Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Kansas

You think about moving to Kansas but want to get additional information about the climate, living costs, housing, entertainment, safety, economy and many other things before making your final decision in this regard?

Great! Stick with me since I will show you the pros and cons of living in Kansas in the following article.

Table of Contents

Living in Kansas – Overview

ClimatePeople in Kansas can experience warm and sunny summers and pretty cold winters.
HousingProperty prices and rents are pretty low in most parts of Kansas and housing shortage is not a real problem in this state yet.
Living CostsLiving costs in Kansas are pretty low and while people living in California and other fancier places often need a big budget to pay their bills, people in Kansas often get along with a much smaller budget.
IncomeMedian household income in Kansas is slightly below national average.
CrimeKansas is a rather safe state compared to the rest of the US.
EducationOutside of the big cities, it is pretty hard to find really good education since there are just not many good schools and colleges in the rural parts of Kansas.
Job MarketUnemployment rate in Kansas is slightly below national average and while highly-qualified people often find decent jobs rather quickly, low-qualified people often have a hard time finding and keeping good jobs.
CultureWhile you will find many different cultural influences in the big cities of Kansas, you may still miss cultural diversity in the rural parts of Kansas.
Leisure ActivitiesPeople in Kansas can go fishing, hiking, camping, hunting and do many other interesting things in nature.
LandscapeThere are many lakes, rivers and forests in Kansas where people can relax and reload their batteries while they can still have a great time with their loved ones.
InfrastructureRather poor public transport and medical infrastructure, especially in the rural regions of Kansas.
Level of ToleranceWhile you will find many open and tolerant people in the big cities of Kansas, some people in the rural parts of Kansas are still pretty conservative and may not appreciate alternative lifestyles as much as in other states.
NightlifeApart from the big cities, you will not find really great bars and clubs in most parts of Kansas.
Total Population2.94 million inhabitants.
advantages and disadvantages of living in kansas

Advantages of Living in Kansas

  1. Living costs in Kansas are moderately low
  2. Rents are still affordable for the average person in Kansas
  3. Property prices are still pretty low in most parts of Kansas
  4. Easy to find a place to stay rather quickly in many parts of Kansas
  5. Many people in Kansas are still able to live the American dream
  6. You don’t have to make a great income to afford a decent lifestyle in Kansas
  7. Rather low overall financial pressure for people living in Kansas
  8. Many people in Kansas may be able to save enough for retirement
  9. Many people may be able to afford proper health insurance
  10. Kansas is a rather relaxed state
  11. You will find many tolerant people in the urban parts of Kansas
  12. Easy to socialize in the big cities of Kansas
  13. Many people in Kansas are honest and real
  14. You will find many helpful people in Kansas
  15. You may be able to really rely on people in Kansas
  16. You can make many friends for a lifetime
  17. Many nature activities to do in Kansas
  18. You can spend lots of time outdoors
  19. People in Kansas can exercise in a natural manner
  20. Many recreational spaces in Kansas
  21. Many free things to do in Kansas
  22. Kansas may be an interesting place for retirees
  23. Kansas may be a great place to raise your kids
  24. Kansas is a rather safe state
  25. Moving to Kansas may make sense if you don’t like big city life
  26. Many people in Kansas live a pretty original life
  27. You may be able to live self-sufficient in Kansas
  28. Unemployment rate in Kansas is moderately low
  29. You can enjoy warm and sunny summers in Kansas
  30. Cold winters may make your life in Kansas more interesting
  31. You can enjoy real seasons in Kansas
  32. Traffic is not a big problem in Kansas
  33. Finding a parking lot is pretty easy in most parts of Kansas
  34. You will most likely not run out of important material goods in Kansas
  35. The big cities in Kansas are well-connected to the world
  36. Decent internet connection in most parts of Kansas
  37. Kansas is a rather pet-friendly region
  38. Kansas may be an interesting place for property investors
  39. Kansas may still be underrated

Living costs in Kansas are moderately low

One advantage of living in Kansas is that living costs are pretty low compared to the rest of the US and while many people living in Arizona and other regions often have to spend significant amounts of money on leisure activities and drinks, you may be able to afford much more with the same budget in many regions of Kansas.

