Warm, friendly and liberal Kansas (Overland Park, Olathe: fit in, unemployment, school)

[NewHomeOregon]

What part of Kansas fits this criteria. I don't mean it has to be radically liberal, but neither do I want a bible-thumping area. Which cities are like that?

[Okey Dokie]

Lawrence

[AnywhereElse]

Are you planning to move there? Visit there? Go to school there? Warm, friendly and liberal just kind of depends on where you are coming from and what you are comparing it with. Also, what size of town? A lot will depend on what you project to the people in the area.

[NewHomeOregon]

I am thinking of moving there. I'd like a medium size city with some amenities like Costco, Trader Joe's and a good health food store. I am a friendly person. I'm told I'm very likeable, but I get a long best with open-minded people. I'd like a strong sense of community but nothing insular.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by NewHomeOregon

I am thinking of moving there. I'd like a medium size city with some amenities like Costco, Trader Joe's and a good health food store. I am a friendly person. I'm told I'm very likeable, but I get a long best with open-minded people. I'd like a strong sense of community but nothing insular.

Lawrence is about your only choice in Kansas... You would have to drive to the KC metro (about 30 minutes) to get some of those other big box "amenities."

[luzianne]

I call BS on the other posts. While Johnson County is largely conservative, there are a LOT of liberal Johnson County residents and you are not likely to run into Bible thumpers unless you go looking for them. And you have Costco and Trader Joe's and health food stores too. The OP would find everything he wants - not radically liberal, not Bible thumping, with Trader Joe's, health food stores and Costco, in Overland Park. And of course, Leawood, Stilwell, Prairie Village, Lenexa, Shawnee, and Olathe are in close proximity so any of those would work too.

Lawrence is a great place to live, but it's a college town and it's 45 minutes away from Costco and Trader Joe's.

Anyone who is trying to tell you that Johnson County is Bible thumping is lying. Southern Missouri I would say that could be true. But Johnson County - no. OP, come and visit for yourself. You'll be pleasantly surprised and you will fit in just fine.

I have lived in Johnson County for many years. Even when I was kid it wasn't a Bible thumping place. There are conservatives, for sure. There are also a lot of liberals. It's not like some people here are trying to portray it, and when you come and visit you will see that for yourself.

[AnywhereElse]

OP, what sort of job will you be looking for? That can make a difference here on where you can settle. Despite the fact that unemployment is lower in KS, many jobs don't pay that well especially if you choose to live in one of the more expensive counties with a higher cost of living. I would definitely have a job lined up before moving here unless I was independently wealthy.

[thriftylefty]

IMO You might find areas of Kansas that are liberal due to their Historic link to a religion. Some areas are liberal because they are overwhelmed by college aged youth. Some areas that have large numbers of minorities can be "tolerant" but I wouldn’t necessarily call that liberal. Even places that are strongly Democratic might not be that liberal. Counties like; Crawford, Kiowa, Elk, and Marshall might be democratic leaning but I don’t know that I would call them liberal. College towns are a good bet because they are used to people coming and going and outsiders are a good thing to them.

[NewHomeOregon]

Thanks, everyone! Luzianne, that was very helpful information!! I hope to check out Johnson County soon and some of the surrounding communities. Anywhere else, I am retired. I won't be looking for work. Thrifty, thanks for that bit of insight. Like I mentioned before, I don't want a place that's too insular where it might be hard to break in socially. It has to be a place accepting of outsiders. In addition, I'm from California, and I notice when I travel that some people have difficulty accepting Californians; they seem to have a lot of preconceived ideas about us.

[NewHomeOregon]

Some other questions: This probably varies from area to area, but I like to walk and ride bikes. The Summer would probably be too hot for this except in the late afternoon. Are there many bugs in the air? Is it comfortable to be outdoors that time of day?
Also, How are your Winters?