Where should I move to in Kansas? (Overland Park, Kansas City: crimes, home)

[Lightyearling]

Originally Posted by kingpurpleblack

The reason I chose Kansas because I want to be far away from any ocean, less likely to be affected by hurricanes, plus, I like the scenery of Kansas.

WHAT "scenery"????

[Lightyearling]

Originally Posted by kingpurpleblack

The reason I chose Kansas because I want to be far away from any ocean, less likely to be affected by hurricanes, plus, I like the scenery of Kansas.

By the way, as a former Kansan (and likely to repatriate very soon), I am amazed not more is being mentioned about Lawrence. Centrally located between Topeka & K.C., home of the University of Kansas, the only region east of Colorado with a "mountain" (tongue-in-cheek), rich cultural & artistic diversity, pleasant people for the most part, "blue state" sensibilities (a comforting oasis in a state awash in "red"), Kaw River & Clinton Lake (for relaxation & fishing), clean & aesthetically appealing, relatively "bicycle-friendly", ever growing, and one of the safest places in the country I've lived.

Just be prepared for some of the "down" sides: hailstorms, risks of tornado (as one has already mentioned), violent crime though still comparatively low is increasing, and finding reasonable rents can be a bit of a challenge. And though unemployment has never been a major problem, keep in mind that Kansas is a "right to work" state and that much of the Lawrence job market is going to cater heavily in favor of working University students: many permanent residents "commute" outside of the city to work.

By the way, any fears of "hurricanes" are somewhat unjustified, since the west coast and the "Mid-Atlantic" & "New England" areas are generally not affected.

Best Wishes!

[kingpurpleblack]

Yes, I do know about the tornadoes, and since I was a little child, I've had such a big interest in tornadoes.

And like I said, I want to be far away from any ocean, I've had a bad experience with them in the past.

Of course, I will look more into Lawrence, Kansas, and see what interests me over there.

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by kingpurpleblack

Yes, I do know about the tornadoes, and since I was a little child, I've had such a big interest in tornadoes.

And like I said, I want to be far away from any ocean, I've had a bad experience with them in the past.

Of course, I will look more into Lawrence, Kansas, and see what interests me over there.

Plus, not sure if you're a hoop fan, but if you are, Lawrence is basketballville. And packs a lot of attitude about it, too. Check out some of these t-shirts:

Joe College (http://www.joe-college.com/catalog/index.php - broken link)

[Lightyearling]

Originally Posted by kingpurpleblack

Yes, I do know about the tornadoes, and since I was a little child, I've had such a big interest in tornadoes.

And like I said, I want to be far away from any ocean, I've had a bad experience with them in the past.

Of course, I will look more into Lawrence, Kansas, and see what interests me over there.

Also, being of African-American background, you may find Lawrence interesting for its "abolitionist" history, in which the city played a major role and was something of a focal point in its own right.

As an afterthought, do keep in mind that being from Louisiana you will be experiencing "winter" on a considerably different severity level than what you are accustomed to: snow, ice, and biting north winds are bitter realities of winter life in the plains states; you should be prepared for that experience.

[kingpurpleblack]

How much is average rent in Lawrence? I looked up some apartments, but I'm not sure if this is student housing or not? I'm not coming here as a student yet, so, can someone clarify this for me?

[Lightyearling]

Originally Posted by kingpurpleblack

How much is average rent in Lawrence? I looked up some apartments, but I'm not sure if this is student housing or not? I'm not coming here as a student yet, so, can someone clarify this for me?

I'm not really sure. One thing to keep in mind though is that housing may be a bit "pricey" as landlords do try to play the "supply vs demand" game to squeeze whatever they can as a result of all of the students who desire off-campus housing. Even so, it seems that rents are fairly reasonable, esp. as compared to the outrageous rents we're subjected to here in Hawaii. I peruse "CraigsList" periodically, and it seems quite possible to find decent housing in the $500-ish range, some units even offering amenities such as W/D & cable.

[kansas sky]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

The OP was asking for possible cities in KS. If a solid economy is more important, the Upper Midwest cities fare far better overall.

So you know that Wichita is the largest city in Kansas, right...?

From firsthand experience the job situation in Lawrence can be tough, though otherwise it's a great city. Stay away from Topeka if you're concerned about crime, also not much of a night life. I live in Manhattan now. There is crime, but it you don't go walking around by yourself at night in sketchy areas or doing drug deals you should be fine. I suppose there's a decent nightlife in aggieville, I'm not into that myself. There is also a decent amount of diversity and I happen to think the Flint Hills are gorgeous. There are a couple smallish rivers and Tuttle Creek lake for your water needs. I've heard that the employment situation here is decent, but I moved here to take a job so I don't have first-hand experience in searching. Good luck with whatever you decide!

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by kansas sky

So you know that Wichita is the largest city in Kansas, right...?

From firsthand experience the job situation in Lawrence can be tough, though otherwise it's a great city. Stay away from Topeka if you're concerned about crime, also not much of a night life. I live in Manhattan now. There is crime, but it you don't go walking around by yourself at night in sketchy areas or doing drug deals you should be fine. I suppose there's a decent nightlife in aggieville, I'm not into that myself. There is also a decent amount of diversity and I happen to think the Flint Hills are gorgeous. There are a couple smallish rivers and Tuttle Creek lake for your water needs. I've heard that the employment situation here is decent, but I moved here to take a job so I don't have first-hand experience in searching. Good luck with whatever you decide!

Yes, I lived in KS (KC metro area) for 20+ years and still have family scattered about the area. College towns tend to have much more stable economic cycles due to the university along with good healthcare amenities. They don't experience as many of the booms and busts as the larger metros do because of a relative lack of speculative housing ventures. Some of the lowest unemployment rates in the Midwest right now are: Ames, IA, Iowa City, IA, Rochester, MN, Madison, WI, Bismarck, ND, Fargo, ND, Sioux Falls, SD, Omaha, NE, Lincoln, NE, and Manhattan, KS.

[kingpurpleblack]

What are some of the streets I should avoid in Manhattan or Lawrence?

Sorry for asking so many questions, but I am a safety freak.