What Should I Know Before Moving To Kansas City?

The Kansas City Metro area is a great place to live in! But how great are we talking? What should someone know before moving to KC? 

The best things about KC:

  • The average cost of living in KC is 8% lower than the national average
  • KC has affordable housing
  • We have a thriving job market with an unemployment rate of 4.6%
  • There’s a TON to do for families and kids
  • It is chalked full of history
  • There’s really great food
  • You can almost get anywhere in the city and metro within a 25 minute drive
  • The people are friendly

We know moving to a new state can be overwhelming, so we wanted to put together a post of all the important factors to consider when moving to KC. 

Continue reading if that interests you!

Pros and Cons of Living In Kansas City

Pros

The cost of living in KC is 8% lower than the national average, making this city a great choice if your budget isn’t too high. 

Houses are significantly cheaper than in other US cities. If you’re dreaming about finally owning a home, KC is the perfect place to watch that dream become a reality. 

From its famous BBQ, to particular cuisines from all over the world, KC is a real melting pot of perfect tastes. And the food is also quite affordable! So getting a bite to eat is both satisfying and budget-friendly. 

KC has one of the shortest average commute times in the country. You can get to where you’re going in just 25 minutes on average. 

Pros Recap:

  • Affordable cost of living
  • Affordable housing
  • Amazing food
  • Short commutes

Cons

KC is located in the midwest which means temperatures all over the place. When it comes to the seasons in KC, you never quite know what you will get. You will need a snow shovel for the winter and a lot of sunscreen for the summer. 

KC has a good public transportation system but it does not go beyond the city. So if you want to go outside of the KC area, you’ll need your own ride. 

Missouri is ranked 14th on the list of states with the highest taxes. For example, on your first $15,000 of taxable income, the state takes out 2.7% and 4.6% on anything higher than $15,000. But look on the bright side, the taxes go toward building and maintaining schools, parks, and roads in KC.

Cons Recap:

  • Unpredictable temperatures
  • No public transport outside of the city
  • Higher taxes

Five Reasons to Make a Move to Kansas City

Affordable Cost of Living

If a family of four made around $68K a year and their monthly expenses averaged around $3,150+ (gas, groceries, monthly utilities, etc.), they would be living a very comfortable life financially in KC.

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Growing Job Market

The unemployment rate in KC is lower than the national average, sitting at just 4.8%. KC has been ranked as the 2nd best city for finding a job in the entire country.

Amazing BBQ

The KC BBQ is famous all over the country. Any foodie will tell you that it is literally impossible to find a bad BBQ place in the city. 

Lots of Fun Activities

From walking tours and romantic getaways to fantastic cultural centers and museums, markets and fountains, you can always find fun activities to do in KC. 

Family-Friendly

KC is one of the most family-friendly cities in the US. There is an abundance of parks, daycares, and schools.

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The Ultimate Moving to Kansas City Checklist

To ensure you don’t miss anything important before your move, we created the ultimate checklist. Follow it closely so that your move is seamless.

The Ultimate Moving Checklist

8 Weeks Out:

  • Find a trusted realtor in KC who can recommend any KC providers to use in helping you buy a home and all the services surrounding a home purchase (inspectors, electricians, carpet cleaners, etc.)
  • Create a “moving” folder in Google Drive that has everything related to the move 
  • Create a moving budget
  • Start getting estimates from moving companies. Here are 3 of the top rated moving companies in KC:
  • Plan a yard/garage sale to get rid of any unwanted items
  • Start looking into schools as well as getting your kids transcripts ready to go
  • Plan on how to move the more fragile items

6 Weeks Out:

  • Make time for friends and family before moving
  • Start collecting free boxes from grocery stores, restaurants, bookstores, etc.
  • Do some research on packing hacks 
  • Create an inventory lists of all your stuff before they go into a moving truck
  • Take photos off all your electronics before unplugging them (trust us!)
  • Address minor home repairs before moving
  • Measure doorways, stairways and elevators to make sure everything will fit. 
  • Start packing up a little at a time

