Question to those who have lived or visited other places (Republic: schools, live in)
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[quote=cp1969;11699310]Why do you want to move here?
Funny you have been to Great Neck...we live on Long Island...anyways everyone has been helpful...
Why we are even considering the move would be for quality of life issues.
TabulaRasa hit it on the nose for us...it is to find a place that will be comfortable for us in many ways....standard and cost of living..cultural...political and religious
My husband is in a profession that is in excess on the coasts...west and east...but there is a shortage in placess like KC....he is being recruited and they are making an offer and effort that is VERY hard to refuse....being honest...if he could get the same offer in Maui...look no contest...but the places that pay us what we need due to a number of issues out of our control, are places like KC, Fargo, Oklahoma....etc...
Right now he works every day of the week...the cost of living here is crazy...yes there are all the wonderful things NY has to offer....but if you are stressed and working all the time...not good.....
thank you all for your comments.....
the religion and plotics issues are something that concern us.....being Jewish and more Liberal than conservative...it appears that KC has an organized Jewish community......clearly a RED state but I guess one can like mined souls anywhere...
For what it's worth, my boyfriend is a transplant from NY state, where he was born and raised, and he absolutely loves the Midwest in general and KC in particular. Disclaimer - he is a Buffalo kid, which is worlds away from being an NYC New Yorker, honestly. From the time I've spent in Buffalo, its character is far closer to a stereotypical middle America character than it is eastern seaboard-ish. So a move to the Midwest didn't really contribute to any vast culture shock.
Anyhow, on to my persepctive as someone who is also a KC transplant and has lived other places...to agree with an earlier poster, I find KC to be underrated. The much-cited generally low cost of living (pretty standard for most of the Midwest), of course, plays a role, but mostly for me, it's that you've got that WITHOUT sacrificing some awfully nice amenities. The arts community is wonderful, especially for a city this size. People who don't know much about various urban arts scenes may not realize just how unusual it is that a city the size of KC has the diverse breadth of offerings it does when it comes to music (so many different subscenes, too!), visual arts, and theatre. There are always tons of free community activities going on, all over the metro, and they're actually pretty well-publicized. There's been some nice historical preservation work, which I always enjoy and respect. There's nature, but it's midwestern nature, which isn't the most wildly diverse of landscapes (although there are those of us who love it for what it is, whether we have a lot of swimming or mountain access or not). Love the food, and not just the BBQ (I really enjoy BBQ every now and then, but a little goes a long way).
It's more Bible-belty than other places I've lived...I'm a politically liberal ELCA Lutheran who is only a regular church attendee in random spurts at best, not the standard never-miss-a-service evangelical non-denom laser light show megachurch/Baptist/Pentecostal/Assembly of God/garden variety born-again worshipper that seems much more commonplace around here, but I can't say that it affects my quality of life overall to be sharing breathing air with folks who are on average much more churchy than I am. I find I'm more surrounded by political conservatism than other fellow liberals might be comfortable with, but I'm used to it, I grew up in the seemingly lone liberal/libertarian leaning household in a small town/rural agricultural area.
The ever-dull college sports rabidness is indeed more pervasive and annoying than other places I've lived, but if that's my only real complaint, that's not too bad. Hah...I'd rather deal with the "Can I get an AYYY-men?" crowd than the Mizzou-vangelicals and Jayhawk-acostals, truth be known!
Great post and you basically say what I say without coming across as an ass, I'm not always so good at that . Although I must say that a person from Buffalo coming to KC is going to love KC. I think KC is far supperior to Buffalo in almost every way except the fact that that KC lacks NHL Hockey. I honeslty think a person moving from KC to Buffalo would have more "culture shock" than the reverse. Buffalo is a pretty small city that has not seen a lot of positive growth in decades and upstate New York is about as Midwestern as Missouri or Kansas.
[quote=yasadora;11700966]
Quote:
Originally Posted by cp1969
Why do you want to move here?
Funny you have been to Great Neck...we live on Long Island...anyways everyone has been helpful...
Why we are even considering the move would be for quality of life issues.
