Leaving ca (Wichita, Kansas City, Lawrence: real estate, school, living in)

[noemic12]

Hello,

I live in CA which I totally love but the cost of living is very high. Sad I know. But anyway I am planning on relocating to Dodge city and I was wondering if there are any jobs out there or maybe in a nearby city? I have family in Dodge and they say that there is jobs but mostly in the meat companies. I coming from CA would not last one day. Anyway any info would be very appreciated.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by noemic12

Hello,

I live in CA which I totally love but the cost of living is very high. Sad I know. But anyway I am planning on relocating to Dodge city and I was wondering if there are any jobs out there or maybe in a nearby city? I have family in Dodge and they say that there is jobs but mostly in the meat companies. I coming from CA would not last one day. Anyway any info would be very appreciated.

Dodge City would be a HUGE shock if you have never visited before. I would recommend looking at Hays, Wichita, Salina, or the Kansas City metro area if you desire a good amount of jobs with a low COL. Dodge City is quite isolated on the plains with terrible weather, strong winds, and mostly agricultural related jobs.

[noemic12]

I kinda figured that. Is there any cities close to Dodge that may have some jobs or is my best option looking at a bigger city? But overall is the cost of living lower in that area?

[chele123]

The overall cost of living is lower in SW Kansas; actually, pretty much the whole state. I think you will be (pleasantly) shocked at the difference in real estate prices in particular. What kind of work are you looking for? Are you bi-lingual? If the meat packing plants are not what you are looking for maybe you should check into health care. Housekeeping is usually in big demand too if you already have family in the area to use for references. Then there are ag jobs, such as farming and ranching or if you are more inclined there are always people looking for someone to mow and do yard work. There is a mall and Wal-mart if you are looking for retail work, or any number of convenience stores. There are tons of fast food and also resturants if you are looking for waitressing work. If you are looking for office work that gets a little tougher to find but the jobs are there. None of them will pay the big bucks, but then again it costs less to live there too. Good luck to you!

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by noemic12

I kinda figured that. Is there any cities close to Dodge that may have some jobs or is my best option looking at a bigger city? But overall is the cost of living lower in that area?

As a rule the housing prices tend to be lower in rural areas, but jobs tend to pay lower as well.

Here are some population ranges for KS:

Dodge City: 25K
Salina: 60K
Wichita metro: >500K
Hays: 20K
Kansas City metro: 2.1M
Lawrence: 110K

In terms of job opprtunities your BEST bet would probably be the Kansas City metro area and Wichita because those areas have the most variety. COL is low in both metros compared with nearly any area in CA.

I would recommend visiting the varying cities across the region to see which one will fit your needs. Good luck

[noemic12]

Thanks so much, I am bi-lingual and from what I have seen the properites are much lower. I guess it seems more of headache because I have been here in CA for my entire life but it I cannot afford to live here anymore. Also it might be better for my kids to be away from all the drama there is out here. As for jobs I am into medical billing but if I can't find anything like that out there I guess whatever comes along in the meantime. I really appreciate your input. Thank you

[C.O.]

HiMy husband & I just came out here from living in Ca. for most of 26 yrs.We will be here in Dodge city only through the winter & have been here since March.It IS a huge shock lolAnd yes, alot of people are employed by the meat co.It can be extremely windy here, especially in Spring.I'm not very impressed by the town, kinda trashy.I agree that it might be a good idea to look around wichita, cause there are several nice smaller towns around there; so you would have the advantage of living in a smaller town (if that's what you want) but have a short commute to work.

[chele123]

You shouldn't have too much trouble finding a medical billing job! There are so many medical facilities in Dodge! Have you tried calling Western Plains Regional Hospital? Nearly every town in the immediate area has a medical facility. Another option could be a translator, for either the hospital or the school system.

[noemic12]

That sounds good. I am not to happy leaving CA but it is just to expensive. I wonder is there any staffing agencies or temp agencies I can look into?

[chele123]

I dunno about temp agencies, but maybe this will help:
https://www.kansasworks.com/ada/