Need info on Missouri (Kansas City, St. Louis: crime, house, job transfer)

[Pet79]

Hi everyone! I am new here and joined because my husband and I (and maybe my son) have decided to relocate from Indiana. I have an 18 year old who will graduate this year. We don't have any other children and we don't plan on having anymore.

We plan on relocating in 2 or 3 years. I have been struggling with S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder/depression) due to the VERY cold temperatures, gloomy days, lack of sun). I'm over living in cold climate! Anyone suffer from SAD and moved and noticed a difference? I struggle with depression and PTSD and the winter makes it 10x worse.

I recently drove through Missouri and I thought it was so beautiful. It made me think that possibly Missouri could be an option for us. What are some interesting facts and Pro's & Con's of living in Missouri?

My husband is a government employee so he will probably just transfer jobs or apply for a new one (within the government). I myself am an Entrepreneur and work from home so I am not concerned about job transfer or finding a job myself.

We are looking for a place that has nice weather, not always dark/gloomy days. I don't mind some snow but I dont want to deal with a lot of snow/ice and frigid temperatures anymore. I need SUN LIGHT! I'm also very interested in being in an area that is not to rural. Close enough to a nice size city where we can drive to when we want some shopping, entertainment, restaurants etc...

Can someone tell me what its like living in Missouri as far as the temperature?
Does it snow a lot in Missouri?
What is the cost of living ?
For example we pay $1,100 for a 2 bedroom, 2 bath, washer/dryer, dishwasher, central air and its 1,000 sq feet.
Is it more expensive to live in Missouri compared to Indiana?

[James Bond 007]

In the winter, Kansas City is in the dry season, so you get a lot of cold but sunny days, even while those days are short. Snow averages about 12-15 inches a year, often just a few inches, sometimes as much as 20-30 inches. It does go down to 0 usually at least once a year, and you do get cold spells, but usually they don't last too long.

Summer is cloudier and you get a lot of intense thunderstorms, but since it's summer, you get a lot of sun anyway. Spring and summer are the wet seasons. Probably summer isn't that different from Indiana, maybe a little hotter.

COL sounds like it's about the same as Indiana, more or less.

[MOforthewin]

Missouri doesn't get a ton of snow or cold except in northern Missouri it gets pretty cold at times.

You best bet is somewhere like Joplin or Springfield. Winters are pretty mild in the southern quarter of Missouri. It doesn't snow a lot usually and when it does it melts in a few days.

In southern MO you also get a lot of winter days where temps will get into the 60s and even 70s sometimes and spring starts sooner than it does in Stl and KC.

I'm from St. Louis and it gets colder there than southern MO obviously. That is borderline and I Wouldn't go any further than that in MO.

But yes southern MO would be better weather wise. Also if you're coming from the north Missouri will be different especially the southern half of Missouri. Missouri is in the bible belt and pretty conservative which I'm sure you know from the elections.

The southern quarter is also considered the south too so it might be a culture shock to you. Generally the Missouri river, highway 50 region we consider where the transition zone begins that is a mix of Midwest and southern influences, more southern further south you go and once you get close to highway 60 it's fully southern then.

The only downside is southern Missouri gets more ice storms than snow it seems. Overall the weather, especially in southern Missouri isn't bad at all.

[Floorist]

You can buy a decent 2 br house in south central Missouri for around $40,000. But wages are low. Food, utilities, etc. are also less in the lower populated counties. We bought an older 3 br earlier this year for $40,000. total utilities, elec, water and gas are about $300 a month. Go to Jackson, Greene or St Louis counties and expenses triple or more.

[MUTGR]

Originally Posted by Pet79

Hi everyone! I am new here and joined because my husband and I (and maybe my son) have decided to relocate from Indiana. I have an 18 year old who will graduate this year. We don't have any other children and we don't plan on having anymore.

We plan on relocating in 2 or 3 years. I have been struggling with S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder/depression) due to the VERY cold temperatures, gloomy days, lack of sun). I'm over living in cold climate! Anyone suffer from SAD and moved and noticed a difference? I struggle with depression and PTSD and the winter makes it 10x worse.

I recently drove through Missouri and I thought it was so beautiful. It made me think that possibly Missouri could be an option for us. What are some interesting facts and Pro's & Con's of living in Missouri?

My husband is a government employee so he will probably just transfer jobs or apply for a new one (within the government). I myself am an Entrepreneur and work from home so I am not concerned about job transfer or finding a job myself.

