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Our family may be moving to KC come early Summertime, with a job situation that may require us to settle. I've done ample internet scouting on KC, but came here to get real people opinions; hopefully you guys can help. For a bit of background, I'm originally from England, husband's from Pittsburgh, and we both appreciate four-season kinds of climates. We currently living in Philly and have three little boys under four. My husband and I are late twenties, he's a dentist, and I'm looking to go back to school for more graduate schooling at some point but currently stay at home with my boys.
I have three main questions, and am hoping someone can shed light on any of them. I need to visit KC for myself, but would really love cursory help.
1. Climate
Anyone move to KC from Philly? If so, is it comparable? What I've read about KC so far is that it's rather extreme for Summer and Winter, and the Fall and Spring are both a bit soggy and short. Is that accurate? Philly gets a Summer from about June-Sept and it can get up to 100 easily with a high humidity (you feel sweaty as soon as you walk outside!) and in Winter it largely hovers around low 30s, can snow a lot, and can get icy, from November-late Feb, typically. On the topic of the outdoors, how are the bugs and allergies in KC? I'm used to living in an area with few bugs, to be honest, a few mosquitoes here and there, a few flies or bees, but nothing that's going to kill me and certainly not in high volumes. I ran into a post that mentioned a lot of brown recluses and that scares me, but I can't tell how much of it was fear mongering or truth.
2. Place to live
My husband's job would be in Overland Park area, but he's fine with a little commute (<30min ideally). There are four areas I've honed in on, from internet research. If I can share what I seem to have found from the internet and get feedback on how accurate it is, I'd appreciate it. My husband and I both play music and would like to get involved with that sortof thing in KC, we both like to go out to eat, walk around parks, ride bikes, and do all the above with our kids. I come from a place that has a bit of charm and an identity. I'm not a fan of suburban divisions in the US (vinyl sided houses, neighbors that sortof vaguely wave when you get the mail but you don't actually ever talk) and would prefer to avoid such. Because of these things, I was sortof interested in Brookside and Volker area. Can anyone tell me the difference in feel between the two? I understand the schools there are... lacking, although there's that Academie Lafayette (we'd rather avoid private school). Because of the school issue, I also took fancy to Prairie Village. I like that it is better schools, and suburban advantages (parks, swimming pools, proximity to grocery stores) but worry it will have no personality and be far enough from the city that it may as well be a lifetime away, for how often we'll get in there with small children! Parkville also had a bit of appeal because of it's little main street, and being able to get some land for a decent price but I can't really find an awful lot on the feel of the place. Any ideas? Did I grossly overlook a prime location?
3. Safety
I've looked at stats for all the places above (Parkville, Brookside, Volker, Prairie Village) but I want to know how they all feel. Stats can be deceiving - my currently neighborhood in Philly has horrible stats, but my experience is that my neighbors look out for each other and it's actually a family neighborhood that you just don't want to be out after dark in, alone, really.
Any help you can give would be much, much appreciated!
You will want to check out and post in the Kansas City Forum rather than this one, which is for the state of Kansas.
1. Climate - not drastically different from Philly. I think the humidity and heat in the summers will be worse. Probably less snow in the winter. KC is supposedly very bad for allergy sufferers (I'm not one myself, thankfully). Bugs will likely be worse than Philly, but not as bad as other regions of the country.
2. Brookside is more consistently upscale than Volker which has more diversity of housing stock and demographics. Brookside is more suburban feeling (though not as much as a true suburb like Prairie Village or Parkville) than the more urban Volker which has higher density and more consistent walkability. Volker is more funky, artsy, gritty, and diverse than Brookside.
You could also consider some neighborhoods that border these two like Waldo (south of Brookside) and Coleman Highlands, Roanoke, West Plaza, etc near Volker.
Academie Lafayette is very highly regarded, but there are some other well-respected options for public schools in KCMO, such as Border Star Montessori, Foreign Language Academy, Hale Cook (limited to Brookside and Waldo area).
3. Safety. I would consider all of the areas you mention to be perfectly safe. I imagine Volker would have the worst crime stats (crime will always be higher when you have higher density and activity) but I would still consider it a safe area and I wouldn't really worry about being out after dark alone.
A couple questions that would help for recommendations - are you looking to buy or rent, and what is your price range?
Thank you so much for your reply! Very informative indeed. We're looking to buy, around the $250k mark, which I know won't go SUPER far in Brookside etc, but we're not against longer term renovation or anything. We'd prefer a 3-4 bed, with a little yard, so no apartments.
Welcome! I moved from Los Angeles to Seattle to KC in the span of 3 years, and they couldn't all be more different. So, from the perspective of someone who grew up with endless summer and no seasons and then transitioned to endless rain, here goes…
The climate of KC is ultra-changeable, but basically from early April to early July, it's gorgeous. From mid-September to mid-November, it's gorgeous. Winter and summer…well, they're what you're already used to. Summers are hot and humid and winters, while not anything like winter in Minnesota or Wisconsin, are cold. But not horrible.
I'm a freelance writer and I have a TON of clients in Philly, and I love the city. One of the things I love about it is that everybody seems to know everybody. That's not quite KC, and I think it's even less so in the 'burbs. People are friendly, but there's a more Midwestern reserve here. That's why I think you'd be less happy in a place like Brookside, which is very affluent but a bit less warm than you might like. I second the recommendation of Waldo, which is abuts Brookside to the south and is also quite nice. But the homes are smaller and older, the streets are quieter, and the neighborhoods are very friendly. That's where I live with my wife and daughters. It's also walkable to a really nice commercial district, which you might enjoy if you like the walkable area you're in now. Waldo also puts you close to several excellent Catholic private schools.
