Otherwise known as the “Sunflower State,” Kansas is most associated with the Wizard of Oz, tornadoes, and amazing barbeque. Considering moving from Colorado to the great state of Kansas but are not sure where to begin? Don’t fret because here are a few invaluable pieces of information to help you plan your move from Denver, Colorado Springs, or Boulder to Kansas.
Top 8 Reasons to Move to Kansas
You are ready to start a new chapter of your life, whether it be finding your first job after college, starting a family, or retiring as an empty nester! You are not too familiar with the ins and outs of living in Kansas and want to ensure that it is the right area for you.
Here are eight of the biggest reasons why you should pack up and move to Kansas:
The amazing food
Sure, Kansas and Kansas City are world-renowned for their delicious barbecue. However, the state has much more to offer than slow-roasted baby back ribs, barbecue chicken, and brisket. Almost every major city and small town throughout the state of Kansas has a top-notch restaurant that is perfect for a casual date night or a dinner out with the family.
The education system
Home of the University of Kansas, Benedictine College, and Kansas State University, there are several fantastic state and private colleges spread throughout Kansas where young and old students can strive to achieve their dreams of higher education. For families with younger children, you will not have any trouble finding a top-notch school district.
Among the best in Kansas are the Blue Valley Unified School District in Overland Park, the DeSoto Unified School District, and the West Elk Unified School District.
The beautiful seasons
The four seasons are among the most impressive aspects of living in Colorado. If you truly want to move to a new state without sacrificing the warm temperatures in summer and snowfall in winter, joining the pack to become one of the new residents of Kansas is a great option. The location of Kansas is ideal for anyone who loves to spend a hot afternoon at the beach in summer and build a snowman in winter.
Plenty of family-friendly activities
There are a significant number of family-friendly activities for the little ones; there is never a shortage of fun ways to spend an afternoon in Kansas. From the prairie dog exhibit at the Sedgewick County Zoo and the Botanica: The Wichita Gardens in Wichita to the numerous parks, playgrounds, and theme parks spread throughout the state, there are plenty of fun places for families to explore and enjoy throughout Kansas.
The history
There are several places for history enthusiasts to explore in Kansas. If your favorite era of American history is the Wild West, plan a visit to historic Dodge City. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum, located in beautiful Abilene, is a fantastic historical spot to spend an afternoon, as well.
Several cities scattered throughout Kansas feature historical landmarks, museums, and historical sites that you and your family will love to tour!
A great place to watch college sports
College sports lovers, get ready because if you love college basketball, baseball, or football, becoming one of the many new residents of Kansas is the state for you. You can spend Sunday rooting for the Jayhawks football team at the University of Kansas or catch a basketball team featuring the squads from The University of Kansas or the Baker University Wildcats.
Hop in your car and take a long Sunday afternoon drive
After a busy week at work, nothing compares to spending a Sunday afternoon enjoying some family time in the car. If a long drive to nowhere sounds like an ideal way to spend your day, plan a trip down the famous Kansas Turnpike, which runs the entire length of the state.
A Few Downsides of Relocating to Kansas
Kansas has plenty of high points. However, like Colorado and any state in the country, there are some downsides to calling Kansas home. Here are a few:
Watch out for tornadoes!
Unlike the mountainous terrain, you enjoy in Colorado Springs or Boulder, the entire state of Kansas is flat. Unfortunately, in addition to not being the most aesthetically-awe inspiring landscape, the flat nature of Kansas also means the state is notorious for tornadoes.
Kansas is squarely in the center of an area in the country called “Tornado Alley.” On average, 96 to 100 tornadoes touch down somewhere in Kansas. The havoc that tornadoes can wreak on a homeowner’s property is often devastating. Keep this fact in mind if you are thinking about from to Kansas from Colorado.
Unfortunately, many new residents are not prepared for such a large chance of inclement weather and do not purchase the right renter’s or homeowner’s insurance to protect their belongings.
Minimal public transportation
Like other cities and states in the country, many adults enjoy the quiet life in a small town and community to a larger city for work. Unfortunately, the commuting time can be brutal in Kansas. This unfortunate reality is further complicated by the lack of public transportation infrastructure throughout the state.
If you want to live in the metro areas of Kansas City, Topeka, or Wichita, get ready to buy a car because chances are, it will be your most common mode of transportation.
High property taxes
Unfortunately, another downside to calling Kansas home is the state’s high property taxes. The average property tax for any county in Kansas hovers around 1.29%. This might not seem high, but when you compare it to the property taxes in other states, the number is actually very high.
For example, residents in South Carolina only pay 0.55% for tax on their properties. North Dakota residents pay only 0.99%. If you are moving to Kansas, the cost of the tax on residential properties, which is much higher than the national average, is something you should keep in mind.
