Top 10 Reasons to Live in Kansas City
Affordable housing ranging from art district lofts to golf course communities to a little spot in the country—all just minutes from downtown. Kansas City consistently ranks among the nation’s most affordable housing markets.
Arts and culture featuring symphony, ballet, theatre and internationally renown museums. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, for example, is one of the country’s premier art institutions. Also, see what local artists are up to in the Crossroads District during First Fridays.
Quality education with public school districts in the first and second quintile of Expansion Management’s annual survey of 2,800 districts nationwide. There are also more than a dozen public and private universities and community colleges in the area.
Sports including the Kansas City Royals and Chiefs, as well as professional soccer, golf, tennis and NASCAR racing at Kansas Speedway.
Good food at every corner, from our world-famous barbecue and steaks to soul food and an emerging regional cuisine.
The great outdoors, including more than 600 city and suburban parks and 24 public lakes. Kansas City is home to more outdoor fountains than Rome and more landscaped boulevards than any city except Paris.
Jazz and blues history that began with famous musicians like Charlie Parker and Count Basie, and is still evident in live-music venues all over town. Experience Kansas City’s jazz legacy at the Kansas City Jazz Museum in the historic 18th & Vine district.
Big-city opportunities and small-town charms that coexist in perfect balance. Kansas City is large enough to offer a big urban atmosphere. But it’s still small enough to still feel like a community—your community—and is the perfect size for networking.
Access to anywhere that only comes with being smack-dab in the middle of the country. Jet to either coast in a matter of hours. St. Louis, Chicago, Omaha, Memphis, Minneapolis, Dallas and Denver are just a day trip away.
Something for everyone whether you prefer the nightlife of the Power & Light District, high-end shopping on the Plaza, the antique shops and fresh, organic veggies in the River Market or the art scene in the Crossroads.
Home to Hallmark's headquarters, Kansas City, Missouri, is one of America's best-kept secrets—a big, cosmopolitan metro with small-town charm. It's a city with an appetite for great food, great music and good times. The people are friendly, the traffic is tolerable and the surrounding neighborhoods are as appealing as they are distinctive.
"Kansas City is one of those places that's large enough to have a vibrant business community with many head offices, and small enough that personal relationships develop early, and once formed they last a long time."
- National Public Radio
"It's easy to see why Kansas Citians are so proud. It's one of the most livable cities in America."
- Elle Decor Magazine
"In the city proper, you'll find world-class museums, a booming arts district, historic buildings and a $3-billion downtown renewal. In the metro area, you get big houses, terrific schools, kid-friendly streets and enough soccer fields to smother Rhode Island. Kansas City takes pride in the first-class collection at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the wide boulevards, ubiquitous fountains, tangy barbecue, raspy blues and smoky jazz that add up to greatness in this larger-than-life city."
- "50 Smart Places to Live" Kiplinger.com
Want to get the most for your money?
When it comes to comparing cost of living, housing opportunity, unemployment rate and average salary with other cities in the nation, Kansas City scored high! Read more about why Kansas City is the #14 bargain city according to Forbes.
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