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I am reaching out because I would like to hear from other that might have been or lived in the kcmo suburbs and the cleveland suburbs. I am relocating my family back to the states and debating between these two places.
I lived in Lenexa and worked in OP for a couples of years 6 years ago. Now I have a 2yr old kid and will be going back with only one income at the beginning.
So, which of these area are overall better to raise kid, get a decent single family home 3 bedroom and a basement rental for now and perhaps start a new business later on?
I have been doing a lot of research on Cleveland suburbs but cant make up my mind on where to land that is why I would appreciate people sharing their experience an opinion on these areas.
Although both Kansas City and Cleveland and firmly in the midwest, both are at the geographic edges of the midwest. Kansas City will have a bit of the Great Plains and Bible Belt influences due to its location, whereas Cleveland feels strongly northeastern. You will have noticeably less diversity, and more politically conservative and socially conservative than around Cleveland. Cleveland suburbs have a much larger population of Italian americans, Jews, Eastern European-americans, probably more affluent Blacks, etc. There are walkable, eclectic inner suburbs like Cleveland Hts and Lakewood which I don't think KC area has. As well as charming Thomas Kinkade-like communities like Chagrin Falls.
Having said that, its possible that Kansas City metro area might have a better economy.
Although both Kansas City and Cleveland and firmly in the midwest, both are at the geographic edges of the midwest. Kansas City will have a bit of the Great Plains and Bible Belt influences due to its location, whereas Cleveland feels strongly northeastern. You will have noticeably less diversity, and more politically conservative and socially conservative than around Cleveland. Cleveland suburbs have a much larger population of Italian americans, Jews, Eastern European-americans, probably more affluent Blacks, etc. There are walkable, eclectic inner suburbs like Cleveland Hts and Lakewood which I don't think KC area has. As well as charming Thomas Kinkade-like communities like Chagrin Falls.
Having said that, its possible that Kansas City metro area might have a better economy.
Totally disagree. I would say they are about the same. I would think about climate and what you want to be near more than anything. KC will be closer to more of the country while Cleveland is closer to bigger cities in the Northeast and upper Midwest plus even Canada. They feel about the same size because Akron doesn’t really affect the feel of Cleveland. I think Lawrence is more a part of KC than Akron is to Cleveland, but they are not technically part of the KC MSA.
As far as your comments about being in the bible belt. I just don’t see the difference. KC is not really a bible belt city at all. Now the states of MO and KS have a lot of rural influence, but the metro KC area is just not like that. I know it’s nothing like the cities in the south. Pretty much out of site out of mind in KC with the exception of some pretty large churches in the suburbs (which is the case anywhere).
Inner ring suburbs or walkable suburbs.
First off, if the OP once lived in Lenexa, then I’m not even sure they are interested in that. Lenexa nothing but new sprawl type development. It’s a nice suburb, but it’s many miles from anything walkable outside of trails.
But KC has some nice inner ring suburbs. I would put Brookside up against anything in Cleveland. Brookside is in the city limits of KC, but it’s basically an inner ring suburb. There are others and many outer suburbs have vibrant historic downtown districts as well. I love the Shaker Sqare area of Cleveland, but KC has some amazing urban/suburban areas around the country club plaza and south.
So again, I would say pretty similar. I would even say the economies are pretty similar. KC has a rather lackluster economy (I think it’s because there is too much local competition mostly due to the state line, going on there for the metro to compete as a whole with other metros like it should).
Both are great cities and both have nice outer and inner suburbs as well as urban cores that are coming back nicely. Both also have a lot of urban blight, crime and abandonment as well.
Totally disagree. I would say they are about the same. I would think about climate and what you want to be near more than anything. KC will be closer to more of the country while Cleveland is closer to bigger cities in the Northeast and upper Midwest plus even Canada. They feel about the same size because Akron doesn’t really affect the feel of Cleveland. I think Lawrence is more a part of KC than Akron is to Cleveland, but they are not technically part of the KC MSA.
As far as your comments about being in the bible belt. I just don’t see the difference. KC is not really a bible belt city at all. Now the states of MO and KS have a lot of rural influence, but the metro KC area is just not like that. I know it’s nothing like the cities in the south. Pretty much out of site out of mind in KC with the exception of some pretty large churches in the suburbs (which is the case anywhere).
Inner ring suburbs or walkable suburbs.
First off, if the OP once lived in Lenexa, then I’m not even sure they are interested in that. Lenexa nothing but new sprawl type development. It’s a nice suburb, but it’s many miles from anything walkable outside of trails.
But KC has some nice inner ring suburbs. I would put Brookside up against anything in Cleveland. Brookside is in the city limits of KC, but it’s basically an inner ring suburb. There are others and many outer suburbs have vibrant historic downtown districts as well. I love the Shaker Sqare area of Cleveland, but KC has some amazing urban/suburban areas around the country club plaza and south.
So again, I would say pretty similar. I would even say the economies are pretty similar. KC has a rather lackluster economy (I think it’s because there is too much local competition mostly due to the state line, going on there for the metro to compete as a whole with other metros like it should).
Both are great cities and both have nice outer and inner suburbs as well as urban cores that are coming back nicely. Both also have a lot of urban blight, crime and abandonment as well.
I've visited KC and live in Cleveland and Cleveland feels bigger than KC, and is more like St. Louis in feel. I also didn't see anything in KC that resembles Lakewood, Cleveland Hts, East Cleveland, or Shaker Hts, but don't feel bad, Minneapolis (my hometown) doesn't have anything like that either, and I'm not sure ST. Louis does either.
I've visited KC and live in Cleveland and Cleveland feels bigger than KC, and is more like St. Louis in feel. I also didn't see anything in KC that resembles Lakewood, Cleveland Hts, East Cleveland, or Shaker Hts, but don't feel bad, Minneapolis (my hometown) doesn't have anything like that either, and I'm not sure ST. Louis does either.
^ Those are all Cleveland's Streetcar Suburbs. Plus, Shakers Hts, East Cleveland, and Lakewood are still have light rail and/or heavy rail access to live up to the old name. Compared to other cities, these suburbs would probably exist in the city limits.
Last edited by costello_musicman; 01-27-2013 at 01:01 AM..
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