It has long been acknowledged that the single best restaurant in the world is Arthur Bryant’s barbeque at Eighteenth and Brooklyn in Kansas City.
-Calvin Trillin
It’s in Missouri. Yes, part of it is in Kansas (KCK) but the part everyone is talking about when they say Kansas City is KCMO. Nevertheless, you can live in the KC suburbs and most likely be in Kansas.
Kansas City is home to a vibrant arts community that includes the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and the Kansas City Art Institute. Nelson-Atkins is considered a “must-see” and Kansas City is considered one of those “microclimates” of art -- a unique, autonomous art scene including Crossroads Art District, ballet, opera, community theater, live music and other performing arts.
There’s also a coffee scene and a craft brew scene (home of Boulevard Brewery -- KC is filled with boulevards that run through it), a deep history of jazz and barbeque (KC is very indignant about their BBQ) and boy, do they love public fountains (and their sports teams.)
You can live in an affordable house in the suburbs and get in and out of downtown in a breeze. And, you can get a lot of house for a little money. You can buy a modest house in a decent, very safe neighborhood for mid $100Ks and feast on the outstanding farmer’s markets but, the sophisticated action is downtown. The suburbs are no place to be if you want to go out. Only if you want to go home.
Here's a local's pov on the city and the savings:
It’s just like Chicago, New York and LA except without the assholes, haha. We’re so laid back and hospitable in this section of the map. We believe that money should be spent on life experience and not rent(; The cost of living is quite enticing. We love our professional sports teams while embracing our college athletics at the same time. The arts district is so rich and diverse and the roots are obviously very deep-our art institutions and museums are world renowned. I love it here, it’s for living and thriving, not just visiting. It’s a wonderful place to call home.
No real public transportation system. You need a car.
There are a few walkable neighborhoods like Plaza, Westport, Valentine. Also, the public schools in the city can leave a bit to be desired but the suburbs are much better. The school district in the wealthy golf course neighborhood of Leawood (Blue Valley District) stands out.
A local echoes the issues with public transportation:
Short answer is that public transportation in KC really doesn’t work all that well. There are buses, but they can be limited and slow. The streetcar is just a single stretch of track from union station to river market and back, though it’s being expanded a little bit further south. KC really requires a car to get around well.
Kansas City is a really interesting place. It’s a city with world-class food, a great arts scene and a vibrant downtown that pretty much goes dark at 5:00. While those great cultural amenities are much appreciated, the nightlife tends more toward hitting your local neighborhood spot at night and just kind of chilling. City-dwellers here are profoundly progressive and the suburbs more conservative so on balance you end up with a moderate political scene. Interestingly the area tends to vote for progressive policies but then also vote in candidates who stand against those same policies. Go figure.
https://www.vogue.com/article/a-guide-to-kansas-city-missouri-its-history-its-culture-and-why-its-worth-a-closer-look
If you want to see all that's happening in KC check out the calendar of events: https://www.visitkc.com/visitors/events
The big industries in Kansas City include: manufacturing, professional services, healthcare, transportation and a growing tech scene. Garmin, the navigation device company, continues expansion and hiring here. Burns & McDonnell, the engineering, architecture, construction, environmental and consulting services company is in persistent growth mode, and always seems to be hiring and expanding. Kansas City has an employment rate of 3.6% and so if you’re looking for a healthy economy in the midwest Kansas City is a good choice.
Young people are flocking here due to the desirable cost of living and optimal job market and driving the arts and culinary scene in the city to new heights.
Many people probably know that Kansas City is a bi-state city and metropolitan area. Kansas City, Missouri is the one most people are talking about when they refer to the city as it holds 480k+ vs. the 100k+ of Kansas City, Kansas. The larger Metro Area is visualized as four quadrants: Southeast includes Kansas City, Missouri and Northwest includes Kansas City, Kansas.
The Metro area is truly at the center of the midwestern universe with more freeway lane miles per capita than any other city in the United States. All these highways take you directly to Des Moines, Wichita, St. Louis and Topeka. It also sits at the confluence of the Missouri River and the Kansas River. The rolling hills of Kansas City and the Metro Area line the rivers and make the views across the rivers for many a homeowner.
River Market is one of the hottest neighborhoods for young professionals. Plenty of apartments, condos and lofts mix nicely with the amazing food, bars and boutique downtown shopping. The free Streetcar service is available to take you to the other downtown neighborhoods and if you work down here you can expect a short walk. Also nice is the direct access to the river for a paddle on a warm day. Union Hill is another great option if you like downtown living. Just south of the amazing Crown Center, which is a shopping, dining and entertainment emporium, sits a slightly more quiet locale but one surrounded by jumping spots. Tons of shops, restaurants, bars and immediate proximity to Liberty Park for those inclined to get out for a run or ride.
A lot of the neighborhoods favored by Young Professionals are great choices for DINKS/SINKS as well. Volker is one of these magic areas. Filled with cool bungalow and shirtwaist-style homes, and close proximity to great eats and bars, it's just far enough away from downtown to bring some peace but borders more jumping spots so if you’re in the mood you’re just a short walk away. West Plaza is another cool option. Just south of Volker and close to plenty of nightlife, it has new townhomes, American Foursquare homes and perfect little bungalows ripe for renovation.
Kansas City has several neighborhoods popular with the LGBTQ+ community. Brookside is popular with younger, single professionals looking for plenty of cool coffee shops, art galleries and festivals, restaurants, bars and overall nightlife. Historic Northeast is another popular choice for those looking for beautiful Victorians to restore or just enjoy and is a short walk to plenty of shops, restaurants and bar options.
Brookside is a nice choice for young families. Just a 15 minute drive to downtown if you’re hankering for some action but quiet and safe for raising those kiddos away from the downtown scene. It also has fun local restaurants for taking the kids out for BBQ or on date night. Waldo is another great choice. Small but with great parks for kids and grownups of all ages it also has the best private schools in the city. It’s also filled with boutique shopping, some nightlife, a number of the grooviest coffee shops and plenty of room for Fido to run around.