If you want a more urban feel, also consider the Westside. It's close to downtown, with many great old row houses and a wonderful commercial core, including the best bakery in the city. It's one of the hottest urban pioneer neighborhoods in the country, adjacent to the downtown core and the Crossroads Arts District, and there's a great new charter school nearby as well.
As for KS side suburbs, you can't go wrong with Fairway, Westwood or Prairie Village. They're all very nice, though I can't speak to the housing prices. For the 250K you're looking to spend, Westwood might be your best bet. It's absolutely charming and the homes are a little smaller, so yo might find something in your price range.
Thanks, pacificwhim. Great information, will definitely check out those areas. I do like the look of the Crossroads district a bit and whatnot, and Waldo seems promising. Will plan to visit those areas. May I ask where your children go to school (not specifically - but is it charter/private) and are you happy with their education? (No pressure if that's too personal a question).
We live in a very unusual street for the 21st C - we know most of our neighbors on the street and chat to them when we go out despite our large age differences and whatnot. Being a part of a neighborhood does have a lot of appeal. That's good to know Brookside might be a little less warm than we'd like. Westside also sounds worth a look (the bakery at the very least!)
KC winters have always struck me as mild (this past winter, which wasn't mild anywhere, excepted), but most of my non-KC life has been in places like Minnesota, Wisconsin, and northern Illinois. I've found summers to be pretty humid, as well. Overall, it's pretty temperate. I love spring in KC. Right now, my husband is on military orders, so we're out of state, and I miss KC springtime.
In regard to allergies, I never developed seasonal allergies until I moved to KC, and then I suffered pretty badly in the spring. Tree pollen, in particular, is an issue for me, and there are a ton more by way of flowering trees than where I previously lived. On high tree pollen days in the spring (you can see the powder coating cars parked on tree-lined streets when it's bad), I might as well just hide under the covers. KC is also buggier than other places I've lived. I had my first experience with chiggers ever last summer...where I grew up, it's too cold for them. Pretty miserable. There are brown recluses; I never saw a single one, though. I did know someone who had to break the lease on her apt., because there was an infestation.
What kind of music do you play? There is a pretty vibrant arts and music community in KC. I'm more a vocal music person, and found great ensembles with which to perform.
Brookside and Volker have a lot by way of character and non-generic housing stock. Volker has the more urban feel, Brookside is more streetcar suburb. Brookside is generally notably more affluent. They both have a commercial strip of various independent shops and restaurants, although the vibe is different.
Prairie Village is nice...my husband grew up in neighboring Mission, but that part of the metro is pretty solidly stereotypically suburban...you will have a slightly harder time avoiding the vinyl sided houses and polite but lukewarm neighbors who wave and nod, but don't know your name, most likely. But, it IS very close to KC city limits, and "getting into the city" really wouldn't be a problem. Even in the far flung burbs (Prairie Village is not, it's inner ring), you're never really that far from the city, and traffic is nothing...As others have mentioned, Waldo is a pretty family-friendly option, as well...I lived there for a while and enjoyed it. You're aware that public schools within the KCMO urban district are in a bad way right now, clearly, so be aware that there are various charter options (some, like Academie Lafayette, really quite good), and will probably continue to be more and more (in addition to private schools).
In terms of safety, from your post, I don't think you're going to have any concerns in any of the areas you're interested in. There are gentrifying parts of the urban core that are still pretty touch-and-go, and have pockets of sketchiness, but the places you're looking aren't those parts. There isn't a neighborhood you listed where I haven't walked alone at night as a woman and felt a-ok doing so.
Hello!
We currently living in Philly and have three little boys under four....
3. Safety!
I think its safer than Philly. One time in Philly I was just chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool, shooting some b-ball outside of the school, when a couple of guys, they were up to no good, starting making trouble in my neighborhood. I got in one little fight and it wasn't that pretty, so my mom said "you're moving with your auntie and uncle in Kansas City."
The Westside is a great, unique neighborhood, but but it can be a tough area to buy in with limited housing stock - especially in the middle range around $250k. It can be quite pricey for a good sized home in the nicer sections, or it will be a cheap little shack in the non-gentrified areas. But if you can find something in your range, it would be worth considering.
Not all of Brookside is very affluent - the east and southeast portions are more moderately priced and I don't think there would be a drastic difference from Waldo when it comes to the friendliness and community feel.
If you go the suburban route, I agree that the aforementioned NE JoCo burbs would probably be your best bets. Options will be limited in Westwood and Fairway due to size and price, respectively. Prairie Village would have the most options, but your concern about the lack of personality is valid.
What part of Philly do you live in now? I'm in philly all the time and could maybe chime in on the similarities / differences. Seems like Philly varies wildly depending on the part of the metro or city you are in. Lots of good info on KC here though.
Thanks to all giving information; personal accounts like yours are helping me add dimension to my factual research.
Tabula Rasa - oh man, allergy situation sounds less than ideal, but that's good information so I can be prepared for some sneezing. I play classical violin and dink around with my husband who plays more band-type instruments (guitar, keys, etc) and plays more rock and folk. We both like to go and see bands play and whatnot too.Good to hear about Waldo - I'll definitely look into that too.
PvPete - ha! I heard there are some sketchy areas in KC and Kansas in general (wasn't Lawrence the meth capital for a bit?) but Philly definitely has a corner on the market for dodgy antics, depending on where you are in the city
KCMO - I'm in South Philly, about 3 mile south of Walnut. Philly seems rather street-by-street for safety in some areas, mine included. My particular street is unusually friendly I think, and we've not so much as had our car broken into here, which is a miracle I think. Any input from you would be greatly appreciated!
WiseOwl - thank you again for your help! I'll definitely have a poke around Westside. I appreciate what you said about how far $250k would go in Westside too, good to think about.
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