High crime rates
Kansas residents not only pay high taxes on residential properties but also must live in a state with historically high crime rates. According to one study, several major cities and small towns throughout Kansas suffer from the high property and violent crime rates.
According to one study, Kansas ranks among the country’s ten states with the highest crime rates. If you are moving from places like Colorado Springs, Colorado, and safer cities in North Dakota, Wyoming, and Vermont, the high crime rates in Kansas should definitely be cause for concern for new residents.
Tell Me the Best Place to Live in Kansas
Kansas is a diverse state with several amazing opportunities for families, retirees, and young people fresh out of college. Want to find the best city in Kansas to call home? Here are a few of the top options:
Wichita
If you are like many up-and-coming professionals with children, you want to find that special place that combines the amenities of big-city living with a small-town feel. Look no further than Wichita because this fantastic city in Kansas offers you that rare combination of both.
The county seat of Sedgwick County, the average cost of living in the city, is well below the national average, there are several opportunities to find affordable housing because of the city’s modest real estate prices, and the school districts are among some of the very best in the state.
Bel Aire
According to the latest census bureau statistics, the Bel Aire population is small and hovers around a very modest 8,469 residents. However, although the city of Bel Aire is diminutive, don’t think for one second there are plenty of opportunities in this and other booming rural areas spread far and wide in Kansas.
Like much of the rest of Kansas, there are plenty of jobs in Bel Aire. There are also parks for your kids to play, restaurants to enjoy some famous Kansas City-style barbeque, and affordable housing.
Leawood
A slightly larger city than Bel Aire, the Leawood population is around 33,902. Leawood is a great city to call home for several reasons. Located between Overland Park and Kansas City, Kansas, calling Leawood home allows you to enjoy both cities’ shopping, nightlife, and fabulous restaurants.
Like other smaller cities in Kansas, living in Leawood allows you to raise a family in a safer area while enjoying the big city amenities of Overland Park and Kansas City. It truly is the very best of both worlds!
Overland Park
The largest city in Johnson County, Kansas, Overland Park is also the most populous city in Johnson County, with a population of just under 200,000 residents. If you are moving to the state of Kansas from Colorado Springs, Overland Park is a very comparable city.
New residents of Overland Park will quickly discover a flourishing job market, a relatively low cost of living, and plenty of quaint stores, coffee shops, restaurants, and parks to occupy their weekends.
Kansas City
Most people moving to Kansas naturally have Kansas City at the top of their list. Like many of these same people, you might confuse Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri. For all intents and purposes, Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri, are the two largest metropolitan areas in the greater Kansas City area.
However, don’t get confused between the two because Kansas City in Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri, are indeed two distinct places to call home. Because each city is technically part of a separate state, the sales tax, cost of living, and cost to rent an apartment or purchase a home differ between Kansas City in Kansas and Kansas City in Missouri.
Sure, the differences between the two might seem minor, especially since both cities are technically part of the greater Kansas City Metropolitan area. Kansas City in Missouri is the larger of the two. This means that if you want to enjoy everything Kansas City has to offer, but want to purchase a home in a more laid-back neighborhood with a small-town feel, consider moving to Kansas City, Kansas.
However, if you want to enjoy the hustle, bustle, and energy that only a big city can offer, becoming one of the lucky new residents of Kansas City, Missouri, might be the better option. In addition to having a larger population, Kansas City, Missouri, features a booming economy, positive job growth, and the nightlife and restaurants you would expect to be found in a larger metropolitan area.
What Should I Know Before Moving to Kansas?
Like most people, you truly want to know all the ins and outs of moving to a state before you pack up and secure a moving truck. Before making your final decision to call Kansas home, here are a few more aspects of living in Kansas to consider:
Weather & natural disasters
The weather in Kansas can be beautiful. However, as stated above, if you are considering calling Kansas home, you should be prepared to deal with inclement weather, especially during the summers. Tornadoes are an unfortunate and destructive aspect of living in Kansas so if you prefer the snow of Colorado Springs over the heat, thunderstorms, and tornadoes in Kansas, think twice before planning your upcoming move.
Cost of living
If you don’t mind the chance of having your house swept away by a tornado, you should consider relocating to Kansas because of the state’s lower-than-average cost of living. On average, the cost of living in Kansas is 14% lower than the national average. The overall cost of housing is approximately 29% lower than the national average, as well.
The cost of utilities, goods, and services, such as internet access and cellphone service, transportation, and transportation, is also lower in Kansas than in other surrounding states.
The low cost of living is truly one of the top reasons why many people are considering calling Kansas home!
Economy & Job Market
Sure, having a low cost of living is a great perk; but what if there are no jobs in Kansas? Like many states located in the West and Midwest areas of the United States, including Missouri, the job market is red hot in Kansas. If you do a quick job search, you will see that thousands of new jobs are being added each month, and this positive job growth is expected to continue for the next few years!
Some of the top industries in Kansas include engineering, agriculture, healthcare, and education.