TabulaRasa hit it on the nose for us...it is to find a place that will be comfortable for us in many ways....standard and cost of living..cultural...political and religious
My husband is in a profession that is in excess on the coasts...west and east...but there is a shortage in places like KC....he is being recruited and they are making an offer and effort that is VERY hard to refuse....being honest...if he could get the same offer in Maui...look no contest...but the places that pay us what we need due to a number of issues out of our control, are places like KC, Fargo, Oklahoma....etc...
Right now he works every day of the week...the cost of living here is crazy...yes there are all the wonderful things NY has to offer....but if you are stressed and working all the time...not good.....
thank you all for your comments.....
the religion and plotics issues are something that concern us.....being Jewish and more Liberal than conservative...it appears that KC has an organized Jewish community......clearly a RED state but I guess one can like mined souls anywhere...
thanks
KS is a red state, MO tends to be more 50/50 with urban KCMO and StL and many inner suburbs of KC and StL being very blue while the outstate and outer suburbs can be very red.
Sounds like a Cerner transplant? Am I close?
Anyway, KC really is a great city. I guess when you live in a city for as long as I have, it's easy to point out the negatives.
But let me say this. I have been to every single major city in the country, most more than a few times.
I can tell you that the KC area would be in my top 10 cities in the nation to live in. I think the area offers a complete package that few cities offer. It's just the right size, has all the "big city" attractions and culture any city of 2-4 million would yet at a fraction of the hassle (traffic, cost, etc). You can comfortable live in KC and have plenty of money to fly or drive to the rest of the country. East coast, West coast, Chicago, Dallas, Rocky Mountains etc all are so convenient to KC.
No Yankees, Jets, Nets, Knicks, Giants or Islanders. Chiefs or Royals. Take your pick, they're both lousy.
No self respecting midwesterner should ever take the Yankees over even the lowly Royals. The Royals may be bad, but at least they don't represent every single thing that is wrong with Major League Baseball and possibly America itself like the Yankees do. Oh well. As far as nature is concerned, man made lakes and trails are okay, but are not what I had in mind when I lamented the lack of nature. Someone mentioned bike trails. There is a nice long bike trail in Independence, but it doesn't get noticed usually. Kind of like when those people in KC,MO were wanting a dog park, and they were complaining they had to drive to Shawnee Park to use a dog park... even though Independence has three.
Last edited by northbound74; 11-20-2009 at 12:00 AM..
Kansas City has never struck me as being overly conservative or religious. At most, it's on the outer fringes of the so-called Bible Belt. In no way will you confuse it with Nashville or Dallas.
KC is religious in the outer suburbs and exurbs - Olathe, parts of Eastern Jackson County. But the main city and inner ring suburbs are more secular. I'm as atheistic as you get and churches/religion have never bothered me.
Same goes for politics - areas are more conservative the further you get from the city.
I'd say:
KCMO/midtown - most liberal part of the city, although you'll have pockets of very wealthy Republicans (Bush had a fundraiser there, but Obama appeared at the DNC from a home here)
KCMO/east side - heavily African-American, more fiscally liberal, socially conservative
KCMO/south - honestly, I'm not sure. I'd guess left of center, but I don't know.
KCMO/north - probably more right of center
Northland - more conservative
Eastern Jackson County - inner rings suburbs tend to be more union heavy I believe and fiscally liberal/socially conservative. Once you hit Blue Springs it tends to get pretty conservative (represented by the very conservative Matt Bartle in the state legislature)
Wyandotte County - fiscally liberal, socially conservative. High hispanic population and Catholic population accounts for that.
NE JoCo - left of center
PV/Leawood - probably right of center. John Vratil is a very moderate Republican who represents part of this area in the state legislature.
Overland Park - right of center. Fiscally conservative/socially liberal. Mostly pro-business.
South Johnson County - conservative
The one thing I do miss is easy access to nature trails and forest preserves. Chicago has a huge forest preserve district -- but Kansas does not. The parks aren't that great either; all have been disappointing. Most are covered in soccer fields and baseball diamonds. Some have very few trees. I think we could do with a much better park system.
I agree, my point is that it's a very large part of the area culture (college sports and church). That doesn't mean you can't enjoy the area. I did and still do. But the OP asked how KC compared to other towns and that's one big thing I notice and it's also something people that have relocated have told me about the area.
