CNN/Money names OP #9 on best small city to live in U.S. (Kansas City: home, job market)

[aragx6]

Yeah I just looked at Rising Star and they're listed as being in Shawnee Mission, KS on Google which is why it didn't turn up on a search.

[northbound74]

Originally Posted by Mathguy

You can find houses for sale in JOCO for not a lot of money as well as the apartment option.

I don't know your experience with the area but JOCO is not neccessarily southern OP through and through.

If you don't believe me then go to realtor.com and run some searches.

We actually considered JoCo years ago when buying a house. The ones we looked at were on the cheaper end in places like northern OP, Fairway, Roeland Park, etc. Still overpriced and I highly doubt the lower income people I'm thinking of could afford even a 100k house. If you pay less than that in JoCo, you've got a money pit on your hands. The payments may not be higher than rent, but then there's the upkeep of an older house and higher all-around taxes in that area.

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by Kassad

Never thought my seemingly innocous post would generate this much backlash. My post's intent was not to to start a 'my city is better than your city' thread, but simply give some people reason to feel proud of where they live, even if they live near OP and not in it.

I read an article about the top High Schools in the nation. If memory serves the only Kansas City metro HS that made the list was Shawnee Mission East. It's not in OP, and I didn't attend it (I went to SMS), but it was nice to see a Shawnee Mission school make the list...

I'm just saying, you don't need to live in OP to enjoy reading the article. Why can't we just be happy that a Kansas/MO city made the list. Instead we feel the need to get defensive and cry BS...

You wouldn't think that, would you?....Unless you've followed this forum for a while, that is. Because to know this forum's history is to know that any positive commentary about OP, Johnson County, or the state of Kansas is going to be met with an onslaught of ridicule.

The Kansas and Kansas City forums don't serve the same purpose as most other CD forums. No, they are....and have been for years....vehicles for the venting of the eccentric political agendas of a couple of regular posters who will stop at nothing in their quest to bash and belittle the KC metro's most desirable living areas. Truth has been turned upside down here and that is a profound disservice to new forum visitors looking for honest relocation information and ideas.

That it is allowed to continue day after day, month after month, and year after year is a puzzlement that I've given up trying to understand.

Last, but not least, thank you for your post and this thread. Your positivity is sorely needed here.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by aragx6

Yeah I just looked at Rising Star and they're listed as being in Shawnee Mission, KS on Google which is why it didn't turn up on a search.

Yeah, it's the SM school district...plus the zipcodes around there are a little goofed up where it's a shawnee zip code but in Lenexa.

It just recently became title 1 in the last redistricting but prior to that it was getting close to being title 1 so it's not a huge change imo.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by northbound74

We actually considered JoCo years ago when buying a house. The ones we looked at were on the cheaper end in places like northern OP, Fairway, Roeland Park, etc. Still overpriced and I highly doubt the lower income people I'm thinking of could afford even a 100k house. If you pay less than that in JoCo, you've got a money pit on your hands. The payments may not be higher than rent, but then there's the upkeep of an older house and higher all-around taxes in that area.

Yeah, I don't disagree with any of that.

I come at it from a Chicago burb transplant angle and it's so much lower than there it's not funny.

"lower income" can be a relative term. And for a low-end house $900 a month in payment and property tax is a big amount unless you can split the bill with others.

[jason87x]

The highway noise issue seems rather subjective. Right now I live about a quarter mile from I-35 and I NEVER hear any freeway noise. Yet I used to live several blocks removed from a heavily traveled two lane surface street, and I could hear every single car passing by. I don't get how one could complain much about 435 unless your lot backs to it, and KDOT is busy building sound walls. Besides, most of what backs to 435 is either forest or the college blvd midrises.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by jason87x

The highway noise issue seems rather subjective. Right now I live about a quarter mile from I-35 and I NEVER hear any freeway noise. Yet I used to live several blocks removed from a heavily traveled two lane surface street, and I could hear every single car passing by. I don't get how one could complain much about 435 unless your lot backs to it, and KDOT is busy building sound walls. Besides, most of what backs to 435 is either forest or the college blvd midrises.

Look on google maps. There are lots of neighborhoods that are very close to 435, particularly inside the loop. My parents used to live less than 5 city blocks from 435 and the noise was quite significant at the time (before the era of sound walls, though). Also, the "expansion" of 435 led to the removal of a large number of trees that acted as a BUFFER between the highway and residential. Did the state of KS REPLACE any of those trees? NO. It is pretty inexcusable that this wasn't factored into the construction cost of the project.

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Overland Park isn't so great if you don't like massive highways with the inherent road noise/bad drivers that accompanies them. Ask anyone who lives who lives within 10 blocks of 435 about the noise. It sure was awesome OP planning that did not account for a buffer zone between the highway and residential development like most large metropolitan counties have. My parents used to have a house fairly close to 435 and I make a point of never moving to an area that is close to an interstate highway. The eastern side of JOCO is more desirable and is closer to the city amenities while having a far greater tree cover. Compare Lee Blvd tree cover to Pflumm Rd and you'll understand what I'm referring to.

Massive highways? Our highways are NOTHING compared to other places. I just got back from Dallas/Fort Worth. Talk about massive highways! Our highways are extremely calm and quiet in comparison.

I don't see why you are so bothered about Johnson County. You haven't even lived here for quite some time, but never fail to chime in with how much you hate it. Obviously, some of us love and that's why we are here. Personally, I like having easy access to highways. And as I said, our highways are very calm compared to other cities.

[kcmo]

435 is so busy that it has more of a hum sound that can almost become background noise or white noise. I lived very close to 435 and Wornall (could see freeway from the balcony) and it was not a problem for us. I have lived next to far more annoying surface streets where you hear every unique sound like car stereos, people yelling, big trucks and buses etc.

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Look on google maps. There are lots of neighborhoods that are very close to 435, particularly inside the loop. My parents used to live less than 5 city blocks from 435 and the noise was quite significant at the time (before the era of sound walls, though). Also, the "expansion" of 435 led to the removal of a large number of trees that acted as a BUFFER between the highway and residential. Did the state of KS REPLACE any of those trees? NO. It is pretty inexcusable that this wasn't factored into the construction cost of the project.

I haven't seen anyone who lives near 435 complaining about it. Seems like a non-issue to me, and I can't figure out why you care so much since you: 1) Don't live here anymore. 2) Don't like Johnson County. 3) Never plan to move back.

If I see people who actually live near 435 having a problem with it, then I'll listen. But I haven't heard anyone complain about it but you, and you don't even live here and you are going by a Google map as your proof of housing being too close to 435.

And....did you know people live near highways on the Missouri side of Kansas City too? Yep, they sure do! I know that comes as a shock to you. Yep, 71, 435, I-35, I-70 actually run next to residental areas. Why aren't you complaining about the lack of TREES and other buffers between highway and residential in those areas?

I have been to Phoenix where there aren't many big trees. You hear every noise in residential neighborhoods not from the highway, but just the city streets - traffic as well as any other sound. Why not complain about that if you want to target an area to complain about?