Posted: 3/17/2011 6:25:48 PM EDT
| Hi guys. I live in GA and the economy sucks down here. I did land an interview with a company in Shawnee. So I may end up in the Kansas City area. The wife and I will be coming out next week to visit and see the area. Is there anything we should check out? How is life out there? Down here it is lots of traffic and way to many people, and to much crime. I have an SBR and from what I have read that will not be an issue. How are the carry laws? Down here you can carry most places as long as the majorty of the income is not from alcohol. |
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Shawnee is in Johnson County, a fairly affluent and relatively normal place to live. Although not the most expensive as far as taxes go, it is up there - a lot of money is spent on the schools and as a result, if you have kids, it's a good place to live. Just north is Wyandotte county which has a higher crime rate but lower taxes.
Shawnee itself is a nice little part of the larger KC metro area, a lot of young couples have moved there and bought their first home, there are still older neighborhoods. The area around Shawnee presents several nice towns to live in. You can choose a metro life and get a nice home from $120,000 to $200,000 easily; for a 20 to 30 minute drive, you can live in the country with some land. Land prices within Johnson County are high, but in that area, you can be in Douglas, Franklin, or Miami counties relatively quick and land is still affordable depending on what you are looking for. Weapons laws are pretty good. CC sounds pretty similar - no bars or inside schools, a business etc can post yes or no on the door. IMO, most LEOs are good and will not hassle you as long as you don't give them a reason. From Shawnee, there are several shooting ranges and private clubs - they are mostly hidden, but ask here and you can be guided to them. KS is a nice place to live - we don't have the heavy forests or high mountains or ocean shore, but we have open space and fairly good people (for the most part). |
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Thanks for the info. A friend of mine lives in Louisburg. I believe that is in Miami county. We live in a metro area now and would prefer to live in the country on some land. Schools are a factor but my son is three and the other will be here in August. So they are not as big of a concern at the moment.
My biggest concern will be selling our current home. That and the moving cost. But that is if I get the job. |
| I've lived in the suburbs of Chicago, both Carolinas, Tulsa, Albuquerque, and then here in Johnson County. This is the best place by far. Good schools, low crime, light traffic, awesome hunting, relaxed firearm laws, and good cops. When looking at houses, there are places to stay away from in the northern parts of the county, and also the west side of Olathe if you want to avoid shitty neighbors and higher crime rates (not bad, but why would you want to deal with it) |
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What we have looked at online is the Paola, and the Louisburg area. But the internet does not always give you the total picture. We plan to hit Cabelas and that area on Wednesday. I have my interview on Thursday, and check out areas around Shawnee, and maybe head south and check out Paola and the surrounding areas the rest of the day and Friday.
Kansas has got to be better than the metro Atlanta area. |
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I live south of Louisburg and work in Overland Park, having been here for nearly 8 years solely due to my employment situation.
I assume that you are a native Southerner, OP. I will differ from the other opinions and say that the quality of life here is nothing near to what you will find in the South. It is a very, very different culture, the winters suck, and manners and common courtesy are defined differently from Southern states. You can tell that this is yankee country, with Jayhawk being a term of which locals are proud, rather that it carrying the stigma that it deservedly does just across the state line. "Yes, sir" and "yes ma'am" are foreign phrases. People here do not say "you're welcome"; they either grunt or say "yep." Johnson County Kansas is filled with mindless, unattractive, arrogant pretend yuppies who are in debt to their eyeballs and have horrid overpriviledged children in the public schools. Take a long look before you take this plunge. I wish that I had. |
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Quoted: I live in Louisburg and grew up in Johnson county.I live south of Louisburg and work in Overland Park, having been here for nearly 8 years solely due to my employment situation. I assume that you are a native Southerner, OP. I will differ from the other opinions and say that the quality of life here is nothing near to what you will find in the South. It is a very, very different culture, the winters suck, and manners and common courtesy are defined differently from Southern states. You can tell that this is yankee country, with Jayhawk being a term of which locals are proud, rather that it carrying the stigma that it deservedly does just across the state line. "Yes, sir" and "yes ma'am" are foreign phrases. People here do not say "you're welcome"; they either grunt or say "yep." Johnson County Kansas is filled with mindless, unattractive, arrogant pretend yuppies who are in debt to their eyeballs and have horrid overpriviledged children in the public schools. Take a long look before you take this plunge. I wish that I had. Funny how we both have different perspectives. I never grew up considering myself as a Yankee either. If you mean no southern style democrats then you are correct. Most people around here are self sufficient and don't like govt or anyone for that matter telling us what to do nor do we like the "looking for a handout" mentality. Sorry you feel un-comfy around here. Soemthing we can both agree on is that the winters suck. But hey, it is what it is. |
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Quoted: What we have looked at online is the Paola, and the Louisburg area. But the internet does not always give you the total picture. We plan to hit Cabelas and that area on Wednesday. I have my interview on Thursday, and check out areas around Shawnee, and maybe head south and check out Paola and the surrounding areas the rest of the day and Friday. Kansas has got to be better than the metro Atlanta area. Also check out southwest Johnson county i.e Gardner Edgerton area as well as the Wellsville area which sits sort of on the corners of Johnson/Miami/Douglas/Franklin counties. I live in Shawnee and for city living it is clean and safe. Traffic will be light in camparison to the ATL metro. Good luck on your interview! |
Funny, I moved back because I thought KS was a much better place than any other spot –– but then again, I'm still repulsed by the jayhawk moniker (cause I'm a Wildcat) 
Paola is nice, Miami couny is a bit more expensive than rural Douglas or Franklin, but has more hills and tree cover. There's some great bbq over there too (BBQ Shack) |
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Thanks for all the replys and oppinions. Yes I am a southerner. Born and bread in GA. But the hospitality left some time ago. I just want a good job and a nice place to live. By nice I mean, a good place to raise my kids, were I can teach them and show them the things I think are important. Preferably with as little gov. input as possible. With less crime than the metro ATL area. Every places has a@@ holes. I have been veiwed that way myself for speaking my oppinion, and many other reasons.
I feel like my oppinions and views would be veiwed alot differently in a more rural setting. As far as what we are looking for. We want a house on 5+ acres. I would love to have a lot more but that is not realistic at this point I don't think. With the economy the way it is I am goig to take a beating on my house here. But hopefully it will sell quickly. I am thinking in the $130K range. But that is dependant on my current house. If i could get what I paid for it, I could get more in KS. But that dosen't look possible. |
| Having lived all over the country including several locations in JOCO I have come to realize no place is perfect. You have to take the good with the bad, I would move back to Shawnee but the winters and summers can be a pita. I also dislike the distance to the ocean and mountains for vacations. |
| The interview went good. I am not going to take the job. The pay system is very weird. It is commissioned based and to make any money I would have to work all the time 6-7 10+ hour days. We really liked the area and the people. Alot better than ATL. I will keep looking. We just got back from seeing my friend in Louisburg. We had a great evening hanging out at the Timber Creek bar and grill. I really like the small town atmosphere. Thanks for all the help. |