Rents are still affordable for the average person in Kansas

You should also know that rents are pretty low in many parts of Kansas and this means that you don’t have to spend lots of money on housing but will have more money left to spend on other important and nice things of life compared to people living in San José or other regions where rents are usually much higher.

Property prices are still pretty low in most parts of Kansas

Not only rents are reasonably low, but moving to Kansas may also make quite a lot of sense for you in case you want to buy a home sooner or later since property prices are also at a pretty low level and many people in this region can therefore buy a home without getting into financial trouble.

Easy to find a place to stay rather quickly in many parts of Kansas

Since housing shortage is not a big problem in Kansas yet, you may also find many housing options and a decent place to stay rather quickly and don’t have to search for many weeks or months as people moving to L.A. or other fancier places often have to do.

Many people in Kansas are still able to live the American dream

Thanks to rather low living and housing costs, many people in Kansas are still able to live the traditional American dream, including owning a nice home, a fancy car and so on without having to financially overcommit themselves.

You don’t have to make a great income to afford a decent lifestyle in Kansas

Since many things of daily life are still pretty affordable in the Kansas region, you also don’t have to make lots of money to afford a decent lifestyle while you may have to work much longer and may have to make far more money when moving to San Diego or other much more expensive places.

Rather low overall financial pressure for people living in Kansas

Another upside to living in Kansas is that due to rather low living costs, many people in Kansas also don’t have to deal with the same high financial pressure as people living in Seattle or other more expensive regions where people often have to deal with significant amounts of debt sooner or later.

Many people in Kansas may be able to save enough for retirement

Since you don’t have to spend lots of money on housing and also living costs are reasonably low, many people in Kansas may also be able to save and invest lots of money for retirement and once you get older, you may have enough financial funds to enjoy decent retirement life while many other people out there may get into serious financial trouble once they quit their active careers.

Many people may be able to afford proper health insurance

Not only may you be able to save enough money for retirement, but you may also be able to afford proper health insurance in Kansas much easier compared to people living in Washington D.C. and other expensive regions where people often don’t have enough money left after paying their fixed costs.

Kansas is a rather relaxed state

Since many people in Kansas don’t have to deal with high financial pressure, many of them are also pretty relaxed and you will therefore be able to meet many great people who will often take the time to get into conversations with you and may not be in the same rush as people in busier regions who often have to make far more money to survive.

You will find many tolerant people in the urban parts of Kansas

In the big cities of Kansas, you will also find many tolerant and open people and no matter where you come from or what your background is, you can just have a great time and will be able to meet many like-minded people sooner or later.

Easy to socialize in the big cities of Kansas

As long as you move to the big cities of Kansas, you will also find many opportunities and locations to hang out with other people and you can therefore socialize in a pretty natural manner and don’t have to worry about getting socially isolated as long as you are friendly and open yourself.

Many people in Kansas are honest and real

Another benefit of living in Kansas is that many people in this region are also genuine and real and while their honesty may shock you at first, it is still a pretty great foundation since you will learn to trust those people and will also get to know what they really think about you so you can grow in character in the long run.

You will find many helpful people in Kansas

Many people in Kansas are also pretty helpful and in case you need support in various parts of life, chances are that you will always have someone helping you out, especially during your first weeks or months when you are still new and may not know all the little things locals know about the Kansas lifestyle and traditions.

You may be able to really rely on people in Kansas

Since you can meet many genuine people, you can also make many strong social bonds and you may also be able to really rely on your social connections in Kansas during difficult periods of your life when you may need emotional support to overcome those dark times.

You can make many friends for a lifetime

Since you will learn to trust your loved ones in Kansas, you can also make many friends for a lifetime and can just have a great time with many like-minded people who want to live similar lifestyles.

Many nature activities to do in Kansas

Another advantage of moving to Kansas is that you can also do many nature activities in this region.

For instance, you can go fishing, hiking, camping and do many other things in nature so you can really relax from your stressful life and can have a great time with your loved ones.

You can spend lots of time outdoors

Since there are so many things to do in nature, you can also spend lots of time outdoors and you can therefore get lots of fresh air and can get lots of oxygen which may help your body and your brain work properly in the long run.

