Life changing decision, Need input

[Superduper]

Might be wrong forum or category. I apologize to any moderator if so, please move if I'm in violation.
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I have lived here in California for 45 years. The poor economy, high cost of living here and declining health has done me in. I know I can not retire here. Luckily, we are not underwater but we are struggling to keep afloat. We know we need to make a life changing decision soon before we dip too far into our retirement accounts (yes, we already are dipping to make ends meet) before we deplete it entirely with nothing to show for it. With my health declining, that is a big worry.

So we are considering moving someplace where the cost of living is lower, the cost of real estate is reasonable, and where we can retire in relative peace. Where my wife agrees to go is a big factor. There are so many places that I am more than willing to go, but not my wife. So recently, we spent some time in Lawrence Kansas for some business. To my suprise, she liked the area. Our political inclination is quite conservative. I have heard that Lawrence is the most liberal city in Kansas. Compared to where I live, it's probably still farther to the right. Nevertheless, I am thinking of the outlying areas, home 2-15 acres (not smack in the middle of the city). My children are both going to be college age next year. So University of Kansas might be the place.

Since this is such a big decision, I was wondering if anyone close to the area can tell me their impressions of living there, the pluses and minuses. Health care services. Red tape... how hard and tough is it to get building permits and how picky are the inspectors? How is commute? Crime? Taxes? How about weather.... will I hate it? How about work -- hard to find? Low, med or good wages? I don't know, basically any information or impressions would be deeply appeciated. In fact, if you live in the area, I would love to chat and pick your brain. We've grown so much roots here that we want to make sure we are making the right choice.

Thanks for your time.
Norm.

 

[mjncad]

This web site will give you information on cities and towns across the country. Stats about all US cities - real estate, relocation info, crime, house prices, cost of living, races, home value estimator, recent sales, income, photos, schools, maps, weather, neighborhoods, and more

 

[Superduper]

Thank you for the link. I will check it out. It would still be nice to hear from someone who lives near that and can offer a personal viewpoint. Stats are nice but they don't always tell the whole story.

 

[KTurner]

With two kids going to college, look at in-state versus out-of-state tuition costs and residency requirements. A quick search shows that out of state price for tuition is still about three times the cost of in state, the same that it was when I was paying for mine about ten years ago in Virginia. That's just the cost of going to class, it does not include room/board/books/etc which is generally the same for an in state or out of state student. Over a four year degree, this difference in tuition cost adds up to about $60k-70k, per kid.

Keith

 

[indianaEPH]

Norm: Good luck with finding the right place to live and enjoy. This is a big decision. I moved to the midwest from the other coast about 25 years ago. It was a hard move for me but I soon felt at home with the abundant land, reasonable cost of living(including taxes), good schools (this is still higly variable) responsible governments (for the most part). I now feel very lucky to have made the move (it was job related at the time).

It is a shame what has happened to California. It use to be the promise land. I think decades of liberal politics have done it in.

 

[Stick895]

With two kids going to college, look at in-state versus out-of-state tuition costs and residency requirements. A quick search shows that out of state price for tuition is still about three times the cost of in state, the same that it was when I was paying for mine about ten years ago in Virginia. That's just the cost of going to class, it does not include room/board/books/etc which is generally the same for an in state or out of state student. Over a four year degree, this difference in tuition cost adds up to about $60k-70k, per kid. Keith

Get the kids into college in CA while they can qualify for in-state tuition, then have them establish their own residency there while you go to Kansas. Manhattan Kansas, since it's hoe to a state university might could be more conservative area, but I'm supposing on that.

 

[Todd727]

Move to WA along the WA-OR border. No income tax and you cross the border into Oregon for no sales tax.

You can do the same thing along the WY-MT border, but you've got to enjoy the desolation.

 

[bucktaker]

Left the Bay area in 1992 never looked back.... anywhere is better, Do I miss some of the amienites..yes but I think its a better place to visit. You need to check with the family are they ready to give up everything they know to live somewhere else? thats the real question

 

[TCJatko]

A bold move, but a prudent one. Be sure to look at state income taxes, and the overall state fiscal position (Illinois is probably in as bad fiscal shape as California, but with much worse weather). Despite what some believe, pension funding shortfalls are eventually going to come from taxpayers, not "Obama's stash". Good luck.

 

[LazySusanFarms]

I live in Overland Park, Kansas and have a farm in Lawrence, Kansas. One of my best friends is in Douglas County government. Douglas County and the city of Lawrence are well run but are left leaning. I do not notice it too much since I do not live there full time. What I can say is that the conservative right in the state is SO far right that the Democrats have taken the middle ground and appear to be very moderate which overall has been good for the area. Lawrence has a lot going for it - top rated government, the University and cultural activities. The biggest attraction to us is that the county is dedicated to sustainable farming practices so ag issues are always treated with seriousness.

Any questions, just ask.

 

[Sledgie]

We live 30 minutes south of Manhattan Ks in the Flint Hills and love it. Our 3 kids went to Kansas State U there and it was very affordable. KU in Lawrence in known as "Snob Hill" and KSU is known as "Silo Tech". One Lawrence tshirt reads "My belt buckle wasn't big enough to go to KSU". My brother lives in Santa Monica, and it takes him longer to get to his car on the 8th floor of his condo and down to the street than it takes me to get in my car and drive the 4 miles to town. I have to think the stress of my life compared to his should add years to mine. Welcome to Kansas!

