- How would you describe the overall culture and politics in K.C?
How would you compare Kansas City in terms of its overall quality of life, regional culture, weather, higher education options and the region's metro's overall financial outlook to other similar sized Midwestern cities - St. Louis, Columbus, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, Indy etc. (Our other option is Columbus)
Entertainment -Outside of the Plaza and Westport we really didn't get a chance to see much else of K.C. In terms of dining and entertainment, where are some of the best spots to enjoy on weekends including interesting places, museums, favorite outdoor recreation spots and local weekend getaways
Sports - I love Pro sports NFL and MLB, but also love to play soccer and mountain bike (no hills in Houston), how would you rate the area for indoor/outdoor sports and recreation for adults & children?
Weather - I know it gets hot and humid there in the summer,(not nearly as hot as Texas) does anyone get bad seasonal allergies, (Houston is tough on allergies) What are the summer months like, & how much heavy snowfall does the area get in the winter months? What type of activities do people do in the winter to keep themselves busy and entertained (especially if you have young children)
Also my wife is half Japanese --- does K.C. and or Overland Park have a decent sizes Japanese/Asian Community.
Truly looking forward to hearing everyone's thoughts and responses - Thanks in advance!
Offhand, I'd say the Kansas City area resembles Houston more than it does the Bay Area of California, or Los Angeles. Iowa meets Memphis, is the flavor here.
Sorry to answer your questions with questions of my own, but where do you live now in Houston? What neighborhoods do you like and dislike there?
Reason I'm asking is that I moved here from Houston (two different neighborhoods, both close in to downtown), though it's been twenty years. Before that, I lived many years in different parts of California, both LA and the Bay Area. Like you, I had to adjust to that slightly different Texas outlook. Are you looking for something more like Montrose, or more like The Woodlands? More like Sugarland, or more like River Oaks?
Where I live now in KCMO, north of the river in Platte County, is in the Park Hill district. It has an excellent reputation. Parents that I know seem very happy with the quality of the teachers. Liberty School District, also north of the river, has a fine reputation. Actually, I think all the school districts north of the river are more or less good. I also think the public schools in Lee's Summit and Independence (Missouri side of the line) are considered good, but others on this forum are better qualified to say yes or no.
The overall tax burden between Missouri and Kansas is going to be about the same for most people. There are of course differences on the particulars, but it evens out for most. Personally, I hate a long commute, so I'd be paying more attention to that.
Houston is a love-it-or-hate-it city. Or rather, love it and hate it at the same time. It aspires to be great, I'll say that for it. My feelings about KC are decidedly more tepid. It's an easy place to live, neither too big nor too small, not a whole lot to dislike, but it gives me a sad feeling that its best years are behind it.
If you lean to the libertarian side of the political spectrum, be aware that KC, Missouri, and Kansas are every bit as bible belt and conservative as the place you're leaving. (By the way, doesn't the libertarian Republican Ron Paul represent a suburban Houston district? You won't find anybody remotely like Ron Paul around here.) Your remark about rednecks aplenty 15 miles outside the major Texas cities applies equally to Missouri, and for that matter Kansas.
I'm orginally from the St. Louis area and spent a couple years in Chicago post college, and Kansas City is definitely different from its other midwestern counterparts. I have not personally lived in the sunbelt though I do have a friend who recently moved from Dallas to Houston (Montrose area) so I've definitely spent some time in Texas, and I find myself agreeing with tzeb that the two have more in common than not. Kansas City has a slower way of life than Houston and certainly less traffic, but the sprawl, the general political leanings, and the look of the suburbs is actually fairly similar.
That said, if you prefer older homes, and a less evangelical viewpoint, I would probably suggest looking at the inner-ring suburbs on the Kansas side, especially given your commute to Overland Park. I would look at Fairway, Mission, Prairie Village or Shawnee to start (in that order).
And my understanding is that allergies are pretty terrible in Kansas City. My SO grew up here and found his allergies to be much better when we lived in Chicago. I suspect it has a lot to do with the relatively high average windspeeds.
As far as neighborhoods and entertainment options outside of the Plaza and Westport -- check out Brookside, a cute walkable neighborhood with lots of shops and restaurants. Very family friendly. If you wanted to actually live there (which, after visiting you might well want to!) you'd need to look at private school options for your child. I know there is a Montessori school in the neighborhood that is affiliated with the KCMO school district and a coworker of mine has been happy with it.
If you lean to the libertarian side of the political spectrum, be aware that KC, Missouri, and Kansas are every bit as bible belt and conservative as the place you're leaving.
