moving from SF to KC (St. Louis, Grandview: apartment complex, renting, crime)

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by James Bond 007

Well, of all the cities you've listed, I've lived in two of them - Seattle (25 years until a few years ago) and now, KC. Seattle is merely a somewhat less expensive SF. You're not going to gain much by moving from SF to Seattle IMO. If you really think you need something different, you'd be better off finding something very different from anything on the west coast. KC has most of the amenities you'll find in Seattle, but is cheaper. But, you have to like hot, humid summers and cold winters.

All areas of the country east of the Rockies tend to have "worse" weather overall in comparison to the very mild climate of the majority of the West Coast. KC doesn't have cold winters, however, it just has occasional extreme weather, but very little snow- nothing in common with the Midwest in that regard. Summer heat and humidity, on the other hand, is often completely debilitating in KC, but sometimes depends a good deal on the prevailing weather pattern that occurs. I know I never want to feel 110F with an 83F dewpoint- resulting in a 125F heat index value ever again in my lifetime.

[jruggles]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

All areas of the country east of the Rockies tend to have "worse" weather overall in comparison to the very mild climate of the majority of the West Coast. KC doesn't have cold winters, however, it just has occasional extreme weather, but very little snow- nothing in common with the Midwest in that regard. Summer heat and humidity, on the other hand, is often completely debilitating in KC, but sometimes depends a good deal on the prevailing weather pattern that occurs. I know I never want to feel 110F with an 83F dewpoint- resulting in a 125F heat index value ever again in my lifetime.

I'm originally from outside DC which can get quite humid in the summer (the city was basically built on a swamp). How does that compare to KC?

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by jruggles

I'm originally from outside DC which can get quite humid in the summer (the city was basically built on a swamp). How does that compare to KC?

I live in the DC area now. The weather here is similar to KC, but KC seems to have more extremes. More very hot days, more very cold days and just more extreme or severe weather in general like hail, tornadoes, thunderstorms etc. DC makes a big deal out of storms that would be considered spring showers in KC. It's also more humid in KC. I'm not a meteorologist, so I don't know why, but it's not as humid in the summers as I remember in KC and we live near a lot of water near Annapolis.

[Moman]

Agree that QoL issues are important. QoL could mean different things to different people - maybe you could be more specific on what is the most important issues to you? For example is finding a mate, marriage, education, COL, renting/leasing, buying a home with a mortgage, weather, transportation, spectator sports, culinary interests, art, etc., which of these are your priorities your particular QoL.

I don't necessarily think, as all the other comments have led, that living in center of the anchor city, Kansas City, Missouri, is really best for dating. There are nightspots, or social gatherings, in nearly all of the suburbs surrounding the anchor city, Olathe being just one of them. Olathe is in Johnson County, Kansas, and according to the demographics charts the ratio of men to women is 49% to 51%, so the odds are in your favor on that score.

I will add that women are everywhere you look here, and in your age or younger they are many. Just go shopping at a mall, join a singles dating club, singles bowling league, etc. Ladies here are friendly, you can just walk up and start an amicable conversation, or ask a question 'cause you are new to the area, no problem. There is also a large University (KS) 20 miloes to the east of Olathe that has many night spots that are hoppin' all weekend. You're only a 3-4 years older than the senior girls. There are many large hospitals in this metropolitan area, loaded with young nursing graduates, many of which are probably still single.

I am older now, but I've lived in several states when in my twenties (including CA) and I never had a problem finding female companionship - maybe it's all harder today, but use your imagination, you can find girls to date. In general, people are more friendlier here than in SF, Chicago, or Seattle.

Have you owned a personal vehicle? This metro area is wide, over 35 miles across, a car is a necessity if you will be working in Olathe to get around in this metropolitan area. Cars and all of the things that go with them are expensive, car insurance is mandatory in either state, drivers license, initial cost of the car plus about 7.5% sales tax, tires, gasoline, oil, and the all too frequent repairs of an older vehicle. The more miles you drive a day means more costs.

Might I suggest that you live and work in the same town, or nearby, (reducing daily commute costs) and drive to the anchor city's (KCMO) nightlife if you find it impossible to find dates in Olathe area.

And oh - don't forget the weather. In SF you are now paying for that fine cool winters and mild summers! You'll have no such weather in Missouri or Kansas. Be prepared for hot & humid summers and bitter cold winters. Two days ago we woke up to 19 degF here, Apr 4th! Mind you that was below the normal temp for this time of year, but it does happen. However it's probably worse winters in Chicago than here.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by Moman

Might I suggest that you live and work in the same town, or nearby, (reducing daily commute costs) and drive to the anchor city's (KCMO) nightlife if you find it impossible to find dates in Olathe area.

When I worked at Burns and Mac, we hired a guy for our team from SF and paid to relocate him to KC. I would say he was a few years out of college, single etc.

He got an apartment in JoCo (you know because that's where everybody tells new residents they have to live) and Burns & Mac is in SKC.

He absolutely hated KC. He lasted the year of his lease and bolted back to SF.

We also hired a young female engineer from SF also with just a year or so of experience out of college. She settled in JoCo as well. Hated KC. Moved on to another city. I think Chicago.

Granted, Burns and Mac was in a terrible locations. (off 63rd near Swope Park and in south KC office parks), so that alone was a pretty big turnoff to younger people, but I will say that the people we hired that lived in the city, ended up staying in KC and enjoying their time there. They probably have settled down there. The people that lived in the suburbs literally hated KC and their entire time in the city. They never really gave the city a chance.

People in KC think JoCo is a great place to live. For young people. It's just not. It's terrible and if you work there too, you can pretty much guarantee a transplant from a large coastal city will be miserable and have a really bad image of what it's like to live in KC as a young single person. Even suburbs of large coastal cities have a lot more to offer than JoCo. They have mixed use dense neighborhoods, transit, recreation, nightlife etc. JoCo has houses and shopping and families. KC and KC companies have got to embrace urban living if they ever want to lure young talent from other large cities.

Sprint, Garmen, Cerner, Burns and Mac etc are making it so much harder on themselves when it comes to recruitment by having no urban presence in KC and being so suburban culturally. Almost every post on this topic is the same. People come here asking about living in the city and commuting to some suburban office park instead of being able to find a place to live and work in the city. This is really hurting KC's ability to lure people from outside the rural midwest.

[James Bond 007]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

All areas of the country east of the Rockies tend to have "worse" weather overall in comparison to the very mild climate of the majority of the West Coast. KC doesn't have cold winters, however, it just has occasional extreme weather, but very little snow- nothing in common with the Midwest in that regard. Summer heat and humidity, on the other hand, is often completely debilitating in KC, but sometimes depends a good deal on the prevailing weather pattern that occurs. I know I never want to feel 110F with an 83F dewpoint- resulting in a 125F heat index value ever again in my lifetime.

Compared to the west coast, KC does get cold.

[SPonteKC]

Originally Posted by jruggles

I'm originally from outside DC which can get quite humid in the summer (the city was basically built on a swamp). How does that compare to KC?

I find this to be pretty accurate:

Sizzling Cities ranked – our new Heat Index – Bert Sperling

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by jruggles

I'm originally from outside DC which can get quite humid in the summer (the city was basically built on a swamp). How does that compare to KC?

Both are hot and humid in the summer, but DC has less wind overall and less extremes in weather patterns compared to KC.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Both are hot and humid in the summer, but DC has less wind overall and less extremes in weather patterns compared to KC.

DC doesn't get as hot as KC. KC is consistently warmer all summer and KC typically has more very hot days of over 90 or 100.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by Moman

However it's probably worse winters in Chicago than here.

By a long shot.