Anonymous wrote:My friend who adopted an AA child (she and her husband are white) have had their neighbors make some very bizarre and offensive comments about her child and other minorities. Plus, one of them is always telling her that she's too skinny. No thanks. They live in North KCMO.

Ah, so you base an entire city of a half a million and an entire metro of over 2 million off of experiences in a small section of the area that is particularly white and conservative? I haven't lived in Kansas City in years, but I don't think it's changed that much or went backward and I don't remember it being like that. I don't know if you mean the small blue-collar suburban town of North Kansas City, MO, which has a population of about 4,000, if you mean the city of Kansas City, MO north of the river, or if you mean a particular suburb north of the river on the Missouri side. Regardless, the entire area north of the river is very white and conservative and more representative of typical Missouri than it is of Kansas City, which is not like that, and I think the river was probably used as that sort of barrier intentionally. Most of the people from north of the river are Missouri natives and often from small towns or rural Missouri. It's also a very blue-collar area. Most of the transplants and more liberal types live in urban Kansas City or in suburban Johnson County, KS, which is the suburban corporate hub.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought KC was pretty. Near that upscale outdoor shopping area? Forget the name. There were some lovely older homes nearby...

Friends live in Hotlanta and really like it...their house is pretty...

The Plaza.

I grew up in the KC area. It's a wonderful place in many ways. There is a surprising commitment to arts and culture, especially in Kansas City, MO. Schools outside KCMO and on the Kansas side (Johnson County in particular) are very good. Cost of living is so much better there than here. Hallmark, Sprint, and other big companies have their HQs in KC. Great barbecue and Mexican food, too.

I'm not sure what the status is now, but the KCMO public schools lost their accreditation not too long ago. You couldn't move to KC and expect to put your kids in KCMO schools. You'd have to look in Lee's Summit, North Kansas City, or Johnson County.

DH and I are both from the area. It will always be home and we love to visit. It's just way too conservative for us now, especially Kansas. Lawrence (home to the University of Kansas) is the only town in which I could see myself living happily, but the state politics would probably be too much.

People are lovely, once you get to know them. We got through very tough times with the help of kind neighbors.

I know a lot of Kansas transplants who are extremely happy in the Denver area. I hate to be disloyal to my home, but I think your answer is Denver.

My friend who adopted an AA child (she and her husband are white) have had their neighbors make some very bizarre and offensive comments about her child and other minorities. Plus, one of them is always telling her that she's too skinny. No thanks. They live in North KCMO.

I would move to Denver. I have several friends who live there, and they all love it. My family is planning to leave DC in a few years and Denver is at the top of our list for options.

I lived in KCMO for one year and would never consider living there again. Although, I have friends who still live there and are content. I work in the arts industry, so I was surrounded by mostly socially liberal and educated people, and lived in a trendy downtown area. Still, it just wasn't for me. It just always seemed so depressing there.

Atlanta is a fun city, and I enjoy visiting. BUT it's the deep South, and it has a rich culture. If that's not for you, you'll probably feel wildly out of place. I have a friend from Birmingham who had lived in DC for 15 years and then moved to Atlanta. She's struggling with it.

I've spent very little time in Dallas, and it's not a real draw for me.

Denver itself is fugly. But the immediate environs are pleasant.

11:09 here. Other PP's mentioned the Shawnee Mission School District in Johnson County, but the Blue Valley and Olathe (Oh-Lay-Thuh) school districts are also quite good. Your children will be taught evolution in all three, although Olathe skews even more conservative than the other two.

It was a great place to grow up. The PP who said KC is bereft of arts and culture is just wrong. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art are both excellent. The resurgence of the Historic 18th & Vine District (home of the American Jazz Museum and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum) is rightfully a source of pride for the city.

There is a thriving live music scene in KC, especially jazz. The recently opened Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is supposed to be spectacular, although I haven't been there yet.

In addition to the Chiefs and the Royals, there is the Sporting Kansas City soccer team and, if you're into racing, a NASCAR track.

Reading some of these posts, I'm defensive on behalf of my hometown!

Anonymous wrote:I thought KC was pretty. Near that upscale outdoor shopping area? Forget the name. There were some lovely older homes nearby...

Friends live in Hotlanta and really like it...their house is pretty...

The Plaza.