We are looking for a place that has nice weather, not always dark/gloomy days. I don't mind some snow but I dont want to deal with a lot of snow/ice and frigid temperatures anymore. I need SUN LIGHT! I'm also very interested in being in an area that is not to rural. Close enough to a nice size city where we can drive to when we want some shopping, entertainment, restaurants etc...

Can someone tell me what its like living in Missouri as far as the temperature?
Does it snow a lot in Missouri?
What is the cost of living ?
For example we pay $1,100 for a 2 bedroom, 2 bath, washer/dryer, dishwasher, central air and its 1,000 sq feet.
Is it more expensive to live in Missouri compared to Indiana?

Don't move from Indiana to Missouri for the weather.

[RisingAurvandil]

Missouri is very similar to Indiana in many aspects. Politically, culturally, geographically, and economically.

The cost-of-living is similar. The climate is similar. Missouri has more hills, but it's still a fairly flat state.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by RisingAurvandil

Missouri is very similar to Indiana in many aspects. Politically, culturally, geographically, and economically.

The cost-of-living is similar. The climate is similar. Missouri has more hills, but it's still a fairly flat state.

True. Weather wise Missouri is warmer though. The southern quarter of Missouri is warmer than the most southern parts of IN though. Culturally similar in ways too except Missouri is much much more southern than IN.

Southern IN is a transition zone a mix of the south and Midwest. Just like Missouri from US 50/MO river down to about 10 miles north of highway 60 is a transition zone mix of Midwest south. The southern 1/3 of Missouri is the south though.

Due to the more southern influence and southern Baptist, Missouri is considered the bible belt while IN isn't called it nearly as much.

Politically about the same as IN too. I will say the Republicans in Missouri are pretty far to the right though more so than Indiana. IMO that's due to southwest MO which is very far to the right.

Missouri Republicans are more to the right than most of the other southern states as well.

Especially when it comes to guns and abortion. The Brady Foundation's latest rankings ranked Missouri tied for 48th with Kansas. Only Mississippi ranked better than MO for gun rights.

Overall the states are fairly similar except culturally Missouri has much more of a southern component to it than Indiana has. With IN the southern third of the state is a transition zone while parts of MO are in the south and it's history as well.

[shelby7851]

I just moved from Missouri to Indiana last year actually. I went from Jefferson County to Terre Haute.. I find the weather to be a bit colder in Terre Haute than Missouri, but wasnt this past winter just bad for everyone?

Other than that, we have found cost of living to be about the same. I make a little more money in Terre Haute than I did in Missouri, doing the same thing. But it is close. I think St Louis city will compare to Indianapolis, in wages and housing prices. People are the same, I think crime might be a bit worse in St Louis. For sure, STL ranks higher on any crime list than Indy.

Another big difference are the hills... where I lived in Missouri, we all had basements, and nobody has a basement where I live now! that is just the landscape. It is so flat where I am, a basement would flood.

The two areas are so similar, the only difference I feel is the landscape. Missouri has lots of hills when you go driving, unlike the flatness of Indiana. But, other than that, you won't notice much difference, unless you were in Northern Indiana and move to Southern Missouri.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by shelby7851

I just moved from Missouri to Indiana last year actually. I went from Jefferson County to Terre Haute.. I find the weather to be a bit colder in Terre Haute than Missouri, but wasnt this past winter just bad for everyone?

Other than that, we have found cost of living to be about the same. I make a little more money in Terre Haute than I did in Missouri, doing the same thing. But it is close. I think St Louis city will compare to Indianapolis, in wages and housing prices. People are the same, I think crime might be a bit worse in St Louis. For sure, STL ranks higher on any crime list than Indy.

Another big difference are the hills... where I lived in Missouri, we all had basements, and nobody has a basement where I live now! that is just the landscape. It is so flat where I am, a basement would flood.

The two areas are so similar, the only difference I feel is the landscape. Missouri has lots of hills when you go driving, unlike the flatness of Indiana. But, other than that, you won't notice much difference, unless you were in Northern Indiana and move to Southern Missouri.

True. Northern Indiana is a lot different than southern Missouri which is southern or a transition zone further up in northern southern Missouri. Two very different cultures.

Southern Indiana is like Missouri's transition zone that is around US 50/Missouri river in Missouri on south to about 15 miles north of highway 60. A mix of Midwest and southern culture.

Nowhere in Indiana would compare to Caruthersville or Branson, West Plains for example that are southern cities.

[SunGrins]

Originally Posted by MUTGR

Don't move from Indiana to Missouri for the weather.

Good advice.