tried kansas (Wichita, Kansas City, Salina: crime rate, houses, theater)

[bipod]

I just left wichita, I tried to like it as I have family there, and we got jobs. Yep there is work, but the taxes are out of this world and you get nothing for them, then the specials are almost as high as the property taxes themselves. and now are being put on for 20 years.
The homes are not any cheaper than most other places in the us so I would say avrage.
It was nothing but one subdivision after another and I was told by every person and my realtor do not live in wichita, it is much to dangerous.
Just last week there were two police officers shot in a good area.
Every home I looked at was packed in so tight to the next you could spit and hit your neigh's home from your window.
The homes were built ok. and every home had a basement.
I tried to like it and make it work.
I think I could have lived in a farm house outside of wichita but to get a affordable price I would have had to live forty miles out side of wichita and I would have never sold it again.
I am not saying kansas is a bad place but there is a reason that the nation is not retiring there.

[redlobster]

dangerous? have you been to any cities with a metro population over 400k+? Ive lived all over the world, police officers get shot everywhere and unfortunatly die everywhere. Wichita is actually safe for its size. Of course living in a suburb is better then living in the city, find a place that isnt. your ignorant

[Torn2pieces]

Actually houses are cheaper in Kansas - Taxes are high everywhere- I'm originally from NY so I know the difference. The problem is the salaries tend to be lower in Kansas. In a way, it balances out....

Crime is everywhere - I know on the news Wichita has a bad problem with shootings, stabbings, etc. Gangs.....I personally would not live there and thought about moving there a few years back. I've been there many times to shop and the traffic alone, left a bad taste in my mouth.

I no longer live in Kansas as I got out when I could. There are some nice areas in Kansas but few and far between..Still have inlaws there - they will never leave, it's their life.

[Hiss]

Crime is everywhere yes, but many cities have enough Pros for their Cons.
Wichita does not really compete there.

Austin, TX for instance.. Lets Compare (although its slightly bigger)

Austin, TX Crime is a 446.9 (2004)
Wichita, KS 528.7 (2004)
(National average is 325.2)

Wichita has more crime. (even though its a little smaller)

It also has less entertainment, less worthy dining (national chains dominate)
its a bit less sophisticated, its further away from other cities, less opportunities.. and worse weather, etc...

Really its a joke to compare.

Housing costs more in Austin because people actually want to live there.

Better schools.. and no state income tax.

Wichita is just not a city on the list of nice or desirable cities.. its not the worst, its just not very interesting and it has bad crime for such or boring place lacking amenities.

[jazztrumpet5]

I agree with the previous two posters. The guy that called you ignorant is just showing his ignorance. Wichita is pretty crime-ridden, and it just doesn't give off a feeling of safety. I'd much rather walk around in New York or Chicago than in Wichita. Plus, it's kind of seedy and trashy, compared to other areas of Kansas. The school system isn't that great, and it is a really boring city. There's more going on in smaller towns in Kansas like Salina or Hays, even. That's not saying much for Wichita, either. The city layout stinks, and the traffic is awful, and in a city its size that shouldn't be an issue.

In retrospect, I don't really know why this thread exists, but if we can give some insight to folks looking at Wichita as an option, all the better. Cheers.

[Ellie C.]

Wichita was one of the most violent places I ever lived in, statistics or not. My next door neighbors were victims of a home invasion. Their front door was kicked in while they were sitting in their livingroom. Thank God no one was killed. Oh, and there's the Carr brothers, BTK, the list goes on and on. So much violent crime in the 7 years I lived there.

You get shoddy or no public service for the taxes you pay. Kellogg was under construction the day I moved to Wichita, and it was under construction the day I left. Just ridiculous. And the housing assessments were all just increased by 11% too.

Judging by the people I met there who went through the Wichita public school system (USD259) they've failed there as well. Most of these people are morons who have no idea what's going on in the world around them. They know little of history, even AMERICAN history, art, or culture. I never met so many doofuses in my life.

I do miss the Warren theaters though. That's my big compliment to Wichita. Sad, isn't it?

[Ellie C.]

Oh, and I LOVE it when someone calls someone else ignorant and spells something wrong!! YOUR ignorant!!??!! HILARIOUS!

It's "You're ignorant". As in YOU are ignorant.

See what I mean? Doofuses!

[Torn2pieces]

I agree with you Ellie - I didn't live in Wichita - as i stated in my previous post I visited there alot. I lived in SW Kansas...The only thing I see Wichita offering is shopping. But, who wants to battle that awful traffic???? It is crime ridden. I don't understand why some to try and sugar coat it, when it's a fact.

Kansas has a big problem budgeting money for the schools. Let alone the gangs, shootings, etc, etc....

[Brooklyn_NY]

Yes I will agree that Wichita has a "moderate" crime rate and It may not be the safest place but in larger cities particularly in smaller states the crime risk for crime is higher than most. Crime is everywhere and chances are it always will be, and as fare as taxes go...thats just that. They have to have higher taxes to balance everything out. Most housing in Wichita isn't too cramped but you must take in consideration that this is a metro population and won't have the most spacious living arrangements. Wichita schools are improving and like any place you have your higher ranking ones and your lesser ones. Yes the traffic is heavy but if its that way in most cities. Have you seen NY,Dallas,Chicago? Wichita dosn't even come close to competing with some of the other places as fare as traffici is. Its basically your average city. Its not really any diffent for any other place, its not even the largest city in Kansas. It works for the people who live there and what I have seen its working well.

[TBLight81]

Yeah, from what I hear from my brother who has lived in Wichita for at least 10 years now, crime has become a problem the past few years in Wichita. For instance many clubs now have had to post stricter than normal rules in regards to banning certain clothing items due to the amount of gang violence that has erupted in clubs in Wichita over 'colors'. Last time I visited Wichita I was getting ready to go to a popular club in Wichita with my brother and my brother told me that they wouldn't let me in with a Kansas City Chiefs or a Tampa Bay Lightning jersey on because of the gang-bangers (apparently the gangs wear these jerseys of pro teams to identify themselves with I guess). Anyways, it's too bad because Wichita does have potential. To be honest I hear of less crime in Tampa where I live now compared to Wichita but then, I don't live in Wichita and can only go by what my brother says (who does live there).