I grew up in the KC area. It's a wonderful place in many ways. There is a surprising commitment to arts and culture, especially in Kansas City, MO. Schools outside KCMO and on the Kansas side (Johnson County in particular) are very good. Cost of living is so much better there than here. Hallmark, Sprint, and other big companies have their HQs in KC. Great barbecue and Mexican food, too.

I'm not sure what the status is now, but the KCMO public schools lost their accreditation not too long ago. You couldn't move to KC and expect to put your kids in KCMO schools. You'd have to look in Lee's Summit, North Kansas City, or Johnson County.

DH and I are both from the area. It will always be home and we love to visit. It's just way too conservative for us now, especially Kansas. Lawrence (home to the University of Kansas) is the only town in which I could see myself living happily, but the state politics would probably be too much.

People are lovely, once you get to know them. We got through very tough times with the help of kind neighbors.

I know a lot of Kansas transplants who are extremely happy in the Denver area. I hate to be disloyal to my home, but I think your answer is Denver.

Anonymous wrote:Atlanta - still very segregated and class driven. Not like Denver.

I thought there was about 3 days' worth of stuff to do in Atlanta.

What? Have you been to Denver? There ARE no minorities there. I guess technically this means there is no segregation, but there is also zero diversity. The homeless people on the street in downtown Denver all look like scary washed out hippie ski bums.

Dallas. Kansas City is a dumpy city with little intellectual or cultural life; no one wants to move there -- unless they are originally from there, I suppose.

Atlanta is OK, but also not that much going on.

Denver is highly overrated, but obviously has incredible marketers because people think it's much nicer than it actually is. The mountains aren't IN Denver -- they are a couple hours outside of Denver. Denver's winters are brutal and the "downtown" is tiny. People are laid back but that's because they don't care at all about work(ing). People that live in DC that like it in DC are not likely to like Denver. If you hate it here, though, maybe you are.

That brings us back to Dallas -- it's in Texas, yes (unfortunate), but it's also a center of the oil & gas industry, boasts some powerful national law firm presence, and the climate is warm. Hot in the summer, but so is KC, Atlanta, and even Denver (except when it snows in May).

I grew up in KC and my family is there, so I'd probably consider it. You can buy a really amazing older home in a lovely neighborhood for $300K, or a really nice newer home in a nice neighborhood for about the same.

I've been to Denver and liked it, but friends who have lived there have told me that it's tough to meet people and that folks are outdoorsy but don't really go out much. (I'm single and like to go out.) I like Dallas, but don't think I could live in Texas, and Atlanta's heat, humidity and southern-ness would kill me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:KC is often overlooked and that is what makes it great. NE Kansas (Leawood, Overland Park, Mission) are all great communities with excellent school systems. Those that can afford to live in these areas will and still commute to downtown KC if needed. Large enough city to host major sports teams, Chiefs, Royals, etc. . . and all at a great cost of living. Downtown Plaza shopping center is nice, Oh, and some of the best local BBQ around.

Unless you care about trivial things like evolution . . .

My brothers went to HS in Leawood - transferred from a highly ranked NYC suburban public school system. The Leawood schools were absolutely comparable to the NY schools and very progressive. Evolution was definitely taught.

kansas city is the most physically beautiful city.. denver is not that different from texas.. can't say much for atlanta (i think of houston/dallas/phoenix).. these cities are not interesting cities, and neither is denver. kansas city is not competetive, that way, and it is a city like the other three, justt with more interesting neighborhoods, and a great art scene, and beautiful buildings.

Anonymous wrote:KC or Denver
I would stay away from Texas. Too many problems, terrible school system etc

KC or Denver sound more interesting

Texas is huge. Just like any other state, but even more so because of it's size, everything varies by area. There are deinitely good school systems there.

Denver, then Dallas and Atlanta. KC is not a viable option.

Denver. I'm not outsdoorsy but you don't have to be to love looking at the mountains with a cup of hot chocolate.

16:36 - easy solution to the "evolution" problem - if you ever move to KC, go for the schools in Johnson County, particularly in Shawnee Mission school district. They do teach evolution and ignore creationism.

It would be tough to be single in KC - most folks marry pretty young. I wouldn't move back there as a single person much over the age of 25. I've also heard that Denver is not a great town for singles - it's great for athletic activities, but not for nightlife. (single friends who lived there are much happier here.) I'd be worried about the "everyone married young" problem in Atlanta and Dallas too. hopefully the op is married!