Leoti........??? (Wichita, Garden City, Hays: 2009, houses, schools)

[pamark1]

There is a chance we will be moving to Leoti, KS soon.... with 3 children and 2 dogs..... is Leoti a nice place?

Also.... we are homeschoolers...... how is homeschooling in KS?

Thanks!!!



Pam in GA

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by pamark1

There is a chance we will be moving to Leoti, KS soon.... with 3 children and 2 dogs..... is Leoti a nice place?

Also.... we are homeschoolers...... how is homeschooling in KS?

Thanks!!!



Pam in GA

I assume you have a job lined up in Leoti, KS? If so, I would highly reccomend a few visits to the town to see if you wil like it. Leoti, KS is in far western KS, and might as well be in a entirely different world compared to Georgia. The closest city to Leoti would be Garden City.

[pamark1]

Yup..... a company in leoti is talking to my husband about a job.....

Yes, I'm sure it's quite different then GA... but while we are in close vicinity to Atlanta we have nothing to do with the city. We live out near the Alabama border in a small town........ and we would love to be further out.... ALot further out! Couple that desire with the fact that no one is hiring out here in GA and hubby was laid off in January and you have a family that will do just about anything to survive...... I can handle a very small town if it means food on our table. Right now the midwest is looking pretty good for diesel mechanics....... we've applied from Texas up to North Dakota..... there are few, if any, jobs here on the east coast.......... so it is Westward HO for this family.

So how is Leoti? Is it a nice town? As for Garden City.... I've read here that it is not a very "family friendly" town...... are there similar problems up in Leoti or other towns within a 30 mile radius of Leoti?

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by pamark1

Yup..... a company in leoti is talking to my husband about a job.....

Yes, I'm sure it's quite different then GA... but while we are in close vicinity to Atlanta we have nothing to do with the city. We live out near the Alabama border in a small town........ and we would love to be further out.... ALot further out! Couple that desire with the fact that no one is hiring out here in GA and hubby was laid off in January and you have a family that will do just about anything to survive...... I can handle a very small town if it means food on our table. Right now the midwest is looking pretty good for diesel mechanics....... we've applied from Texas up to North Dakota..... there are few, if any, jobs here on the east coast.......... so it is Westward HO for this family.

So how is Leoti? Is it a nice town? As for Garden City.... I've read here that it is not a very "family friendly" town...... are there similar problems up in Leoti or other towns within a 30 mile radius of Leoti?

1) Leoti is a very small town. I have never been to the town itself, but have visited other small towns in SW Kansas. I used to live in one of the bigger towns in western KS. (Hays)
2) Is it family friendly? I would visit to find out... Is it diverse? Yes. SW Kansas has a large Hispanic population due to the ag processing plants, slaughterhouses, etc.
3) Most people in SW Kansas are friendly and very hard working folks. The climate is quite rigorous with strong winds most of the time. Expect hot and dry weather during the summer, and cold/windy weather during the winter.
4) Leoti is fairly equidistant to the Front Range of Colorado and Wichita in terms of bigger metros.
5) If you want a VERY small town you have come to the right place. The county that Leoti is located in is classified as a "frontier county" with fewer than 7 people per square mile.

Keep us updated if you decide to visit that region of KS.

GraniteStater

[pamark1]

Thanks GraniteStater......... that helps. The other options for relocation are small towns in Colorado......... Cheyenne Wells, Fort Morgan, Akron, and Flagler....... so no matter where we settle it will be a small town. I'm sure I'll miss the convenience of a larger town..... but will also enjoy having some land of my own to play around with. I'm looking forward to the move.... now just have to get the hubby the job out there.

[silverhaired51]

I don't know that much about Leoti, but I can tell you from my view point, that I love western Kansas.
It is wide open spaces, nieghbors are not close at all. I live in N.E. Kansas, in a small town, and love it. Not sure about homeschooling, I know that it is becoming more common. I hope that you enjoy Leoti if you do move out there. And I will say early, welcome to Kansas

[pamark1]

Originally Posted by silverhaired51

I don't know that much about Leoti, but I can tell you from my view point, that I love western Kansas.
It is wide open spaces, nieghbors are not close at all. I live in N.E. Kansas, in a small town, and love it. Not sure about homeschooling, I know that it is becoming more common. I hope that you enjoy Leoti if you do move out there. And I will say early, welcome to Kansas

Thank you silverhaired51!!!

[Weedsnake]

I haven't been through Leoti in forty something years, so I can't speak with authority about current conditions. I can say that it is out of the mainstream. It is situated on what used to be referred to as "the flats". If you've never been to that part of the country, I would suggest a visit prior making any commitments. It is one of those places that you either love or hate, no in between.
Any of the Eastern Colorado towns you mentioned will be quite similar.

[Jim West]

Leoti is a typical western small town. You either become part of it or you dont. It is up to you. If your hubby does diesel mechanics for one of the large farm implement places, then he will make a place for himself.

You might get asked as to what makes you so special that you cant send your kids to Wichita County Schools like everyone else? It is a small community and your social participation will be important, as will the participation of your children. It will be difficult for them to participate in the community and with other children if they do not attend the school there.

You wont have a lot of success bringing your eastern ways and values to Leoti. They have their own ways of doing things and are content with them. The industry there is huge farms, and huge feedlots with a train passing through, and a few scattered oil wells. Wichita County is one of the wealtiest per capita counties in the nation. This is not intended to critisize, but to help you understand the culture there. The culture is mixed anglo/hispanic, and church is a big part of the community. You will need to make the adjustment to Leoti, as Leoti wont adjust to you.

The country is flat, there are no trees, and you can go either side of the town and you can see the grain elevators of other towns 30-40 miles away.

Welcome to the west. I say this from having lived there, and still have a lot of friends there.

JW

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Jim West

Wichita County is one of the wealtiest per capita counties in the nation.
JW

The data does not support this assertion at all, and neither does the Census Bureau. Johnson County Kansas is by far the wealthiest county in terms of per capita income and average family income.
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/20/20203.html
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/20/20091.html