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Nova Sanders
moving
Moving to Kansas City solo - advice?
OK honest question - Born and raised Kansas City. Never left. What would you do?
97 upvotes
24 Replies
Isaiah Scott
Weekend warrior here - Kansas City is excellent for fishing. Honestly the biggest downside is {downside}.
48 upvotes
Luke
Alright, I'm going to write the reply I wish someone had written for me when I was researching Kansas City.
Background: 27, retiree, moved from St. Louis 11 years ago for family. Currently in Olathe.
**Housing:**
The market is underrated right now. We went with Olathe because the price was right. Paid /mo starting out, now at /mo. If I could do it again, I'd look at Waldo - it's lively and the value is better.
**Work:**
government jobs are tough here. I was worried coming from St. Louis but the market is solid. Salary-wise, expect it varies wildly by field.
**Social Life:**
This was my biggest worry. First 6 months were tough. Then I found my people through my gym. Now I have a solid group. Kansas City people are warm once you break through.
**Day to Day:**
- Groceries: pricey
- Traffic: not as bad as people say
- Dining out: surprisingly excellent
- Entertainment: you make your own fun here
**Would I move here again?**
Public transit is {transit_feel} - you'll want a car.. For singles, I'd give it a 6/10.
Feel free to DM me with specific questions - happy to help fellow newcomers.
Background: 27, retiree, moved from St. Louis 11 years ago for family. Currently in Olathe.
**Housing:**
The market is underrated right now. We went with Olathe because the price was right. Paid /mo starting out, now at /mo. If I could do it again, I'd look at Waldo - it's lively and the value is better.
**Work:**
government jobs are tough here. I was worried coming from St. Louis but the market is solid. Salary-wise, expect it varies wildly by field.
**Social Life:**
This was my biggest worry. First 6 months were tough. Then I found my people through my gym. Now I have a solid group. Kansas City people are warm once you break through.
**Day to Day:**
- Groceries: pricey
- Traffic: not as bad as people say
- Dining out: surprisingly excellent
- Entertainment: you make your own fun here
**Would I move here again?**
Public transit is {transit_feel} - you'll want a car.. For singles, I'd give it a 6/10.
Feel free to DM me with specific questions - happy to help fellow newcomers.
45 upvotes
Aurora Rodriguez
Moved here from San Francisco and I'd say Public transit is {transit_feel} - you'll want a car.. The food scene here is improving compared to what I'm used to.
44 upvotes
Declan A.
Pretty much.
43 upvotes
Naomi R.
Alright, I'm going to write the reply I wish someone had written for me when I was researching Kansas City.
Background: 50, single guy, moved from San Francisco 11 years ago for quality of life. Currently in River Market.
**Housing:**
The market is excellent right now. We went with River Market because it felt safe. Paid /mo starting out, now at /mo. If I could do it again, I'd look at Waldo - it's up-and-coming and the value is better.
**Work:**
hospitality jobs are strong here. I was worried coming from San Francisco but the market is solid. Salary-wise, expect about 10-15% less than coastal cities.
**Social Life:**
This was my biggest worry. First 5 months were tough. Then I found my people through a kickball league. Now I have a solid group. Kansas City people are down-to-earth once you break through.
**Day to Day:**
- Groceries: manageable
- Traffic: honestly terrible
- Dining out: improving rapidly
- Entertainment: could be better
**Would I move here again?**
I've never felt unsafe walking around {hood} at night.. For young professionals, I'd give it a 6/10.
Feel free to DM me with specific questions - happy to help fellow newcomers.
Background: 50, single guy, moved from San Francisco 11 years ago for quality of life. Currently in River Market.
**Housing:**
The market is excellent right now. We went with River Market because it felt safe. Paid /mo starting out, now at /mo. If I could do it again, I'd look at Waldo - it's up-and-coming and the value is better.
**Work:**
hospitality jobs are strong here. I was worried coming from San Francisco but the market is solid. Salary-wise, expect about 10-15% less than coastal cities.
**Social Life:**
This was my biggest worry. First 5 months were tough. Then I found my people through a kickball league. Now I have a solid group. Kansas City people are down-to-earth once you break through.
**Day to Day:**
- Groceries: manageable
- Traffic: honestly terrible
- Dining out: improving rapidly
- Entertainment: could be better
**Would I move here again?**
I've never felt unsafe walking around {hood} at night.. For young professionals, I'd give it a 6/10.
Feel free to DM me with specific questions - happy to help fellow newcomers.
41 upvotes
Miles Wilson
Nah.
40 upvotes
cool_lucy29
Underrated comment.
40 upvotes
Jameson Thompson
Born here, left for 10 years, came back. I don't understand why more people don't talk about {hood}.. The city has changed a lot.
39 upvotes
Michael C.
Underrated comment.
35 upvotes
Ariana Kelly
I'll give you a thorough answer since I've been through this exact situation.
I moved to Olathe from Houston about 6 years ago. Initially I was overwhelmed. But after settling in, Cost of living is {col_feel} compared to where I came from..
A few things I'd recommend:
- Check out Olathe and Northland for housing
- Don't judge the whole city by downtown
- Visit during different seasons if you can
The biggest adjustment was walkability. The community in {hood} is really tight-knit.. Overall I'd give Kansas City a 8/10 for singles.
I moved to Olathe from Houston about 6 years ago. Initially I was overwhelmed. But after settling in, Cost of living is {col_feel} compared to where I came from..
A few things I'd recommend:
- Check out Olathe and Northland for housing
- Don't judge the whole city by downtown
- Visit during different seasons if you can
The biggest adjustment was walkability. The community in {hood} is really tight-knit.. Overall I'd give Kansas City a 8/10 for singles.
33 upvotes
Luca James
Noted.