Basically, if you are considering moving to Kansas, you won’t have too much trouble finding a great job in your industry!
Average income
Once again, Kansas residents enjoy a much lower cost of living than other similar states. The average income that is on par with the rest of America. The median household income in Kansas is roughly $61,091, or around $1,100 a week. This is only a few thousand dollars less than the national average income of just over $67,000.
The combination of great earning potential and a low cost of living means that if you move to Kansas, you will have plenty of money to save for your child’s education fund or enjoy a yearly family vacation.
Housing market
If the lower cost of living in Kansas and the positive job growth aren’t enough to entice you, consider the red-hot housing market. The median sale price for a basic home in Kansas is $261,900. Real estate prices have seriously been on the rise, and these prices are expected to rise for the next several years.
Many new residents of the state choose to rent rather than buy a house. The average cost of rent in Kansas is $1,025. Like living in other states, the cost of rent will be less in smaller towns when compared to larger metropolitan areas. For example, the average cost of rent in Kansas City is around $1,500, with the highest price in Kansas City being the downtown area.
The higher cost of rent is true of both the downtown areas of Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri.
How Do I Hire a Long-Distance Mover from Colorado to Kansas
Like the other thousands of prospective new residents of Kansas, you want to plan a move that won’t completely inconvenience your life or break the bank. If this is your first time planning a long-distance or interstate move, here are a few simple tips and tricks to ensure you work with the top movers who will offer you a fair price:
Obtain at least three free moving quotes
At a minimum, secure at least three free moving quotes from Colorado moving companies. Do not obtain quotes from Kansas moving companies, as these companies will charge you extra for gas to relocate you from Colorado to Kansas.
The absolutely free moving quote should include any applicable fees associated with the relocation. The amount you will pay to move to a new city in a different state is based upon the location, mileage, weight of your belongings, or square footage of your home.
Learn about the additional fees associated with moving
The distance
One of the most significant factors that will impact the overall cost of your move is the distance. Obviously, if you are moving several thousand miles, it will cost more than a relocation that is only a few hundred miles away. The cost of fuel will also impact the cost of moving.
The complexity of the move
Most people do not realize that the complexity of moving from family to Kansas will also impact the overall cost of your relocation. For example, if your current home has many stairs and narrow hallways or you live in an apartment complex with an elevator, you will be charged an extra fee.
The time of year
Many prospective new residents of Kansas also forget that because Kansas gets colder in the winter and muddy in the spring, new residents often pay more to relocate in summer and fall than in the colder times of the year.
The size of the move
If you are moving a few items from a one-bedroom apartment, you will typically pay less than if you are moving a lot of stuff from a massive, five-bedroom home. The move size will greatly impact how much your overall Kansas moving costs will be.
Be Aware of Common Moving Company Scams
The majority of moving companies are reputable, fair people who possess the know-how and expertise to safely move your belongings from Colorado Springs or any other city in the state for a fair price. Unfortunately, there are scammers, and working with one of these unscrupulous companies can wind up costing you thousands of dollars.
Charging money for a moving quote
One of the most common scams disreputable moving companies pull is charging you for a moving quote. Your moving quote should always be completely free and detailed, and you should have different payment and contract options available.
For example, most moving companies offer customers the option to choose a binding or non-binding contract. Basically, a binding contract means that the initial price you are quoted is the price you will pay.
A non-binding contract is often more cost-effective, and your final payment might differ from the original quoted price.
Be wary of a moving company with no physical address or phone number
There is any number of moving companies available, and some will obviously be cheaper than others. If a company’s quote is far less than the competition, this is often a sign the company is disreputable. Fly-by-night, homegrown moving companies often provide a lower quote simply because they do not have the proper insurance and licenses to operate legally.
If the company is run out of someone’s house, or worse, the company doesn’t even have a dedicated phone number or physical address, take these as signs to walk away.
Hidden fees
Always read the fine print and choose a moving company that is upfront and honest about its fee structure. Contacting an attorney is also a good option before signing a contract. Otherwise, you might wind up with a bill that is far larger than you were initially quoted and jam-packed with unexpected, hidden fees.
Are You Ready to Pack Up and Move to Kansas?
Congratulations! That was a mountain of information you just got through. Hopefully, you now feel comfortable making an informed decision as to whether you want to become one of many new residents of the Sunflower State.
To recap, there are several great reasons why you should truly consider moving to a new city in Kansas. For example, Kansas is the home of several excellent restaurants, amusement parks, and top-notch school districts. New residents of Kansas will also enjoy the state’s lower cost of living, lower rent, and low housing prices.
On the flip side, Kansas is notorious for the state’s higher crime rates and inclement weather, including tornadoes.
Whatever you decide, know that if you want to become one of the new residents of the great state of Kansas, it is integral to choose the right Colorado-based moving provider that can meet all of your expectations.
