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Old 12-03-2019, 09:47 AM
 
Location: Minneapolis, MN
10,244 posts, read 16,274,676 times
Reputation: 5303

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Hello. I have never considered living in Kansas until I heard about a wealthy donor offering to pay the college tuition for all students who attend schools in the town of Neodesha. This makes me very curious about this place. As a telecommuter I can live anywhere in the country I’d like. I was wondering if any posters here live in Neodesha or are familiar with it. What is life like there? Is high speed internet available there? Any information would be helpful. Thanks in advance.
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Old 12-03-2019, 02:38 PM
 
Location: Kansas City North
6,768 posts, read 11,394,388 times
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Well, it’s a small town of 2,400 kind of out in the middle of near-nowhere. There isn’t even a Walmart, which is my barometer for small towns. Depending on where you are currently residing, it may be a gigantic culture shock for yourself and/or your kids. The award amount is reduced if the student has not attended K-12 entirely in the district. I would definitely make a visit before pursuing this much further.

https://www.neodeshapromise.org/program-requirements
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Old 12-03-2019, 06:15 PM
 
Location: Tippecanoe County, Indiana
26,372 posts, read 46,199,122 times
Reputation: 19454
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cruz Azul Guy View Post
Hello. I have never considered living in Kansas until I heard about a wealthy donor offering to pay the college tuition for all students who attend schools in the town of Neodesha. This makes me very curious about this place. As a telecommuter I can live anywhere in the country I’d like. I was wondering if any posters here live in Neodesha or are familiar with it. What is life like there? Is high speed internet available there? Any information would be helpful. Thanks in advance.
Uh no, it would not be advisable to move there... I wouldn't advise anyone moving to a fast declining rural area with a poor overall local economy and severely depressed real estate prices. Wilson County, the county that Neodesha and Fredonia are located in, has declined 7.5% in population since 2010. Educational attainment is very low, and the percentage of households with broadband internet is 59%. Culture shock would be far too great if you are used to the Upper Midwest. I can say that as I have lived in multiple areas of Kansas, the Upper Midwest, and elsewhere.

See below, Census Quickfacts is an invaluable tool for finding information about any county in the US and cities at or above 5,000 people using the search function.

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fa...s,US/PST045218
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Old 12-03-2019, 08:33 PM
 
Location: Minneapolis, MN
10,244 posts, read 16,274,676 times
Reputation: 5303
Quote:
Originally Posted by GraniteStater View Post
Uh no, it would not be advisable to move there... I wouldn't advise anyone moving to a fast declining rural area with a poor overall local economy and severely depressed real estate prices. Wilson County, the county that Neodesha and Fredonia are located in, has declined 7.5% in population since 2010. Educational attainment is very low, and the percentage of households with broadband internet is 59%. Culture shock would be far too great if you are used to the Upper Midwest. I can say that as I have lived in multiple areas of Kansas, the Upper Midwest, and elsewhere.

See below, Census Quickfacts is an invaluable tool for finding information about any county in the US and cities at or above 5,000 people using the search function.

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fa...s,US/PST045218
It’d be great, like Kevin Bacon in the movie Footloose.
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Old 12-03-2019, 10:16 PM
 
Location: Tippecanoe County, Indiana
26,372 posts, read 46,199,122 times
Reputation: 19454
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cruz Azul Guy View Post
It’d be great, like Kevin Bacon in the movie Footloose.
Ah, another 80's movie fan, a classic one.
Yeah, well, some areas look attractive on paper in terms of costs, but it would definitely be advisable to make a trip to see the "lay of the land." If you are looking for a "nice small town/city" that is in Kansas I would advise looking at McPherson instead.
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Old 12-04-2019, 07:37 AM
Status: "108 N/A" (set 9 days ago)
 
12,880 posts, read 13,542,551 times
Reputation: 9545
The only reason to live in an area like that is if you have familial roots, Otherwise you will spend a lot of time driving to Wichita which is about 2 hours away. Southeast Kansas is cluster of small and smaller towns. Pittsburg is the "big city" and it's a small town with poor housing options.
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Old 12-04-2019, 07:59 AM
 
527 posts, read 415,047 times
Reputation: 466
Quote:
Originally Posted by GraniteStater View Post
Uh no, it would not be advisable to move there... I wouldn't advise anyone moving to a fast declining rural area with a poor overall local economy and severely depressed real estate prices. Wilson County, the county that Neodesha and Fredonia are located in, has declined 7.5% in population since 2010. Educational attainment is very low, and the percentage of households with broadband internet is 59%. Culture shock would be far too great if you are used to the Upper Midwest. I can say that as I have lived in multiple areas of Kansas, the Upper Midwest, and elsewhere.

