Questions about Independence (Kansas City, California, Westwood: crime, home, employment)

[Vallombrosa]

1. How safe is Independence? I am led to believe the crime stats are skewed because the crime is concentrated in certain pockets. Is downtown safe? Are there any neighborhoods where women or children shouldn't walk alone?

2. How bad are the winters? Do you get sub-zero temps? Do you need to prepare to shovel yourself out of your driveway?

3. What is the employment scene like? Does everyone drive to KC for jobs?

4. Music and the arts?

5. Politics .... is the population heavily politicized in one direction or another? What's it like to be a staunch progressive or, conversely, a staunch social conservative in Independence?

6. What is the culture like? I know, that's a vague sounding question. But anything you can tell me about it would be helpful - e.g., are people friendly? reserved? family oriented? religious? fun-loving? etc.

7. What are the best and worst things about Independence in your opinion?

[Vallombrosa]

I welcome responses that answer just a few of these questions, or even just one of them.

[Okey Dokie]

I'll tackle #2. Yes we get sub zero temps. Not for days on end, but we'll usually get 4 or 5 nights each winter when it might get down to 5 or 10 below. In 1989 or 1990 we got down to nearly 20 below. I remember this because my husband was working outside on an all night shift at KCI. When it gets that cold at night, though, we usually get above zero during the day, even if that only means 5 to 10 above. Of course there are winters when it doesn't ever get below zero.

It will snow. Usually a "big snow" is 8 inches or so, maybe once or twice a year. We didn't get hardly any snow last year. But there are times when you may have to do some shoveling, especially if your car is left outside.

[Vallombrosa]

Originally Posted by Okey Dokie

I'll tackle #2. Yes we get sub zero temps. Not for days on end, but we'll usually get 4 or 5 nights each winter when it might get down to 5 or 10 below. In 1989 or 1990 we got down to nearly 20 below. I remember this because my husband was working outside on an all night shift at KCI. When it gets that cold at night, though, we usually get above zero during the day, even if that only means 5 to 10 above. Of course there are winters when it doesn't ever get below zero.

It will snow. Usually a "big snow" is 8 inches or so, maybe once or twice a year. We didn't get hardly any snow last year. But there are times when you may have to do some shoveling, especially if your car is left outside.

Thanks, Okey Dokie. That doesn't sound too bad, even for a Californian.

Follow-up question --- how about the summer humidity? I can do the dry heat. It's going to be 107 F here tomorrow. But humidity might be another story.

[Mad Anthonie]

I'm a retired guy who has lived here since birth, so I have some insight. Independence doesn't have a downtown, that is in Kansas City. Instead we have "uptown", so called by us old-timers because the Independence Square is on a high point. It is once again a vibrant place, with multiple restaurants, a movie theater, bowling alley, billiards, and residential options.
You can learn more about the Square here... - Home

Concerning crime you can check for yourself here... LexisNexis® Community Crime Map
Compare us to cities you are familiar with. Generally speaking this is a safe community. We have only a handful of homicides per year, and the victims are rarely random strangers from the assailant. There aren't any neighborhoods I'm afraid of visiting.

We do have a lot of visitors from across the country and many other nations because of the Truman Home and Library, along with our many other historical sites. I have had the opportunity to interact with many of them, and they are usually pleased with the friendliness of the locals.

The job scene would depend on what line of work you are in. Many residents do drive to KC or other parts of the metro, but there are also jobs here.

The Englewood neighborhood in the western portion of Independence has a local arts scene, with several galleries and a monthly art walk.

You'll also find the cost of living here to be lower than most parts of California.

The weather is very variable. We have had summers with multiple days over 120 degrees, and some winters with nights to -20. Fortunately both of those are rare. The local saying is that if you don't like the weather just wait an hour, it'll change. That is an exaggeration mostly, but we don't usually have many days in a row with the same forecast.

I hope you'll find this info usual. Please keep asking if there is more you need to know.

[James Bond 007]

I work in downtown Independence. Here are my answers - though to be honest most of your questions are more general KC-area questions than Independence questions.

1. Crime in Independence is about average, I'd say. It's higher in the western parts of the city than in the eastern. Downtown is OK, though I've never been there at night.
2. Okey Dokie above gave a good answer.
3. Jobs market is OK, and yes, most people drive to work. City of KC has buses, and Independence has its own little bus system, but overall public transit isn't all that great.
4. I hope you're referring to KC in general rather than Independence. Independence itself has a small arts scene, what you would expect of a pretty average suburb of about 100K people. But KC is where the action is, with a particular emphasis on the Nelson-Atkins museum of art, which has a truly outsided quality collection for a city this size.
5. Missouri tends to be a middle of the road state in regards to politics, though it's been leaning right more in the past decade or so. Like all big cities, KC itself is fairly liberal. I'm not super familiar with Independence city politics but I get the impression it's somewhat liberal.
6. Culture-wise, the KC area is a mixture of Midwest and Southern. On the Missouri side you'll notice more people with southern accents.
7. Independence is a good place to live if you want an affordable place that's not a dump, but that also isn't particularly fancy. In the grand scheme of things it's a pretty average place. There's a good amount of historical sites in and around downtown. And it's alternate name could be "Harry Trumanville."

[Okey Dokie]

I think Mad A.'s finger slipped on the keyboard...I think he meant 100s not 120s.

[Vallombrosa]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

I hope you'll find this info usual. Please keep asking if there is more you need to know.

Excellent, sir. Thanks very much!

Interestingly, the crime map you linked to didn't show any huge imbalances (I went all the way back one full year). And there were several pockets where nothing really happened at all.

[Vallombrosa]

Originally Posted by James Bond 007

Independence is a good place to live if you want an affordable place that's not a dump, but that also isn't particularly fancy. In the grand scheme of things it's a pretty average place. There's a good amount of historical sites in and around downtown. And it's alternate name could be "Harry Trumanville."

It really sounds like my kind of place. Thanks for the informative reply.

How long does it take to travel from, let's say, a suburb on the east side of Independence to Prairie Village or Westwood KS?

[Vallombrosa]

Originally Posted by Okey Dokie

I think Mad A.'s finger slipped on the keyboard...I think he meant 100s not 120s.

Ha, I was wondering about that!