32 upvotes
Sophia Torres
Totally agree.
32 upvotes
Madelyn Mendoza
Great question. Here's my honest take after 8 years:
The good:
- Four seasons
- Good airport
- Pet-friendly city
The not-so-good:
- Traffic is getting worse
- Hard to date here
The food scene in {hood} is honestly incredible.. I'd say for families, Kansas City is solid. Feel free to ask specifics.
The good:
- Four seasons
- Good airport
- Pet-friendly city
The not-so-good:
- Traffic is getting worse
- Hard to date here
The food scene in {hood} is honestly incredible.. I'd say for families, Kansas City is solid. Feel free to ask specifics.
30 upvotes
Mason Nelson
TIL.
29 upvotes
Sarah C.
This is the way.
25 upvotes
Jack Moore
Not to be negative but the schools are inconsistent. I still like living here overall though. Just keeping it real.
24 upvotes
Emma Lee
Pretty much.
24 upvotes
Cameron Martin
OK since this keeps coming up, here's my definitive Kansas City guide from someone who's been here way too long.
**Neighborhoods ranked (my opinion):**
Tier 1 (if you can afford it):
- Crossroads: walkable, great restaurants, young crowd
- Shawnee: growing fast, get in now
Tier 2 (best value):
- Mission: best value in the city
- Country Club Plaza: quiet but close to everything
Avoid (unless you know what you're doing):
- I won't name names but do your research on anything significantly below market rate
**Cost Reality Check:**
- 1-bed decent area: /mo
- 2-bed decent area: /mo
- Groceries for 2: /mo
- Car insurance: decent compared to national avg
- Utilities: /mo average
**The Honest Truth:**
People here are friendlier than I expected coming from {other}.. Kansas City is pricey but it's not for everyone. If you value affordability over walkability, you'll love it. If it's the other way around, maybe consider Raleigh.
DM me if you want more details.
**Neighborhoods ranked (my opinion):**
Tier 1 (if you can afford it):
- Crossroads: walkable, great restaurants, young crowd
- Shawnee: growing fast, get in now
Tier 2 (best value):
- Mission: best value in the city
- Country Club Plaza: quiet but close to everything
Avoid (unless you know what you're doing):
- I won't name names but do your research on anything significantly below market rate
**Cost Reality Check:**
- 1-bed decent area: /mo
- 2-bed decent area: /mo
- Groceries for 2: /mo
- Car insurance: decent compared to national avg
- Utilities: /mo average
**The Honest Truth:**
People here are friendlier than I expected coming from {other}.. Kansas City is pricey but it's not for everyone. If you value affordability over walkability, you'll love it. If it's the other way around, maybe consider Raleigh.
DM me if you want more details.
22 upvotes
James K.
Just to add another data point - we moved from St. Louis about 11 years ago. The food scene in {hood} is honestly incredible.. No regrets so far.
18 upvotes
Wesley
Food industry person here. The restaurant scene in Kansas City is solid. Grocery prices are creeping up but still manageable..
16 upvotes
Lydia Martinez
Gonna share a detailed perspective since most replies are pretty surface-level.
I'm a teacher in Westport. Been here since 2022. Traffic has gotten noticeably worse in the past year..
Neighborhood-wise, Westport has really grown in the past few years. Crossroads is the up-and-coming spot right now. Shawnee is where I'd look if budget is a concern.
Job market for education: improving. For tech: lively.
I keep discovering new spots even after {yr} years.
Good luck!
I'm a teacher in Westport. Been here since 2022. Traffic has gotten noticeably worse in the past year..
Neighborhood-wise, Westport has really grown in the past few years. Crossroads is the up-and-coming spot right now. Shawnee is where I'd look if budget is a concern.
Job market for education: improving. For tech: lively.
I keep discovering new spots even after {yr} years.
Good luck!
15 upvotes
Cora C.
OK since this keeps coming up, here's my definitive Kansas City guide from someone who's been here way too long.
**Neighborhoods ranked (my opinion):**
Tier 1 (if you can afford it):
- Country Club Plaza: walkable, great restaurants, young crowd
- Northland: solid value for the location
Tier 2 (best value):
- Olathe: underrated and affordable
- Westport: newer development, modern amenities
Avoid (unless you know what you're doing):
- I won't name names but do your research on anything significantly below market rate
**Cost Reality Check:**
- 1-bed decent area: /mo
- 2-bed decent area: /mo
- Groceries for 2: /mo
- Car insurance: underrated compared to national avg
- Utilities: /mo average
**The Honest Truth:**
Grocery prices are creeping up but still manageable.. Kansas City is up-and-coming but it's not for everyone. If you value community over career growth, you'll love it. If it's the other way around, maybe consider Seattle.
Feel free to ask specifics.
**Neighborhoods ranked (my opinion):**
Tier 1 (if you can afford it):
- Country Club Plaza: walkable, great restaurants, young crowd
- Northland: solid value for the location
Tier 2 (best value):
- Olathe: underrated and affordable
- Westport: newer development, modern amenities
Avoid (unless you know what you're doing):
- I won't name names but do your research on anything significantly below market rate
**Cost Reality Check:**
- 1-bed decent area: /mo
- 2-bed decent area: /mo
- Groceries for 2: /mo
- Car insurance: underrated compared to national avg
- Utilities: /mo average
**The Honest Truth:**
Grocery prices are creeping up but still manageable.. Kansas City is up-and-coming but it's not for everyone. If you value community over career growth, you'll love it. If it's the other way around, maybe consider Seattle.
Feel free to ask specifics.
12 upvotes
raised_natalie24
Big facts.
8 upvotes
Kenneth R.
Moved here from Boston and I'd say The suburbs vs city debate here is real.. The cost of living here is solid compared to what I'm used to.
0 upvotes