Rural Kansas Incentive Program (Wichita, Manhattan: appointed, fit in, low crime)

[Setchel]

I heard that Kansas has this program to get people from out of state to move to rural Kansas Link below.
Kansas Department of Commerce - Official Website - Rural Opportunity Zones

As a recent graduate, it piqued my interested given it calls for up to $15k student loan debt being paid off. So now I'm starting to consider whether I'd really move to one of the counties the program lists. Which is found on the site, but here's the link.
Kansas Department of Commerce - Official Website - Rural Opportunity Zones Map

So any suggestions on where I might start to check out locations?

A bit about me. Recently attained my bachelor's in accounting, 30 years old, single, white. I am looking for a place with good education, low crime rate, and otherwise a good place to raise a family. I have mixed political views that are left leaning economically, but middle to right leaning socially. I highly value a "traditional family" model for myself (for instance, I want a housewife) and would want a place that supports that as well as makes it reasonable to accomplish. I'm very much happy being in a small town and don't care for the big city feel. Weather isn't a big issue either, but tornado alley worries me a bit (I mean if everyone else handles it fine, it can't be all that bad if prepared for, right?) and I prefer the cold.

So painting that picture, any areas jump out or are to avoid? I still plan on doing a lot of research on this site and I wouldn't move for a few months at the earliest anyway, but it's nice to consider and plan for.

[AnywhereElse]

I'm currently in Lyon County and am pretty familiar with many areas of the state, but not the bigger cities. Let me see: I would avoid SW KS simply because they have more than their share of illegal aliens and what goes with it and I know it all too well experiencing it here and the 6 years we spent in KS. I could be specific if you like on that.

NW KS, there is just nothing out there that I know of in the way of employment and on that note, so I don't forget: www.ksworks.com and you can look for jobs by county to get a feel for what types of jobs are there and this should be helpful. It has been years since I was in Russell County, but I liked the small town feel they had at the time and the same goes for Ellsworth County.

The counties surrounding Lyon where I am have no jobs and require a commute of quite some distance. We have very little to offer in Lyon County and rarely do I see jobs in your field available. All along the northern border, it is quite lovely in the area, but not much in the way of employment.

Counties surrounding, within a reasonable driving distance of Geary County (think Fort Riley) or Riley County (think Kansas State) might be something to look at. Manhattan has grown by leaps and bounds over the last decade or two. Many commute from Clay County into Fort Riley for jobs. Winter roads coming out of some of those counties could be rough.

There isn't much in SE KS either. There has been a lot of job loss. I lived in Bourbon County for a number of years and it was not my favorite place to live, still better than some places though, it might be worth a look.

If you can line up a job prior to arriving, many of these places would be suitable. You might be disappointed in the wages, but the cost of living is low.

I have been in KS for years, in and out of the state, probably in about 20 years total now or more and only went to a basement for weather 3 times and no tornado hit near us. I have lived in several states and there is no utopia when it comes to weather or anything else. I'm still looking though.

[Setchel]

Thanks AnywhereElse.
I didn't specific the demographics, but I strongly prefer to live in a more white community. I just didn't want to deal with anyone making a fuss over that detail.

Kansas Works definitely gives a gloomy outlook for options in the highlighted counties. That's a shame, but I suppose I can't be surprised. I wouldn't mind a lower pay, especially for the lower living cost (if I could make enough to save for a home while paying rent, then I'd be just fine with that). Sounds like nothing particular jumps out. I'm not big on commuting and still pretty new to driving in the weather (moved from California to Iowa a half year ago), not that the snow and ice have bothered me.

[AnywhereElse]

I wouldn't give up. Now, Cherokee County way down in the SE corner, many drive into the Joplin area for work there. Crawford County has some industry and Pittsburg State College. SE KS winters are not as severe as where you would be now. Look at state and federal jobs also for possibilities.

State civil service jobs: https://www.da.ks.gov/ps/pub/jobpostings.asp

Federal jobs in KS: http://federalgovernmentjobs.us/job-...kansas-ks.html

[ohazco]

Coming from a big city in CA, I would check the Goodland and Colby area, as they are the big towns in NW Kansas. NW Kansas has the lowest unemployment in the state and has lots of opportunities, despite popular belief from outside the area, but usually only in select fields. In fact the state looked at incentivizing people relocating from high unemployment eastern KS to western KS during the recession. I see accounting jobs for companies and farms in the paper here and there. There is a loan processing job at First National in Goodland, not sure if that's up your alley or not. One at Farm Credit in Burlington CO too near the KS border, but maybe you have to work in the county not just live, to get loan repayment... I'm not sure.

[empires228]

Originally Posted by AnywhereElse

I'm currently in Lyon County and am pretty familiar with many areas of the state, but not the bigger cities. Let me see: I would avoid SW KS simply because they have more than their share of illegal aliens and what goes with it and I know it all too well experiencing it here and the 6 years we spent in KS. I could be specific if you like on that.

The only reason I bothered to log in is to call out the hypocrisy of claiming there is a large illegal alien problem in SWKS while residing in the same county as Emporia. That is all. Then again, we're talking about the community that didn't heed Tysons warnings and chased 2,000 jobs out of community because leaders and businesses weren't willing to welcome the Somalian refugees with open arms and look how that worked out . Garden City and Dodge City are much more economically sound than Emporia has been in decades.

[Mattks]

I have 2 friends who live in Marion county, one commutes to McPherson and the other commutes to the north part of Wichita. I would probably do something like that. There are many nice little towns within a commute to Wichita or a larger city.

Do you have to work in the county to meet their criteria? From what I could tell you just have to live there.

I love MPherson and the surrounding areas. The people are very friendly and the region from McPherson going east is a fairly scenic area.

Politically you should fit in fairly well. Kansas is socially conservative and economically moderate for the most part.

Empires might disagree, but I also recommend Hays. I'm surprised it meets all their criteria actually. Ellis county is projected to continue growing in population.

I personally would stay away from remote counties and towns. Stick to bedroom communities or mid sized towns. Here's an interesting link that projects population growth by county. Honestly, I don't know how they came to these numbers.
http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/ksdata/ksah/p...ion/2pop17.pdf