from NJ to Kansas?! 411 needed! (Wichita, Kansas City: fit in, best towns, how much) - (KS) - City-Data Forum

Nicole917 · 10-04-2010, 11:49 AM

hey all!

My fiance has a some friends in Kansas that he visits often. I never been there yet. We both live in NJ, and to my understanding, NJ & Kansas are complete opposites.. My fiance LOVES to hunt, and I'm the total opposite!

We are considering leaving NJ in the future to purchase a home in Kansas. where are the best towns to live in? He wants to be secluded in the woods, but I want to be near shopping, nightlife, etc..

are there lots of things to do? are there theme parks around? is there a nice place to go swimming (since there is no ocean)? are there any casino's in Kansas? and are there lots of tornadoes?!!

i just need some insight/advice of what towns to live in so that both of us are happy! whats the average price on a 4 bedroom house?

I'm tired of NJ, and want a change (too much traffic and rude nasty people!) but not sure if I will be happy in Kansas, or miserable!

pioneer88 · 10-04-2010, 02:44 PM

what type of hunting?

I would say KC area is a solid choice because of what it offers for you, plus there are lakes and hills and woods. Wichita is the next biggest and has good hunting but not as many wooded areas. Manhattan is where K-State is located and it's in the flint hills which are really pretty and offer a lot for outdoorsy types with hiking, lakes, hunting etc. Manhattan is about 50,000 with 100,000+ in the area. It's large enough to have some shopping, is pretty close to Topeka, and less than 2hrs from KC. Southeast Kansas is as good as it gets anywhere in the country for white tail deer and also has great hunting for quail, waterfowl and turkey. So if you are in the Eastern half of the state that's an easy drive for him. Central and western Kansas has solid deer populations but is great for bird hunting. The area near Manhattan (fort riley) has a reintroduced elk population that there are some permits for. Really when it comes to hunting/conservation Kansas does offer a lot. Good luck in your search and Welcome to Kansas!

Here are some area populations (far from exact)
KC=2,000,000+, Wichita = 600,000+ Topeka = 250,000

j_k_k · 10-04-2010, 03:06 PM

Even in KCK, you'll get significant culture shock. It's just a very different world. You may stand out a lot. Remember that you are considering moving to what some Easterners call a 'flyover state', as in, a place of little value or significance where hicks grub in the dirt, read the Bible all the time and raise 'cows'. (Lesson #1: it's 'cattle,' unless one specifically raises only female cattle.)

You may not see Kansas that way, but some do in your part of the world; they see it as emptiness best viewed from an airplane on their way to somewhere of value. Kansans are quite well aware of this--just as people from New Jersey are perfectly well aware of external perceptions and generalizations of their state. If you have an accent or faster city-style speech (when I lived in Seattle and visited home, my cousins complained that I talked a mile a minute), you will inevitably have to confront these perceptions even if they are unspoken. If you confirm them, it won't be easy to fit in. How you handle that would be up to you.

I think some newcomers tend to overcompensate by being too outgoing and smiley, just as Californians often do in Oregon and Washington. I don't think that will work well in Kansas, where people tend to be a little reserved, and to distrust overtly outgoing attitudes. What does work well is to let your actions speak for themselves: say hello, be polite, do positive things, accept differences. Volunteerism, respect for the elderly (we have tons, so you won't have to look very far to find some to respect), and a genuine effort to embrace the good in Kansas will speak louder than anything you can say.

It doesn't mean you have to abandon what you are (I cannot know at this remove what that is, to begin with), just giving some examples of ways and attitudes that earn respect in Kansas. For example, one need not suddenly develop devotion to Jesus, but one can respect that for others around them, that's a key part of their life reality. For the most part, Kansas lives and lets live, and has diverse living environments which are best evaluated by visiting them firsthand. For the most part, I think many people are about doing. Kansans, in my general experience, are more about being. If they wanted lots and lots of playtoys (theme parks, casinos, fashion centers, etc.) they would live where those are more abundant.