As an 'atheist' (I don't call myself one - I don't believe in flying unicorns but don't call myself an 'aflyingunicornist') who leans libertarian (not either democrat or republican anyway) and knows of many in KC who are as well, I'd have to disagree.
KC has bible belt people as many cities do, but I don't think it dominates - moreso than W Coast but not nearly to the degree of Texas or the South. There are many Catholics/Episcopalians and not very active but somewhat religious people in KC. KC is somewhere in the middle politically. The city core is hard hard core blue while the rest of the metro has mostly mainstream reds and some hard core reds. Keep in mind that about 45% of JoCo/Overland Park (considered traditionally Reagan/Bush country) voted for Obama.
I would compare JoCo/OP to Orange County in LA. JoCo is highly educated, top 12 educated counties in US with Bachelors and top 20 with more advanced degrees. KCMO is more like a Midwest city with grand old hoods, blue collars areas to old money to middle of road burbs to city culture/amenities, but leans West in terms of how laid back the people are.
If you want a last turn o century home, you'll find many in KCMO that the SW and West can't really compare to. KC is literally a city that is in the middle and has representation/influences from all corners of the US.
[quote=Techwired;20554111] Where are the top areas to live for families on the Missouri side?
Brookside/S Plaza area if you want to be closer to the city core. KC North/Riverside/Parkville/Liberty or Lee's Summit otherwise. KC North area would be a longer commute to OP but closer to airport than JoCo/OP if traveling often.
Houston surrounding counties are far more red than KC surrounding Counties. Most Houston surrounding counties voted 60-75% McCain. KC surrounding counties voted 50-60% McCain and KC has more nearby counties that went Obama. KC red areas are much more comparable to Orange County LA than any non-city core Texas county. Now southern MO is more comparable to Texas politically though still not quote as deeply red.
Entertainment -Outside of the Plaza and Westport we really didn't get a chance to see much else of K.C. In terms of dining and entertainment, where are some of the best spots to enjoy on weekends including interesting places, museums, favorite outdoor recreation spots and local weekend getaways
Also my wife is half Japanese --- does K.C. and or Overland Park have a decent sizes Japanese/Asian Community.
OP is about 5% Asian, about the same as Houston city. Most educated Asians are in OP/JoCo area or UMKC/Brookside area of KCMO, most immigrants are in KC's NE side.
tzeb- I moved here from Houston (two different neighborhoods, both close in to downtown), though it's been twenty years. Before that, I lived many years in different parts of California, both LA and the Bay Area. Like you, I had to adjust to that slightly different Texas outlook. Are you looking for something more like Montrose, or more like The Woodlands? More like Sugarland, or more like River Oaks?
tzeb -- thanks for you response, very helpful. We currently in Upper Kirby right off Westheimer, close to River Oaks and Rice Village very central, we used to live in Katy/Cinco Ranch area the first year we moved to Houston which was extremely boring along with being very socially conservative - I don't think Houston is really an easy place to live, it's extremely hot and humid 6-7 months a year, very sprawling, lot's of pollution, poverty and crime -- it's kind of a odd conglomeration of Good Old Boys in the Oil & Gas industry, First generation minorities finding their footing, and blue-collar workers who move here from other southern states looking for jobs in the oil, gas and petro chemical industry.
Ideally we would like to find a nice progressive burb in the K.C. area within 15-20 min from the city --Tree lined streets, parks, nice newer housing stock 250-300k great school district along with some good local shopping would be ideal.
xenokc-Here's a map that shows election results...
President Map - Election Results 2008 - The New York Times
Houston surrounding counties are far more red than KC surrounding Counties. Most Houston surrounding counties voted 60-75% McCain. KC surrounding counties voted 50-60% McCain and KC has more nearby counties that went Obama. KC red areas are much more comparable to Orange County LA than any non-city core Texas county. Now southern MO is more comparable to Texas politically though still not quote as deeply red.
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KC has bible belt people as many cities do, but I don't think it dominates - moreso than W Coast but not nearly to the degree of Texas or the South. There are many Catholics/Episcopalians and not very active but somewhat religious people in KC.
+1 Awesome insight xenokc, thanks so much for your detailed knowledge of the area --- Lots to see and do, I am coming out this week, Thursday-Sunday so your information is extremely useful to me.
Do you or any other of the other posters feel that Overland Park or North K.C. mirrors Orange County or Northern San Diego County in any way regarding the live and let live open mind-set you have in much of that area, or would it be on the slightly more conservative side and feel a lot like the Dallas/Houston Area suburbs --Plano, McKinney, Frisco, Woodlands...etc
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