People in Kansas can exercise in a natural manner

Since there are so many great things you can do outdoors in the Kansas region, you can also exercise in a completely natural manner while many other people who don’t have this luxury may have to go to the gym on a regular basis to stay in shape.

Many recreational spaces in Kansas

You will also find many parks and other recreational spaces in and around the big cities of Kansas and this can be great for you since you can relax in those places during lunch break or after work to reload your batteries so you will be prepared for the stressful times yet to come.

Many free things to do in Kansas

Since you can do many nice things in nature, you will also find many free things to do and may therefore not need the same budget to live a decent lifestyle in Kansas as would be necessary in more expensive regions where people often have to spend lots of money on leisure activities.

Kansas may be an interesting place for retirees

Since there are many free things to do and you will also find many beautiful spots in nature where you can relax and really enjoy your time, Kansas may also be an interesting region to retire since you can do so at a reasonably low budget and may still have a great time while this may be much harder in more popular states where you might need a much higher budget to afford similar lifestyles.

Kansas may be a great place to raise your kids

Since there are so many things to do in nature, Kansas may also be a great place to see your kids grow up since you can teach your kids a lot about our environment and why it is important to protect our planet so your kids may become pretty reasonable adults and may also take many efforts to protect our environment as best as possible so we can hand over a working planet to the next generations.

Kansas is a rather safe state

While there might be some rather dodgy places in Kansas, Kansas is still considered a rather safe state and you may therefore not have to worry as much about getting involved in serious incidents compared to people living in Houston or other regions where crime rates are often far higher.

Moving to Kansas may make sense if you don’t like big city life

Since Kansas has many rural regions, moving to Kansas may also make quite a lot of sense for you in case you just don’t like big city life and just want to spend your life without having to deal with loud car noises or other sources of distraction on a regular basis.

Many people in Kansas live a pretty original life

Another upside to moving to Kansas is that you can still live a pretty original lifestyle in this region and can live in line with natural forces and circumstances while you can still use our modern technologies to make your life more convenient at the same time.

You may be able to live self-sufficient in Kansas

If you no longer want to rely on society to support your life, moving to Kansas, buying a piece of land and growing your own fruits and veggies and raising your own cattle may also be great for you since you can buy land at a rather affordable price and may be able to become independent of conventional stores sooner or later.

Unemployment rate in Kansas is moderately low

You should also know that overall unemployment rate in Kansas is rather low and as long as you have solid education and skills needed in the job market, you will have a rather easy time finding a decent job and may also be able to make solid money from what you are doing.

You can enjoy warm and sunny summers in Kansas

Also summers are pretty warm and sunny in Kansas and this may not only help you get tanned but may also get you into a pretty good mood in general.

Cold winters may make your life in Kansas more interesting

Thanks to rather cold winters in Kansas, you may also experience snow on a regular basis and during cold months of the year, you may also be able to go skiing or doing other winter sports.

You can enjoy real seasons in Kansas

Since you can experience real seasons in the Kansas region, you may also have a more interesting life compared to people living in Dallas or other regions where it is pretty warm all year long and people may just not be able to enjoy the same climatic diversity as people living in Kansas.

Traffic is not a big problem in Kansas

Since Kansas is not the most crowded state, also traffic is not a big problem in most regions yet and this means you will be able to get around by car in a pretty efficient manner while people in big metropolitan regions often get stuck in traffic jams on a regular basis and may lose lots of precious time in this regard.

Finding a parking lot is pretty easy in most parts of Kansas

You also don’t have to worry about finding a parking lot in most regions of Kansas since there will just be more than enough space to park your car close to your home and you will likely not have to spend lots of time and money on parking in this region.

You will most likely not run out of important material goods in Kansas

Since supply chains work pretty well in many parts of Kansas, you also don’t have to worry about running out of important goods of daily life anytime soon and will find a stable supply of all sorts of things you need.

The big cities in Kansas are well-connected to the world

Another benefit of moving to Kansas is that the big cities of Kansas are well-connected to other regions of the US and even the world since you will find solid airports nearby from where you can get to many different places rather quickly.