 

[Eyecatcher]

I left San Diego at the end of my Navy career, and ended up in Salt Lake City. I was born and raised in Nebraska, scooped snow off the grinder in boot camp at great lakes, but there is nothing in this world to compare to the cold (say cold wind) of the Salt Lake Valley. Couldn't wait to get back to Cal.
Moved to San Jose, and loved it - but - state income tax, high real estate cost and congestion. Had the opportunity to come to Florida, and have been here every since. (45 yrs). NO SNOW, no state income tax, reasonable real estate costs and cost of living if you avoid the big cities. You have to get used to the humidity, but they say once you get sand in your shoes, you'll always come back!. I wouldn't live anywhere else. Presently live on 10 acres,
high and dry, in the poorest county in the state. 1 mile to hamlet, 6 miles to grocery store, but I don't lock my doors or take the keys out of my p/u.

 

[LazySusanFarms]

Just another suggestion. You might want to check out Iowa City, Iowa. Same as Lawrence - big university nearby and surrounded by farmland. Went to graduate school there and loved it.

 

[Depmandog]

I live at the edge of the Kansas City metro, Missouri side. I can be in Lawrence in about 55-60 minutes from our place.

I love the area. Definitely have four seasons, most summers you will have 100 degree days and most winters a few -10 nights. It is humid, but not coastal.

KC is a sprawling metro area with huge landmass. Not much in the way of public transportation other than Metro buses. Everyone drives everywhere and many commute from areas such as Lawrence or farther into the city to work. Traffic usually isn't too bad, and if it is, there is always an alternative route.

There are several very large lakes in this part of the country. The Missouri Ozarks are close, and provide excellent outdoor recreation. The Branson area in SW Missouri is an excellent family vacation destination.

We have NASCAR, professional sports, fine arts, several great zoos in the area. Lots to see and do.

As others have mentioned, Lawrence is a bit left, but a nice place. There are numerous other communities around. We happen to be in a small town of 3,000, but 15 minutes to just about anything we need. Housing is very reasonable. Land prices are cheaper the further out you get.

What line of work are you in? GM has a newish auto plant on the KS side, Ford has an older but very stable plant on the MO side. Both plants are near the tops in production - unit wise. The area economy isn't bad, compared to other areas of the country. KS is a right to work state, MO is union. The unions in KC are not super strong, compared to back east.

Hope this helps a bit.

 

[crazyal]

Can't help with the location but if your health will allow you to have you (or your wife) thought about a part time job at a college? Usually if you work for a college your kids can go there for much cheaper. Just an idea.

 

[GPintheMitten]

Regarding moving and paying tuition, if your kids attend college in your new state of residence, I would expect it take only 6 months to obtain residence status, maybe less. Check with a few colleges in your destinatin state.

 

[Superduper]

I want to thank everyone for their input. They really help. This is the type of feedback that you simply can't get from any website. I understand that residence as opposed to non-residence tuition is more costly. But this would be a permanent, likely forever move for us. So if it can't be established immediately, we might just have to pay more the first year (or semester).

Sorry for my ignorance but I'm not sure I quite understand the meaning behind this quote:

KU in Lawrence in known as "Snob Hill" and KSU is known as "Silo Tech". One Lawrence tshirt reads "My belt buckle wasn't big enough to go to KSU".

Maybe Sledgie can elaborate on that?

I am going to probably toss or give away most of our furniture. A 1500 mile move is not cheap and it might simply be cheaper (or not much more costly) to just get new furniture. I also need to decide if I should trailer my JD3120 to the new location. It's essentially new as out here in Cali, there isn't much land for it to do any "real" work. Out there, I do want some land so I suppose the tractor will come in handy. Also need to figure out how to trailer all the implements too if I decide to take them. That Vrismo flail I have is only a 4 footer but I swear it's about 850 pounds or so.

 

[smstonypoint]

Maybe Sledgie can elaborate on that?

In case Sledgie doesn't respond, his comments are examples of jibes exchanged between land-grant university students and graduates and their counterparts at non-land-grant universities. The land-grants are the home of agricultural colleges, thus the agricultural/cowboy references.


The folks in Kansas seem genteel. I have heard much harsher (and funnier, although sometimes obscene) exchanges between the folks associated with NC State and UNC, Clemson and USC, Virginia Tech and UVA, Auburn and Alabama, Texas A&M and Texas, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma, etc.).

Steve

 

[bananaman]

Have you considered Texas? No state tax and parts of Texas (like Waco) have a really low cost of living. Of course wages for the general public aren't that high either. In the Bible Belt, so pretty conservative too.

 

[PhysAssist]

Have you considered Texas? No state tax and parts of Texas (like Waco) have a really low cost of living. Of course wages for the general public aren't that high either. In the Bible Belt, so pretty conservative too.

If you aren't settled on Lawrence, KS yet, or if something changes your mind, try: www.findyourspot.com- very comprehensive and informative information about many town and cities...