Retire in Kansas?? (Wichita, Topeka, Salina: homes, schools, to live)

[drjones96]

There are a lot of small towns in KS that I've driven through and thought to myself how wonderful a place they would be to retire one day. Winfield is a good example.

[AnywhereElse]

Originally Posted by drjones96

There are a lot of small towns in KS that I've driven through and thought to myself how wonderful a place they would be to retire one day. Winfield is a good example.

Driving through and living there are not the same. Most of these small towns don't take to "outsiders" and if you move there, you'll always be an outsider. If you retire here, choose a city that is diverse and has an influx of "outsiders". There are some smaller towns trying to recruit citizens versus becoming a ghost town so you might be able to make that work. Kansas is unique.

[Prairieparson]

Thanks for the heads up Anywhere. I've already posted on this in other forums. We've moved about the country quite a bit, and it really doesn't matter where you go, most folks in small towns aren't all that friendly. However, most people in large cities aren't all that friendly either. We're very active church members, so we figure we can make some friends in whatever church we join. And if one church isn't particularly welcoming to strangers, we'll just find another church. We don't want to intrude where we are not welcome. However, that's rarely a problem these days. Most churches are very anxious to be welcoming to visitors or new members, as most are struggling just to survive. There are always exceptions, but they will not be around much longer.

We also have a few hobbies, and have found that whereever we go, the other people who share our interests tend to also be very welcoming to new members.

[AnywhereElse]

We have moved around a lot also and KS is a little different off the beaten path. We had lived in Salina, Manhattan and Junction City and all had an influx of people coming in and I thought that was KS but learned that it was not. The local people are not a good source of information on what a town is like unless they have had something to compare it with which many do not. Their is an attitude that "all small towns are the same" and that is not true. I saw a thread once on KS small towns and which were a best bet and it was interesting. The population of many of the smaller towns continues to decrease especially with the cost of gas which makes it impossible to travel miles to a job. If you stay near the larger cities, I don't think you will notice a problem, just don't tell them a better way to do something!

[Prairieparson]

NC people and west Texas people are much the same. NC people especially hated "yankees" coming in and giving them advice on how to do things. West Texas is one of the fastest shrinking regions of the country. They too seem to think that the rest of the country is just like this. Even people in Lubbock can't imagine why we would move after we retire. They think this is the most wonderful place ever.

[thriftylefty]

Originally Posted by Prairieparson

With my son's handicap, he's pretty limited to what kind of jobs he can do, but janitorial works out good. He works as an usher at a movie theatre now, and thats mostly cleaning. I'll look into the Knoxville area. Thanks.

Have you considered Salina Kansas? The occupational Center of Central Kansas is located there. They serve a multi-county area and at one time had a contract cleaning service that utilized developmentally disabled adults as the workers.They also have a number of other supportive employment oppurtunities. Salina is one of my favorite cities in the state. It seems to have something for every one and it is on the cross roads of two major interstates.
Welcome to the home page of OCCK Inc.

[AnywhereElse]

Originally Posted by Prairieparson

NC people and west Texas people are much the same. NC people especially hated "yankees" coming in and giving them advice on how to do things. West Texas is one of the fastest shrinking regions of the country. They too seem to think that the rest of the country is just like this. Even people in Lubbock can't imagine why we would move after we retire. They think this is the most wonderful place ever.

We were in NC from 2000 to 2002 but nearer to Fort Bragg and I'm about as "yankee" as one can get and I really didn't have any issue with the people there and loved the weather as it was so much better than KS, well, except for the hurricanes. Like I said, loved Alabama but then, again, we were by Fort Rucker. Loved living near Tucson, AZ and would love to retire to AZ, snowbirding to the north in summer and the south in winter - my dream! Originally from Michigan, I find racial "attitudes" annoying to know end since I never experienced that where I grew up, well, except the rare ignorant person. Topeka is racially diverse as is Salina.

The first town I stayed in was out to the west of Salina and with new my in-laws at the time and all I kept hearing was about me being an "easterner"? From Michigan? It was an experience. Not compared to the current location though.

[luzianne]

The University of Kansas is in Lawrence, but Lawrence also has a lot of retirees. Clinton Lake near Lawrence. You might also want to look around Paola or Hillsdale Lake. For any of those locations, they have their own smaller healthcare facilities, but none of them are too far from Kansas City (an hour or so), where you can find whatever healthcare you need. Also western Johnson County. A lot depends on what type of housing/what price housing you are looking at.

[Prairieparson]

Anywhere: Well, then you know different locations in different states can be vastly different. No state is homogenized. IN NC, our local schools were absolutely terrible. My autisitic son was a star in his class, because he actually did his homework and studied for tests. In some cases the teacher would give out the questions to an upcoming test, give out the answers, tell the kids to write the answers in a notebook, give the test open book and open notebook, and some kids still failed. They couldn't read or write, even though it was 6th grade.

My wife heard 2 locals talking one day in the YMCA. One said, 'Well you know, there's two kinds of "Yankees", the good ones leave, the bad ones stay". One elderly member of our church one day confessed that he had always thought that the purpose of Black people was to serve the White people. And this guy had been a school principal, not just some local redneck with a 5th grade education. I could tell more stories, but that might help explain.

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by Prairieparson

If I'd move to Topeka, I'd like to know, which is "the good sides" and where are "the bad sides." Every town has this. The good side is where they're still building houses, new businesses; and the bad side is where there is no growth, old falling down and abandoned housing.

From your description of what you like - still building houses, newer area, etc - I would recommend southern or western Johnson County if you prefer to be near a bigger city. For a smaller town, I'd recommend Lawrence, Hillsdale lake, Paola or something like that. I can't speak for other places in Kansas other than I've never been impressed with Topeka, Wichita, or Manhattan, but that's just me.