As far as having depressing people. Again, let me clarify. It's all the "KC can't do anything right" attitude. The fact that everybody complains about parking in what has to be the easiest and cheapest city in the nation to park in, the fact the region as a whole does have an overall negative and low self esteem and how segregated the city is. Most of these things will go un-noticed by new comers though as they will just be surprised at what the city does offer.
Most people that move to KC simply have no idea the city has so many museums, such a large arts scene, a top notch concert and live theater schedule, major sporting events etc.
What is lacking is transit, bike/ped trails and regional cooporation/pride.[/quote]
Take ANYTHING KCMO says with a whole pound of salt. I lived here all my life and it is always someone from somewhere else that comes and lives here for while and the becomes the non mo resident expert.
The cultural differences between NYC and KC are like night and day. It all depends on what you are looking for. A good majority populace in KC is overly laid back, rather complacent, and not very intellectual. The cost of living is very low, but jobs often pay less as well. The climate is one of four seasons, but features lots of extremes. Snowfall is very negligble. I agree with other posters that the exurbs and outer ring suburbs are the most conservative. Olathe is the epicenter of social conservatism. People tend to be much more family centered instead of career centered.
I would agree with other posters that Kansas City is a good place to live if you are looking for low cost of living. You will find that you get more for your real estate money here than in most areas. Kansas City has most the basics and a few of the extras. Nightlife, the arts, and entertainment exist here, but it's not on a grand scale. Often you can earn just as much as in a larger city, esp if you telecommute and you still have enough money to travel whenever you want.
IMO, Kansas City is a wonderful place to raise a family.
Funny you have been to Great Neck...we live on Long Island...anyways everyone has been helpful...
Why we are even considering the move would be for quality of life issues.
TabulaRasa hit it on the nose for us...it is to find a place that will be comfortable for us in many ways....standard and cost of living..cultural...political and religious
My husband is in a profession that is in excess on the coasts...west and east...but there is a shortage in placess like KC....he is being recruited and they are making an offer and effort that is VERY hard to refuse....being honest...if he could get the same offer in Maui...look no contest...but the places that pay us what we need due to a number of issues out of our control, are places like KC, Fargo, Oklahoma....etc...
Right now he works every day of the week...the cost of living here is crazy...yes there are all the wonderful things NY has to offer....but if you are stressed and working all the time...not good.....
thank you all for your comments.....
the religion and plotics issues are something that concern us.....being Jewish and more Liberal than conservative...it appears that KC has an organized Jewish community......clearly a RED state but I guess one can like mined souls anywhere...
thanks
Okay, I'm a bleeding heart Chicago liberal who grew up Christian in a Jewish suburb -- and I haven't found intolerance to my views at all. I don't attend church anymore. I am openly Democratic -- and guess what? So are many others around here! (I believe Johnson County, KS went for Obama in 2008, and we have a Democratic congressman, Dennis Moore.) I've seen no sign of alternative lifestyles being frowned upon and no one has tried to shove religion at me. We get the Witnesses at our door every now and then, but we had them in Chicago too. There are fewer Jews in KC than in NY or Chicago, but I haven't noticed any discrimination. I just think people are very friendly here.
How do you know who is Jewish anyway to randomly discriminate? I've seen some people with names or facial features that made me think they might be Jewish, but lots of other people I have met and had no idea until they told me. Hitler had his lists but I doubt anyone poses as a census taker just to find out who is Jewish lol
Just curious but why do some people not like Jewish people to begin with? I don't understand how someone can live in the US and call himself a Nazi? Didn't our parents and grandparents die fighting Nazis? Why on earth would any US citizen call himself a Nazi is beyond me? I think they should be tried as enemy combatants (even if the war has ended) just for calling themselves Nazis.
You got me on this one, I can't even figure out who is Jewish, much less determine why I shouldn't like them other than they'll punish me if I accidently drop a Tora.
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. Although I must say that a person from Buffalo coming to KC is going to love KC. I think KC is far supperior to Buffalo in almost every way except the fact that that KC lacks NHL Hockey. I honeslty think a person moving from KC to Buffalo would have more "culture shock" than the reverse. Buffalo is a pretty small city that has not seen a lot of positive growth in decades and upstate New York is about as Midwestern as Missouri or Kansas.