Decent internet connection in most parts of Kansas

Many people in Kansas also have a pretty decent internet connection and this can be really important in case you want to work from home or just need the internet to stay connected with your loved ones through video calls or social media.

Kansas is a rather pet-friendly region

You should also keep in mind that pets are welcome in Kansas and during your walks with your dog, you will often be able to get into conversations with other dog owners and may therefore be able to make many new social connections rather quickly.

Kansas may be an interesting place for property investors

Since there is no strict rent control in Kansas and laws are also rather landlord-friendly while rental yields are really high in many parts of Kansas, moving to Kansas may also make sense for you as a real estate investor if you know what you are doing and want to build a solid positive cash flow rather quickly.

Kansas may still be underrated

While you can do many nice things in Kansas at a reasonably low price and also housing costs are pretty low, Kansas may still be considered underrated right now and by moving to Kansas, you may be able to live a solid lifestyle at much lower costs compared to other more popular regions.

Now that you know the reasons for moving to Kansas, we also have to talk about the drawbacks of living in Kansas in the following so you can better decide for yourself whether you still want to move to Kansas or rather want to move to Arkansas or a different region instead.

Disadvantages of Living in Kansas

  1. Winters in Kansas may be too cold for many people
  2. Kansas doesn’t have a coastline
  3. Public transport is not great in most parts of Kansas
  4. Kansas is not the most bicycle-friendly place
  5. People who don’t have a car may get stuck in many parts of Kansas
  6. You may have a hard time finding really good doctors in the rural parts of Kansas
  7. Nightlife in Kansas is not great in many regions
  8. Hard to get to many rural regions in Kansas
  9. Not many great sports teams outside of the big cities of Kansas
  10. You may not find as much entertainment as you might wish
  11. You may get bored with your life in Kansas sooner or later
  12. Kansas is not the most popular place among tourists
  13. There are some dodgy districts in the big cities of Kansas
  14. Many people may not understand your decision of moving to Kansas
  15. Natural disasters may hit you in Kansas sooner or later
  16. Climate change may worsen overall quality of life in Kansas
  17. Not many great museums in Kansas
  18. You may miss cultural diversity in the rural parts of Kansas
  19. Hard to find really good education in the rural regions of Kansas
  20. Kansas may not be the greatest place for students
  21. Many young people consider leaving Kansas
  22. You may lose lots of time commuting to work and back
  23. You may have trouble bringing your kids to and picking them up from school
  24. Long distances are pretty inconvenient in many parts of Kansas
  25. You may not be able to try as many interesting foods as in other states
  26. People in Kansas usually don’t make really good money
  27. Rather hard to build a solid business network in Kansas
  28. Low-qualified people often have a hard time finding decent jobs
  29. Moving to Kansas may not be great if you love big city life
  30. Not many great shopping opportunities in most parts of Kansas
  31. You may meet snakes and other rather exotic animals
  32. Kansas may be too quiet for you in the long run

Winters in Kansas may be too cold for many people

One downside to moving to Kansas is that winters are pretty cold in this region and in case you can’t stand cold weather and rather want to enjoy warm weather all year long, you may be far better off moving to Austin or other warmer regions.

Kansas doesn’t have a coastline

You should also not forget that Kansas is not located at the coast and this means that you will not be able to go surfing or relax at the beach on a regular basis while people living in Long Beach or other coastal regions are able to enjoy this luxury quite often as part of their normal life.

Public transport is not great in most parts of Kansas

While public transport may be decent in the biggest cities of Kansas, it is not great in most other parts and you may therefore not be able to get around by bus or train in an efficient manner and may rather have to rely on other means of transportation instead.

Kansas is not the most bicycle-friendly place

Another disadvantage of moving to Kansas is that it is also not the most bicycle-friendly state and you will often not find great bike lanes or other amenities for cyclists so you may not be able to get around by bicycle in a proper and safe manner.

People who don’t have a car may get stuck in many parts of Kansas

Due to rather poor public transport, you may also urgently need a car to get around in many regions of Kansas and in case you are not able to drive due to various possible reasons, you may just not be mobile enough to manage your life in a proper and efficient manner.