See below, Census Quickfacts is an invaluable tool for finding information about any county in the US and cities at or above 5,000 people using the search function.

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fa...s,US/PST045218
Aren't most of US rural counties like that now?
I put several random counties I'm familiar with into that tool (they're all over the country) and got about the same numbers. Some of these counties are very nice places to live in.
I lived all over the country, not to mention traveled a lot to all kinds of rural places all over and had far more culture shock from Upper Midwest than from small-town Kansas... and I'm from completely different world, originally.
Growing counties have their own problems, definitely, and often just plain overcrowded and fast-paced (and expensive).

Last edited by opossum1; 12-04-2019 at 08:39 AM..
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Old 12-04-2019, 08:44 AM
 
Location: Riley Co
374 posts, read 552,223 times
Reputation: 549
Well, I have familial roots in SE KS:
Paternal Grandfather was Clerk of the District Court, Montgomery Co. KS (Independence) ca 1919 -> ret.
Paternal Grandmother was from Neodesha. Her brother, Uncle Bus, worked for Standard Oil in Neodesha. We visited often, the smell of the refinery was a constant presence. His wife taught HS in Independence, & died in a car accident one morning on the way to work. Commuting to a job in another small town is a way of life in SE KS. My Dad worked @ Beech Aircraft in Wichita (1939-85), & mentioned coworkers from all over SE KS. on two-lane highways.

Mother's cousin owned Howard Dept Store in Neodesha. I don't recall when they closed.

Maternal Grandparents farmed/ranched @ Rose, in S. Woodson County. I recall eating @ the cafe on 75 @ Buffalo, a city in S. Wilson County, population 232. Wikipedia

The Woodson County seat, Yates Center, is a shell. The pharmacist is the only profitable businessman, AFAIK. When I was a kid in the 1950s, there were 3 new car dealerships, now you leave the county for an ag equipment dealership. I have 3 cousins who still live there, as do 2 of their kids. One cousin commuted to Iola to Gates Rubber for his entire working career. Ranches N of YC. The school district, county, & oil patch are the main employers. I believe my cousin knows someone commuting from YC to Cobalt Boats in Neodesha.

I worked @ Elk City Reservoir the summer of 1981, & lived in downtown Independence. My roommate, from Toronto, KS, & I would get up in the morning & would guess what the temp. was. We could step out the front door & see the bank's thermometer. IT WAS ALWAYS < OUR GUESS. This area is the KS OZARKS.

There are recreational opportunities; hiking The Elk River Hiking Trail; Wilson County State Park has > avg water quality for most KS reservoirs; also Elk City Reservoir.

Housing would be in rare supply. A recent news article indicated flooding had destroyed homes between the Verdigris & Fall Rivers. That new construction was nonexistent. I lived in 3 abandoned Woodson Co. farm houses while working summers @ John Redmond Reservoir.

What would kids do? Excel in school would be the obvious goal. At this time, I would guess class size is pretty low. Opportunities in sports. Neowallah https://www.independenceks.gov/199/Park-Zoo
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Old 12-04-2019, 09:14 AM
 
Location: Riley Co
374 posts, read 552,223 times
Reputation: 549
Quote:
Originally Posted by Okey Dokie View Post
Well, it’s a small town of 2,400 kind of out in the middle of near-nowhere. There isn’t even a Walmart, which is my barometer for small towns. Depending on where you are currently residing, it may be a gigantic culture shock for yourself and/or your kids. The award amount is reduced if the student has not attended K-12 entirely in the district. I would definitely make a visit before pursuing this much further.

https://www.neodeshapromise.org/program-requirements
Surprised it's so difficult to find a Neodesha USD 461 district map. There are only 2 other "bergs," Brooks & Hilford. This site has one:

Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site

Last edited by Yac; 12-16-2019 at 02:26 AM..
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Old 12-04-2019, 10:58 AM
Status: "108 N/A" (set 9 days ago)
 
12,880 posts, read 13,542,551 times
Reputation: 9545
According to schooldigger,https://www.schooldigger.com/go/KS/d...h.aspx?level=3
The schools there are about in the middle of the pack. If I had a blank slate and was moving to enhance my kids educational opportunities, I would start at the top. There are plenty of small towns in Kansas with excellent schools. You don't need to be in Lawrence or Blue Valley. Nemaha County school district is rated pretty high and Seneca KS has roughly the same population of Neodesha.
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