Would You Move Out of Kansas? (state, event, moving)

[luzianne]

I might move out of Kansas someday, only because I'd like to live someplace warmer. Southern Florida or southern Texas or southern California or Arizona are places I have thought about. But southern California and Arizona are still colder than I like at times, and in all those places I worry about the crime rate. Is there anyplace warm that is as safe as Kansas? Cost of living would be a factor too, and all of those places, I'm sure, have a higher cost of living than Kansas. I'd really rather be closer to the equator than anyplace in the US but I don't think other countries allow people to show up and stay like the US does.

And if I can't find low crime/low cost of living somewhere else, well then I guess I'll be staying in Kansas. I love Johnson County and live here for a reason. If I moved somewhere else I'd want to find the "Johnson County" of that area.

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by mjb62676

I lived in Eastern KS for about 27 years of my 32 thus far. Hoping to get back there.

Northeast, specifically. Ideally near Manhattan or Lawrence...but probably Manhattan.

Just hope they still need docs when I'm ready.

Hey, Lawrence is just a 45 minute drive from Kansas City, and plenty of opportunities for doctors in Kansas City. I have noticed now that a lot of the Kansas City doctors have a satellite office in Lawrence now too, or see patients in Lawrence a day or two a week.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by tlawwife

One of the reasons that we have our young people moving away is that we educate them well and give them a good work ethic so that they don't have problems finding higher paid jobs in larger areas. Unfortunately there are not enough engineering jobs in the agricultural industry. We also tell them to dream and do what they want. Many of our youth leave but some of them come back when they are ready to raise their families because they recognize the value of low crime and good schools.

You speak the truth sir. We have many locally developed industries out in rural areas of the Plains, and also a labor shortage in some cases. Most younger people tend to migrate to where the greatest diversity of job offerings exist in the metro areas, and don't think as much about developing local businesses that serve a more rural population. I think it also has somewhat to do with the emerging "corporate culture" in the US that has led to suburban office park dominance in many suburbs.

[jbdallas]

We moved in August after 2 years in Wichita. Hindsight is always 20/20, and I've learned that both Wichita, and Austin (our new home) have good things to offer. I hear lots of complaints about taxes on houses in Kansas, but they seem in line with what I paid in Dallas and slightly less than what we will pay here in Austin. Granted we have no state income tax in Texas and 8.25% sales tax. When we moved that was an immediate jump in my pay.
That being said, had we been forced to stay, it wouldn't have been that bad. The cost of living is relatively good there, and getting around is easy. There isn't much to do outdoors wise for us aside from road biking, so that was a big negative for us. There were 2 things that really turned me off more than anything, one was the feeling that folks in Wichita were pretty closed minded about anyone that didn't live there. Bagging on those from either the East or West coast was a pretty common pastime. The second was the big push for the coal fired power plants. The state has abundant wind, and a pretty fair amount of sunshine. The opportunity to create a green economy there was tremendous and it was completely ignored by the Republicans in the state.
So if we had to move back, we'd make do, but since we had better opportunities elsewhere, we took them.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by jbdallas

The second was the big push for the coal fired power plants. The state has abundant wind, and a pretty fair amount of sunshine. The opportunity to create a green economy there was tremendous and it was completely ignored by the Republicans in the state.
So if we had to move back, we'd make do, but since we had better opportunities elsewhere, we took them.

Fortunately we will start to see some progress made by the upcoming administration in terms of constructing new transmission lines out in rural areas of the Plains to foster the developing wind energy industry. The main hurdle we face right now is the relative lack of high voltage transmission lines in many of the windiest areas of the Plains because they are generally isolated places that are labeled "frontier counties." One state that has been a leader in wind energy development has been Texas. They have created a wind energy economy in some of the west-central counties, and have expanded vocational tech schools to bolster the skills needed to maintain the wind turbines etc.
Kansas has been behind the times in terms of not adopting the Renewable Portfolio Standard, but they are starting to make some progress in wind energy. In terms of the coal issue- I am generally not in favor of constructing any new plants unless all other options have been truly exhausted. Energy efficiency and overall electricity growth stablization should be a general priority for all public and coop utilities. For individual consumers these utilities should initiate net metering programs to allow these consumers to sell excess electricity back to the grid if they install solar panels or a small wind turbine.

[jbdallas]

I certainly hope they do get the transmission lines done. I do recall that being an issue when we were there. It's a long term solution to a part of our energy problems. It creates jobs both installing and maintaining the wind farms and lines. It's really a win/win.
Unfortunately the wind farms here in Texas sell most of the energy generated outside the state. Little known by most here in TX.

[bgandl2]

If you like conformity and a narrow world view, Kansas has a lot to offer.

[Future Trooper]

If I ever lived there in Kansas I would stay there.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by gdude

If I ever lived there in Kansas I would stay there.

I have lived in both KS and IN and they have little in common for the most part (besides some agricultural similarities). IN does not have as much of a problem with severe out-migration from the rural counties compared to KS. Also, rural KS has a much higher out-migration rate and a faster population percentage decline for most rural counties compared to IN.
Northern Indiana is solidly Great Lakes IMO, and has a lot in common with southern areas of Michigan. This area, along and northeast of Valpo, is quite scenic and forested. Manufacturing and steel mills are still dominant players in northern Indiana which alligns it solidly with the industrial Midwest.
Kansas has lots of manufacturing, but the areas with the largest amount of growth in the state (mostly JOCO) have none.
The biggest differences seem to be the people IMO. Indiana, has the most down to earth and friendly people of any state I have lived in. The friends that I still have the closest and best relationships with are all Hoosiers. Kansans do not seem to be nearly as friendly and open by comparison.

[city_data_poster]

G-stater says: The biggest differences seem to be the people IMO. Indiana, has the most down to earth and friendly people of any state I have lived in. The friends that I still have the closest and best relationships with are all Hoosiers. Kansans do not seem to be nearly as friendly and open by comparison.

I would agree with that. I have been thru many small towns in central and western Kansas in my time.....and Kansans out that way tend to be the hardworking, tax paying, law abiding types....but I never felt like they were oozing with warmth and friendliness.

But to be fair, I've gotten that very same impression from other states that I've traveled thru as well. Wyoming comes to mind!