4 Weeks out:

  • Purchase moving insurance
  • Donate items you can’t take with you (food included)
  • Gather up and store away all medical, legal and financial records
  • Find a cable/internet provider in your area and schedule an appointment to get that set up in your new home
  • If you’re moving out of state, start looking for a new doctor, dentist, vet, etc
  • If moving long distance, start planning your route (hotels, restaurants, etc) 
  • For pet owners, make sure your pets have ID collars 
  • Make a moving playlist! Moving doesn’t have to be boring

2 Weeks out: 

  • In addition to the “moving” document, add another document for “moving related expenses” 
  • Prep two weeks worth of meals
  • Return borrowed items
  • Backup your computer
  • Set up trash and recycling at your new home and cancel your current
  • Find somewhere safe for your pets to go during the move
  • Hire a babysitter for your young ones to keep them safe from all the moving
  • Start changing your address on everything (credit cards, payroll at work, phone apps, amazon, monthly subscriptions, etc)
  • Forward your mail
  • Transfer utilities

1 Week Out:

  • Cancel or redirect scheduled deliveries
  • Clean your home for the new residents
  • Unplug the fridge to defrost before you move it
  • Double check all the drawers and closets 
  • Pack an essentials box of everything you will need for the first 24 hours in your new home
  • Take photographs of your home to prove it is in “move-out” condition

For your own copy of this checklist, you can download it here for FREE: The Ultimate Moving Checklist

Why People Love Living In Kansas City

It’s obvious we love KC but we are not the only ones. Here is what other people have to say about our city. 

“There is a wide range of job opportunities that offer amazing benefits and perks. The social community is extremely diverse and supportive. There are many different areas, with great schools and multiple options to choose from when it comes to business and services.”

“I have lived in the Kansas City area my entire life and have loved every minute of it. It is the perfect mixture of urban and rural. There is always something going on or new happening downtown or in surrounding areas. It is a great place to live, work, raise a family, and go to school. I highly recommend Kansas City to anyone and everyone.”

“The people are so genuine and amazing! Love the feel of a city without the overwhelming amount of people.”

To read more about what people say about KC, click here.

Top Things to Do in Kansas City

Source: https://kcparent.com/things-to-do-in-kc/free-cheap-ways-to-explore-downtown-kc/

For the Nature Lover

If you enjoy spending some quality time in nature, you can:

  • Visit the Kansas City Zoo
  • Hike down the Line Creek Trail
  • See the Brush Creek Waterway
  • Enjoy the Go Ape Zipline & Adventure Park 

For the Shopper

Whether you want to visit huge malls or hit up small vintage stores, KC will have you covered:

  • Explore the Country Club Plaza
  • Shop at the Zona Rosa
  • Enjoy the Town Center Plaza
  • Find the best items at the Crown Center

For the Foodie

You can’t go wrong when it comes to food in KC. Here are our some suggestions:

For the History Lover

KC is chalked full of places for history lovers to go. You can:

  • Tour the Arabia Steamboat Museum
  • Explore the City Market Museum
  • Enjoy the KC National Archives
  • Spend a whole day touring The National WWI Museum and Memorial 

Moving To Kansas City? Advice From One of the Top Real Estate Teams In KC

Moving can be a lot easier if you find a trustworthy real estate agent. We have been in the real estate game for a long time now and we want to pass on some words of advice before moving to KC.

Finding a reliable real estate agent is crucial in any moving process. We can help guide you in finding the best home for you and your family and help navigate you through the rather confusing process of buying a property.

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We’d love to help you find the home of your dreams in Kansas City! We are one of the city’s top real estate teams and we have a strong reputation for trustworthiness and hustle. We are in your corner! 

Click here to contact our team and hire us. Or, give us a call at 816-716-5172.

 

AG
Annie Grayson
annie@danibeyer.com | + posts