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Old 02-08-2022, 10:46 AM
 
4 posts, read 9,655 times
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DH and I were raised in Kansas. I grew up on a farm near Delphos, KS. We are now in our retirement years, and we are considering moving back to Kansas from Virginia. We are interested in Lincoln, KS, for the proximity to Salina and I-70. We have also read a bit about the free lot availability, and we would be interested in having a house built. We have no family to consider for our move. We are looking at factors such as health care, shopping, movies/plays/other "cultural" activities, churches, and recreational activities. We are not outdoorsy types, though. We're planning a Kansas visit later in the spring to investigate, but any help before then is much appreciated!
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Old 02-08-2022, 10:54 AM
 
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Even for retired people, I always have a few concerns when a place has badly rated public schools. Tells you something...
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Old 02-08-2022, 11:36 AM
 
Location: Boilermaker Territory
26,404 posts, read 46,561,071 times
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Lincoln is a dying farm town that would not be a wise investment as it is in a rapidly shrinking with no tax base other than ag. Climate is very windy and drought prone... Salina is 40-45 minutes away that would have most healthcare amenities. I would advise looking at a rural area like Jefferson County, KS- rural, but closer to healthcare in the Kansas City metro and Lawrence areas.
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Old 02-09-2022, 11:03 AM
 
732 posts, read 1,045,653 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GraniteStater View Post
Lincoln is a dying farm town that would not be a wise investment as it is in a rapidly shrinking with no tax base other than ag. Climate is very windy and drought prone... Salina is 40-45 minutes away that would have most healthcare amenities. I would advise looking at a rural area like Jefferson County, KS- rural, but closer to healthcare in the Kansas City metro and Lawrence areas.

Who says they're looking for an investment? Sounds like they just want a decent place to live in retirement. They also mention being interested in the free lot program Lincoln is apparently offering. Does Jefferson County Ks. have such a program?

My point is that I don 't know why people make posts that try to discourage folks from living in an area. OP says they grew up in Kansas and lived on farms so I think they have an idea of what farm towns are like. As for the label "dying town". I see it used a lot. What do you propose to do with such towns other than to discourage people from living there? Should they all just dry up and blow away? Become ghost towns? In this day and age, with so many people able to work from home, small towns like Lincoln may become viable again. Folks tired of outrageous real estate prices in other areas may just find small towns like Lincoln appealing. They may not be doomed to die after all.



OP, I would highly encourage you to check out Lincoln if you make it to Kansas. Get out in the community and talk to folks who actually live there. They can tell you a lot more about life in Lincoln than anyone posting on internet forums. Good luck.
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Old 02-09-2022, 11:25 AM
 
Location: Boilermaker Territory
26,404 posts, read 46,561,071 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mandavaran View Post
Who says they're looking for an investment? Sounds like they just want a decent place to live in retirement. They also mention being interested in the free lot program Lincoln is apparently offering. Does Jefferson County Ks. have such a program?

My point is that I don 't know why people make posts that try to discourage folks from living in an area. OP says they grew up in Kansas and lived on farms so I think they have an idea of what farm towns are like. As for the label "dying town". I see it used a lot. What do you propose to do with such towns other than to discourage people from living there? Should they all just dry up and blow away? Become ghost towns? In this day and age, with so many people able to work from home, small towns like Lincoln may become viable again. Folks tired of outrageous real estate prices in other areas may just find small towns like Lincoln appealing. They may not be doomed to die after all.



OP, I would highly encourage you to check out Lincoln if you make it to Kansas. Get out in the community and talk to folks who actually live there. They can tell you a lot more about life in Lincoln than anyone posting on internet forums. Good luck.
You bring up a valid point, but Kansas has been trying these "free lot/land" programs for many years with very little success. I actually am very familiar with the area as some of my relatives own larger parcels just to the west of Lincoln. If the OP hasn't been back in the area in many decades they might be shocked at the extent of the decline across the board. Real estate prices that are severely depressed are a big red flag that very bad economic conditions exist in the local area. Jefferson County doesn't have a free land program, but has easier access to much more highly regarded healthcare amenities in the Kansas City metro area that would be more ideal for retirees considering a rural area of Kansas. It also has more greenery, less extreme climate, and water (Perry Reservoir).
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Old 02-09-2022, 12:33 PM
 
4 posts, read 9,655 times
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We aren't interested in living anywhere near the KC Metro area. I would go as far east as Manhattan and some of the rural areas in the vicinity, but husband wants to be no farther east of Salina than maybe Abilene. He would prefer further west but still in Kansas. We were last in Kansas about 5 years ago, and we've kept up with conditions in and around Delphos & Glasco, so won't be a shock. Both Kanopolis and Wilson lakes/reservoirs are within 35 miles or so of Lincoln.
In reference to schools, in the US News & World Report on school rankings, Lincoln is in the top third for Kansas, so not too much of a concern.
I'll be checking on things like real estate tax rates, as well as other aspects such as internet/wi-fi, cable/satellite tv, etc.
Thanks for the replies. I'll check in for additional replies, too.
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Old 02-09-2022, 02:51 PM
 
7,089 posts, read 4,521,984 times
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My state job was in Salina for a year and it was a nice small town back in 1993. Then my job was transferred to Wichita which is much uglier than Salina. I would go visit and see what you think.
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Old 02-17-2022, 01:04 PM
 
Location: Kansas
25,952 posts, read 22,102,658 times
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We looked at Lincoln on the internet as the city does have a website. Yes, close to Salina, except in bad weather, with snow/freezing rain and the weather in KS, especially the winters have been much colder. I take it that you have looked closely at the requirements for the free lot, and also where they are located, and if not, you really should. Most lots in cities like Lincoln sell for less $10,000, some as little as $4,000. We didn't care for its proximity to the wind turbine farms. Services and shopping are pretty non-existent, but there is always the internet for some of that.

Since you are retired, building a house that is overpriced for the area may not be of concern, but realize that homes often sell very slowly, think 2 or more years, and the properties that surround yours will help dictate the worth of your property. Cost of fuel greatly plays into the desirability of a commute or not.

City of Lincoln, Kansas (Their official website which mentions medical, etc.) Property tax will actually be higher in smaller towns from what I have seen as essential services have to be divided among a smaller number of residents.

Council Grove would be my #1 choice for a city to live in. Abilene has sort of went down hill since they put the candy factory, IMO. Chapman has improved since they had the tornado and rebuilt. Ellsworth might be worth a look. Many of the small towns in KS aren't comfortable with "outsiders", which would be different than when you grew up in a town. Most can't figure out why you would choose to move to a city like theirs, seriously, that is what we have experienced. Keep in mind that these days, even a couple of years can really change an area.

A better bet would be something off of I-70.

Last edited by AnywhereElse; 02-17-2022 at 01:44 PM..
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