You may have a hard time finding really good doctors in the rural parts of Kansas

You should also know that overall medical infrastructure is not great outside of the big cities and you may therefore have a hard time finding good doctors in the rural parts of Kansas close to your home and in case of medical emergency, it may take quite a long time until you get urgent medical treatment and it may already be too late if you are unlucky.

Nightlife in Kansas is not great in many regions

Another problem with moving to Kansas is that nightlife is not great in many parts of Kansas and especially outside the big cities, you may just not find many nice bars and clubs and may not get happy in the Kansas region in case you are a party person.

Hard to get to many rural regions in Kansas

While the big cities are well-connected to the rest of the US, it is still hard to reach many rural regions in Kansas within a reasonable period of time since you would often have to drive long hours and big airports are rather rare in many rural parts of Kansas.

Not many great sports teams outside of the big cities of Kansas

You will also not find many great sports teams in most parts of Kansas and if you are a sports fan and want to watch many games at the highest level live in person, you may be better off moving to Chicago or other big metropolitan regions where you will find more variety in this regard.

You may not find as much entertainment as you might wish

You should also not expect to find lots of entertainment outside the big cities of Kansas and in case you are the type of person who needs adrenaline and action 24/7, you may be better off moving to New York City or other more vibrant regions.

You may get bored with your life in Kansas sooner or later

Since there are just not as many exciting things to do in Kansas as in many other regions in the US, you may also get bored with your life in Kansas sooner or later and may eventually want to move to more interesting places in the long run.

Kansas is not the most popular place among tourists

Another downside to living in Kansas is that you will also not be able to meet many tourists since Kansas is just not the most popular tourists destination on a global scale and you may therefore not be able to have as many interesting conversations with people from all over the world as in many other regions.

There are some dodgy districts in the big cities of Kansas

While many parts of Kansas are rather safe, you may also find some dodgy places in the big cities of Kansas and if you are unlucky and spend your time in the wrong districts, you may get into trouble sooner or later in case you meet the wrong people at the wrong time.

Many people may not understand your decision of moving to Kansas

Since Kansas is just not the most popular state, many of your family members and friends may also not understand your decision of moving to Kansas and it may take you quite a long time to convince them that this might be a good idea indeed.

Natural disasters may hit you in Kansas sooner or later

You should also know that wildfires or other natural disasters may hit your home in Kansas sooner or later and in case you don’t get proper insurance and pay high insurance premiums, you may get into serious trouble once one of those adverse events hit your home and if you are really unlucky, you may even lose your life during one of those extreme events.

Climate change may worsen overall quality of life in Kansas

You should also not forget that climate change may also have an adverse effect on Kansas since it may make natural disasters more likely and may also lead to water scarcity in some regions sooner or later which would greatly lower overall quality of life.

Not many great museums in Kansas

Another disadvantage of living in Kansas is that you will also not find many great museums in many rather rural regions of the state and if you are interested in art and want to meet many other great artists, you may be better off moving to San Francisco or other places where art usually plays a much bigger role.

You may miss cultural diversity in the rural parts of Kansas

While you may be able to experience many different cultural influences in the urban parts of Kansas, you may still miss cultural diversity in the rural regions of this state and may not be able to make as many great experiences as you would make in other more diverse states.

Hard to find really good education in the rural regions of Kansas

You should also not expect to find really great education in most parts of Kansas and if you want to provide the best possible schools and colleges to your kids, you may rather want to move to Boston or other regions with better education infrastructure.

Kansas may not be the greatest place for students

Since there is only a pretty limited number of really good universities and colleges in Kansas and nightlife and entertainment options are not really great in many rather rural regions, Kansas may also not be the greatest place for students and you may rather want to study in L.A. or other more popular student towns.

Many young people consider leaving Kansas

Since there are rather limited entertainment options and you will not find many really good schools and colleges in Kansas, many young people may also consider leaving this state and you may therefore end up with many old people and may not be able to meet many people of your age in case you are still young yourself.

You may lose lots of time commuting to work and back

Another problem with living in Kansas is that you may also have to commute long hours to work and back since there might not be many big companies close to your home and in case teleworking is not an option for you, you may have to spend lots of time and money commuting to work and back.

