Job in Topeka but wanting suggestions on other areas to live (Lawrence: school district, prices) - Kansas (KS) - Page 4 - City-Data Forum

soanchorless · 01-24-2013, 07:39 PM

Dangit! You quoted it before I deleted it. After re-reading, I noticed it was pretty offensive. Ooops.

To be fair (haha), I have the same bias against Kansas City after living there for only like 3 weeks and being robbed and offered tons of drugs.

I know though, stereotypes and unsubstantiated prejudices are not cool. But I can't help myself sometimes.

Interestingly enough, during the first six months I lived in Lexington, KY, some weirdo in a huge truck backed up into the drive through of a fast food place and hit the back of my car and drove off. The same week, someone threw a brick through my car window. However, I stayed there three years and now I have a bias of love towards the place. So first impressions are often wrong.

I actually did look into moving to Topeka before I had a kid because the real estate is so cheap and it does have tons of potential to be an amazing city. Now that I have a kid, I'm just a paranoid old woman, honestly. Like, the crime rate there isn't terrible, but it's higher than I could handle. Not too long ago, it was ranking as one of the most violent cities in America. My kid would never be able to leave the house. That is mostly about me having psychological issues more than the city having an problems. lol But realistically, most people with kids have these issues.

GraniteStater · 01-24-2013, 08:24 PM

Lawrence is by far the better community. The one thing Lawrence must focus on is retaining and growing new businesses and jobs locally that pay high salaries. With all of those college graduates you would think Lawrence and the surrounding area would be a job growth area but that isn't the case. Topeka generally fares much worse in the jobs department over time. JOCO can't continue to carry the entire state in terms of NEW job growth in total percentage terms and numbers.

Bettafish · 01-24-2013, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Lawrence is by far the better community. The one thing Lawrence must focus on is retaining and growing new businesses and jobs locally that pay high salaries. With all of those college graduates you would think Lawrence and the surrounding area would be a job growth area but that isn't the case. Topeka generally fares much worse in the jobs department over time. JOCO can't continue to carry the entire state in terms of NEW job growth in total percentage terms and numbers.

JOCO just steal jobs and wealthy residents from KCMO.

springfieldcollegealum · 01-24-2013, 09:03 PM

I would try for a job in KCMO at the 1315 N Chouteau Trfy, Kansas City MO. That's right off of I-35 and you could get there pretty easily from JOCO around the Shawnee/Roeland Park area. There are a lot of commuters from Lawrence-KC and Lawrence-Topeka, but how about bad weather? That could be pretty miserable. I believe that JOCO would provide a better quality of life than Lawrence or for sure Topeka overall. The commute too could get pricey with Lawrence-KC or Lawrence-Topeka. I think it also would be easier to adjust if you are coming from SC.

MOKAN · 01-25-2013, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soanchorless

Dangit! You quoted it before I deleted it....

It's all good. We all have different takes and banter back and forth. Hopefully everything said will ultimately help the original poster in their research.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bettafish

JOCO just steal jobs and wealthy residents from KCMO.

Johnson County (and the Kansas side in general) has been the jobs leader of metropolitan Kansas City for some time. Jobs may have moved to JoCo from KCMO and vice-versa, but JoCo provides a net gain in jobs to the entire metro. The Missouri side is stagnant, with no net gain.

Mathguy · 01-25-2013, 07:59 AM

To the OP, if it were my decision I would suggest giving the Lawrence area a 2nd look. I really don't feel their schools are bad and would ask that you look very very closely at what makes up their school ranking.

That additional commute is a lot less time for the kids dad to be around with both you and them and is a big cost and time suck.

For example, you are probably looking at an extra 2-3 gallons per day and the loss of at least an hour. Multiply by 200 days a year as a nice number and even just $3 a gallon gas and you are looking at $1200-1800 just in gas costs per year and the loss of 200 hours of productive time or 5 x 40 hourweeks a year.

So your pre-tax additional commuting costs are probably more like $5,000 a year in tires, gas, wear and tear etc.

So ask yourself, if someone offered to pay him 5k a year more and threw in a couple extra weeks of vacation....would you consider Lawrence? That pays for a lot of private tutoring, music lessons etc etc.

GraniteStater · 01-25-2013, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOKAN

It's all good. We all have different takes and banter back and forth. Hopefully everything said will ultimately help the original poster in their research.

Johnson County (and the Kansas side in general) has been the jobs leader of metropolitan Kansas City for some time. Jobs may have moved to JoCo from KCMO and vice-versa, but JoCo provides a net gain in jobs to the entire metro. The Missouri side is stagnant, with no net gain.

MOKAN · 01-25-2013, 09:26 PM

I do believe what I said is true, according to a couple different KC Star articles put out over the past year, both of which I've posted here. The discrepancy may be that I'm speaking of the Missouri side overall. If Platte and Cass as you say had positive job growth, then enough jobs in other counties, more than likely mostly Jackson, were lost at a big enough rate that the overall amount of jobs on the Missouri side has remained the same. The Kansas side carries the entire metro in jobs growth. If you took the KS side away, KC would have no growth. The KS side has had job growth above the national average, enough to make the entire metro appear to have average job growth.

ccoutofsc · 01-27-2013, 02:51 PM

I am definitely starting to lean towards the KC plant. I just hope that's where my hubby can get to. Although I live in SC right now I am from California and want the big city close by. My husband did a long commute in Ca but without the bad weather. When I look at cities near KC I have a larger selection when it comes to good schools and extras. I am thankful for all the comments that everyone has left. I didn't do much research before moving to SC and I dislike it A LOT so if Topeka is like Columbia then it's not for our family.

ccoutofsc · 01-27-2013, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sco

Kansas City, hands down. Topeka is a dumpy, dreary little town. I can't even imagine living in Topeka short term much less making it my family's last move.

Think Stockton, west side of Chula Vista or San Bernardino and you will have some idea of what Topeka is like, except Topeka has a worse climate, lower incomes and a less educated population than those places. Based on what you have said you are looking for, I don't think you would like Topeka at all.

WOW!!!!!!! You definitely give a comparison that I can relate to. It makes it much easier to go towards KC.