Would You Move Out of Kansas? (Wichita, Kansas City: living in, moving, oil)

[scimitar12]

Originally Posted by Hazel W

Give me a magic carpet and I'd be out of JOCO within five minutes. I moved over here two years ago and have regretted it ever since. One, do not move here if you do not have transportation. Public transportation is almost nil and no one seems to care. After all, the rich do not ride busses. Morning and evening busses take people in and out of KC to jobs. The rest of the time, you walk and walking is difficult if you have to cross busy streets. It costs far more to live in JOCO than in KCMO and environs. Taxes are twice as high. Lastly, for those who do drive, JOCO is not called a "moving parking lot" for nothing. Unless you live close to work, you'll spend hours on concrete trying to get somewhere. They tell me it is a great place for businesses. I would not know since I do not own a business. I will only say there are two sides to that claim. Shopping areas are miles and miles apart and, again if you don't drive, often out of reach.

Well, I can say one nice thing but it will not hold me here. The people are friendly. They really are. It is just a difficult place to live an ordinary, peaceful and inexpensive life.

I think it is what you are used to. JoCo does not offer mass transit; however, the way gas is going that might change. In terms of taxes I have lived on both sides of the state line and I think KCMO is a much more expansive place to live. My property tax for my house more than doubled in less than three years (2001-2004). Probably to help pay for downtown's revitalization. Not to mention KCMO's stupid earnings tax. The high taxes would not have been so bad except for the fact that I never got anything out of them. Water main breaks are as common as sunsets. Must be why KC is known as the city of fountains.

[Hazel W]

I understand you are right about property taxes. That is one issue I never had to deal with. It all depends on where you are coming from, of course. I found Independence to be far less expensive than over here. But, again, I didn't deal with property taxes. I just paid that extra tax for East 39th Street. :-)

By the way, did you know this? I did not until I moved over here. Banks do not pay the same interest rate on savings accounts in all states. How much they pay is based on property taxes or values or something. The lady at the bank left me quite confused when I asked why the interest on my savings account dropped by 50% when I moved to Kansas. All I got was that it has something to do with property in that state. Perhaps you know?

[Sally Beagle]

Would I ever move out of Kansas? Easy. Simple.

NEVER!!!!!!

[kcmo]

Considering there are 49 other states that are better? I mean the only reason people live in Kansas is either to be near KCMO (the majority of the population of KS lives within an hour of KC) or you work in the aviation industry in Wichita or you are part of the hispanic migration to the meat packing plants out west...

OK smellykat, that was for you, see if that gets you wound up

[GraniteStater]

A lot of people continue to move out of the rural areas in north-central and northwest Kansas. Most small towns are practically ghost towns these days with a couple of cars on main street. A lot of this is due to agricultural modernization and expansion in farm size. Even the harvest of grain is shipped via 18 wheelers instead of local grain elevators in some cases. Kansas now has more frontier counties with fewer than 7 people per square mile compared to 100 years ago. Most of the population in the state is now concentrated in the eastern 1/3 of the state where the climate and variety of jobs are more hospitable to most people. The western 1/3 of the state has an especially harsh climate and very limited job market. However, many rural areas off the beaten path have remarkable scenery and very little noise.

[Mathguy]

I live in johnson county, but I love the whole area.
I like the westin and the other parks, I like the art museums, plaza, zoo.
I like the low property taxes, the 15minute commute, cheap housing and ability to be out in the country in 10 minutes.
I like the GREAT schools, friendly neighbors etc.

I moved here from Chicago, so everything is relative.

P.S. Only the locals get into the whole Wyandotte vs Johnson Co. vs. Missouri stuff. For transplants like me, it's hillarious to see people taking that stuff seriously.

[smellykat]

Originally Posted by kcmo

Considering there are 49 other states that are better? I mean the only reason people live in Kansas is either to be near KCMO (the majority of the population of KS lives within an hour of KC) or you work in the aviation industry in Wichita or you are part of the hispanic migration to the meat packing plants out west...

OK smellykat, that was for you, see if that gets you wound up

You're too late! Denverian wound me up on the KC board so you're off the hook until next time you go off your meds!

[GraniteStater]

It does say a lot when states like Nebraska and South Dakota have seen a higher percentage population growth than Kansas since 2000. Kansas has a VERY high out-migration rate, especially among younger people.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by Plains10

It does say a lot when states like Nebraska and South Dakota have seen a higher percentage population growth than Kansas since 2000. Kansas has a VERY high out-migration rate, especially among younger people.

This can be quite cyclical. Additionally, 50,000 people moving to each of those 3 states would show a MUCH smaller % increase for KS.

Personally, I am a big fan of Nebraska and the Omaha area so that makes sense to me. I know nothing about SD.

I *really* don't understand how many people are in a hurry to get out of KS...except that I suspect a lot are younger people from smaller towns etc.
I guess it depends where you are and what phase in your life.

Best of luck to all.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Mathguy

This can be quite cyclical. Additionally, 50,000 people moving to each of those 3 states would show a MUCH smaller % increase for KS.

Personally, I am a big fan of Nebraska and the Omaha area so that makes sense to me. I know nothing about SD.

I *really* don't understand how many people are in a hurry to get out of KS...except that I suspect a lot are younger people from smaller towns etc.
I guess it depends where you are and what phase in your life.

Best of luck to all.

I am not sure either. The data just shows that Kansas has always been a state with a high net out-migration rate with less in the way of in-migration. Omaha and Sioux Falls, SD are the two metros in Nebraska and South Dakota that have been drivers for population growth in those two states.