You may have trouble bringing your kids to and picking them up from school

If you live in rather rural parts of Kansas, the next school may also be pretty far away and you may therefore lose lots of time picking your kids up and bringing your kids to school unless you use homeschooling as a proper alternative.

Long distances are pretty inconvenient in many parts of Kansas

In general, since Kansas is not a really crowded region and big metropolitan regions just barely exist at all, distances are often pretty long and you may not find all the things you need for daily life close to your home and may therefore have to drive long distances to get what you need.

You may not be able to try as many interesting foods as in other states

If you live in the rural parts of Kansas, you may also not find as many interesting foods as in other regions and your culinary experiences may therefore not be as great in the long run.

People in Kansas usually don’t make really good money

You should also know that the overall income level for people in Kansas is not great and unless you have really good education, you may just not be able to make a really good income in this region.

Rather hard to build a solid business network in Kansas

Since many people in Kansas are just not as career-focused as in other states, you may also have a rather hard time meeting many talented people and building a strong business network since many highly-qualified people may rather move to other states where they may be able to make more money in the long run.

Low-qualified people often have a hard time finding decent jobs

Also in case you don’t have proper education, you may have a hard time finding a decent job in many parts of Kansas and you may also have to worry about losing your job quite often.

Moving to Kansas may not be great if you love big city life

Since there are not many big cities in Kansas and the few ones that exist are also far smaller than many other big metropolitan regions, you should also not expect to enjoy big city life when moving to Kansas and may also not be able to enjoy the same amenities as people in other bigger cities.

Not many great shopping opportunities in most parts of Kansas

You should also not expect to find as many great shopping opportunities in Kansas as you might be able to find in bigger urban regions and in case you are a shopping queen and want to follow latest fashion trends, you may get rather disappointed with your life in Kansas in the long run.

You may meet snakes and other rather exotic animals

If you live in the rural parts of Kansas, you may also meet snakes and other rather exotic animals sooner or later and you should therefore take some precautionary measures to minimize your risk in this regard.

Kansas may be too quiet for you in the long run

Since there will not be as many entertainment options in Kansas as in many other states, living in the rural parts of Kansas may just feel too quiet for you in the long run and you may therefore want to move to more exciting places sooner or later.

Top 10 Moving To Kansas Pros & Cons – Summary List

Living in Kansas ProsLiving in Kansas Cons
Kansas is a rather relaxed placePublic transport is not great in many parts of Kansas
Kansas is not the most crowded stateHard to find good medical treatment outside the big cities
Traffic jams are rather rare in KansasEducation may not be great in many rural regions of Kansas
Housing shortage is not a big problem in Kansas yetYou will not find many big cities in Kansas
Property prices and rents are pretty low in many parts of KansasKansas doesn’t have a coastline
Rather low living costs in KansasNightlife is not great in many parts of Kansas
You can spend lots of time in nature in KansasNot many great shopping options in Kansas
People in Kansas can live a pretty original lifeYou may get bored with your life in Kansas sooner or later
Kansas may be an interesting place to retireKansas may not be the greatest place for students
Kansas is a rather safe stateKansas is not the most popular place among tourists
Advantages & Disadvantages of Living in Kansas

Is Kansas A Good Place To Live?

While Kansas can be a great place to live since living and housing costs are still pretty low, it is a rather relaxed state and you can spend lots of time in nature, you should still know that Kansas may not be the most exciting state, public transport is not great and also medical infrastructure may not be great outside the big cities while entertainment options may be rather limited.

In the end, it is on you to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of moving to Kansas carefully so you can make the best possible decision in this regard according to your individual circumstances.

Most Popular Cities To Live In Kansas – Comparison

Living CostsProperty PricesIncome LevelInfrastructure
Wichitamoderatemoderatemoderatedecent
Overland Parkmoderatelowmoderatedecent
Kansas Citymoderatemoderatemoderategood
Olathelowlowpoorpoor
Topekalowlowpoorpoor

Alternative States To Live

If you no longer want to move to Kansas, you may also want to have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Illinois

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Iowa

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Indiana

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/KS

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.

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