I would go on a two-week vacation there and see the whole state, or as much of it as possible. If two weeks sounds like too long, then perhaps years in Kansas might not sound good to you after all. If on the other hand you think you really might love it back home (as I call it, speaking from my long expatriation), two weeks will seem too short and you'll want it to be longer. That would be a pretty good sign. Until you visit, you can't tell.

GraniteStater · 10-04-2010, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicole917

hey all!

My fiance has a some friends in Kansas that he visits often. I never been there yet. We both live in NJ, and to my understanding, NJ & Kansas are complete opposites.. My fiance LOVES to hunt, and I'm the total opposite!

We are considering leaving NJ in the future to purchase a home in Kansas. where are the best towns to live in? He wants to be secluded in the woods, but I want to be near shopping, nightlife, etc..

are there lots of things to do? are there theme parks around? is there a nice place to go swimming (since there is no ocean)? are there any casino's in Kansas? and are there lots of tornadoes?!!

i just need some insight/advice of what towns to live in so that both of us are happy! whats the average price on a 4 bedroom house?

I'm tired of NJ, and want a change (too much traffic and rude nasty people!) but not sure if I will be happy in Kansas, or miserable!

I would definitely visit KC AND MO in different seasons to see for yourself how much of a culture shock you are going to endure. Also, don't think that very cheap prices for property are the norm if the town or area is in decline. It will attract few new people, capital, or businesses. You will likely want to stay within the Manhattan to Kansas City corridor, but I would strong suggest staying near KC if you like more woods. The Missouri side has generally more woods, particularly in some of the outlying areas of Clay and Jackson counties. Also, be sure to SECURE employment first before moving anywhere in this economy. The cost of living is very low compared to NJ, but you have to envision the fact that KC is much more isolated compared to anywhere along the East Coast.

AnywhereElse · 10-07-2010, 12:46 PM

What size of town are you coming from? If a large city, we came back after living near Tucson, AZ and all shopping seemed fruitless. Even 30 years ago when I came into Kansas for the first time, they didn't carry anything compared to what I was used to in Michigan. It was really hard and is still frustrating. The only "theme" park that I know of is "Worlds of Fun" and it has, I think, Oceans of Fun? St. Louis has several attractions and there is Branson, MO area-Silver Dollar City. You'll do best in the larger areas where diversity is more "appreciated". Best place to live in Kansas is Salina!

thriftylefty · 10-07-2010, 02:06 PM

What part of Kansas does he visit? His perception of the state is probably shaped by were ever that is. Kansas is big. I have spent plenty time in NJ and Kansas and one difference is in Kansas they have to drive long distances to get to entertainment, shopping , culture or even to go to McDonalds. Plan on making lots drives and day trips. I think you should know what you are going to do for work before you pick a place. Its not like out east where you can drive 20 miles and find new job opportunities.

Alicia Bradley · 10-07-2010, 03:37 PM

Um, Kansas City (and even Wichita, etc.) and rural parts of KS are WORLDS different, as I'm sure can be said for very rural parts of NJ (yes, there are some) vs. the urban parts of that state. I can't believe the overgeneralizations found in this thread. KC is a very cool city with lots of boutique/indie (as well as standard high-end, mid-sized city) shopping, awesome restaurants (including multiple James Beard winners), neat neighborhoods with historic homes, etc. This is just... lame. People in Kansas City talk especially slowly? More slowly than people in Seattle? That's completely asinine, and this is coming from someone who's traveled (and lived) widely throughout the US. Much of suburban Seattle is pretty damn similar, culturally, to suburban KC (or suburban Jersey, for that matter). Same with some of the artsy, walkable neighborhoods. Yet again, City Data makes me want to vomit. Thanks for contributing to the C-D knowledge base, jkk, by reiterating (and even expanding upon) some moronic stereotypes. I don't think someone from NJ needs to be told what people from NJ think of a particular state/locale. There are synagogues in Kansas City, for crying out loud.