Kansas Job Losses (Topeka, Lawrence, Leavenworth: appointed, buying a house, buying)

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by CrownVic95

For that same time period, the median household income in Johnson County, KS was $74,717.

Johnson County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau

So I'll expect to see lots of favorable commentary about JoCo and its good paying jobs from this point, politics not being a factor and all.

Yes, I never debated the fact that Johnson County has a high median household income with its high population base number. That isn't easy to pull off. The Twin Cities have several counties with higher median household incomes, however, the populations of those areas combined are a bit less.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by elkotronics

Too cold up yonder way in Minnesota.

Not really, you just have to have the proper gear. The heat (combined with humidity) in areas of Kansas is far worse in my opinion. I should know as I experienced an ambient heat index reading of 117F in Lawrence, never again.
If you're living in the woods up north you also have far less wind, the additional tree cover acts as a substantial buffer. I've been up in the UP with air temperatures of -30F, but it was perfectly tolerable without much wind and proper gear.

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Yes, I never debated the fact that Johnson County has a high median household income with its high population base number. That isn't easy to pull off. The Twin Cities have several counties with higher median household incomes, however, the populations of those areas combined are a bit less.

Summer weather aside....and that is only fair since a huge portion of the US suffers similar summer misery....Johnson County, KS is an excellent place to live. With life quality equal or better to anything in the Twin Cities area. That is what you do debate. Constantly, tirelessly, relentlessly, unyieldingly, inexorably, perpetually.

Since it's not politics, I guess it must boil down to those extra lanes on I-435.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by CrownVic95

Summer weather aside....and that is only fair since a huge portion of the US suffers similar summer misery....Johnson County, KS is an excellent place to live. With life quality equal or better to anything in the Twin Cities area. That is what you do debate. Constantly, tirelessly, relentlessly, unyieldingly, inexorably, perpetually.

Since it's not politics, I guess it must boil down to those extra lanes on I-435.

All wealthier corporate suburbs in any MSA feel very similar to me in this day and age, though. The additional quality of life categories like open space, parks, bicycle green ways, bicycle lanes, and regional planning are better in the Twin Cities compared to Kansas City. Those factors go into influencing overall quality of life in my opinion.

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

All wealthier corporate suburbs in any MSA feel very similar to me in this day and age, though. The additional quality of life categories like open space, parks, bicycle green ways, bicycle lanes, and regional planning are better in the Twin Cities compared to Kansas City. Those factors go into influencing overall quality of life in my opinion.

No doubt they do....but opinions vary as to whether those influences are for better or worse.

The last thing - ok, maybe second to last thing - we need to do to improve life quality is to bow and kowtow to today's new breed of "cyclist". Those lawless attitudes on 2 wheels do their damnedest every day to turn our streets into war zones. Most people are utterly fed up with them.

Regional planning as in mass transit? Again, no thank you. The idea that mass transit does anything but attack and dissolve life quality over time is a "progressive" pipe dream.

To be clear, my focus is on suburban - not urban - life quality. My argument is not that City of Kansas City life quality is superior to that of the City of Minneapolis. I'm not qualified to make that comparison, nor do I have any interest in doing so. I'm saying that Johnson County life quality matches or exceeds anything in the Twin City metro. And key to that assessment is the fact that Johnson County has not felt the need to jump on the hip and trendy ideological fads that "progressives" have been regurgitating for the last 25 years toward anyone young enough and/or gullible enough to listen.

You, yourself, have stated here for years, countless times, your strong preference for rural environments and disdain for crowded living. And yet you keep trying to sell the new urban-ism. Seems part of you understands what and where the good life is....and another part has pledged life-long allegiance to the "progressive" gods who are hell-bent on undoing everything that long ago made US living the envy of the world.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by CrownVic95

No doubt they do....but opinions vary as to whether those influences are for better or worse.

The last thing - ok, maybe second to last thing - we need to do to improve life quality is to bow and kowtow to today's new breed of "cyclist". Those lawless attitudes on 2 wheels do their damnedest every day to turn our streets into war zones. Most people are utterly fed up with them.

Regional planning as in mass transit? Again, no thank you. The idea that mass transit does anything but attack and dissolve life quality over time is a "progressive" pipe dream.

To be clear, my focus is on suburban - not urban - life quality. My argument is not that City of Kansas City life quality is superior to that of the City of Minneapolis. I'm not qualified to make that comparison, nor do I have any interest in doing so. I'm saying that Johnson County life quality matches or exceeds anything in the Twin City metro. And key to that assessment is the fact that Johnson County has not felt the need to jump on the hip and trendy ideological fads that "progressives" have been regurgitating for the last 25 years toward anyone young enough and/or gullible enough to listen.

You, yourself, have stated here for years, countless times, your strong preference for rural environments and disdain for crowded living. And yet you keep trying to sell the new urban-ism. Seems part of you understands what and where the good life is....and another part has pledged life-long allegiance to the "progressive" gods who are hell-bent on undoing everything that long ago made US living the envy of the world.

The evidence is in the facts, multiple sources. This rates many different criteria to come up with a ranking.
Best Cities for Quality of Life - NerdWallet
As well as:
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincitie...24/daily4.html

Your argument on cyclists does not hold up, unless you are comparing the Bay Area to other metros that do in fact have bicycle lane infrastructure on roads in urban and suburban areas within the metro area.

The focus on parks, dedicated lanes for bicyclists, and bicycle green ways often are a strong indicator of over health of the populace. The Twin Cities ranks quite a bit higher than the KC metro area in that regard. Coincidence? I think not.

My expectations of various features and amenities also varies quite a bit depending on the type of place I live. If I live in a rural area my expectations of things that are going to be present will not be up at the same threshold as a metropolitan area as that wouldn't make any sense. However, if I am forced to live in a larger urban area I expect to see certain types of features that are strong quality of life components for a populace.

[atler8]

After Clint's curiously abysmal "performance" piece at the last Republican convention, I'd hesitate to use imagery of him here to counter any position on C.D., but especially in a thread of this nature.
Clint should stick to doing what he's renowned for: acting & directing.

It's also readily apparent in this particular discussion as to who knows a great deal about the nature of both the Twin Cities & K.C. and who doesn't.

[Minnesota Spring]

I am very familiar with both metro areas and I can assure you that in terms of wealth, amenities and jobs/corporations- the Minneapolis suburbs of Hennepin and Carver Counties are greater than that of Johnson County. Johnson County is more affordable.

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by atler8

After Clint's curiously abysmal "performance" piece at the last Republican convention, I'd hesitate to use imagery of him here to counter any position on C.D., but especially in a thread of this nature.
Clint should stick to doing what he's renowned for: acting & directing.

It's also readily apparent in this particular discussion as to who knows a great deal about the nature of both the Twin Cities & K.C. and who doesn't.

This discussion of the Twin Cities vs. KC reveals personal value judgements and not a thing more. There simply IS no factual basis for stating that one has a better life quality than the other. For that conclusion is strictly subjective and 1000 individuals polled will net 1000 different perspectives along a scale reaching from worst to best.

One man's utopia is another's nightmare. In terms of life quality, the Twin Cities' tilt toward the "progressive" left has been pushing it in the wrong direction for many years. Johnson County, KS, on the other hand, knows what a good thing it's has....and is collectively mature enough and wise enough to say no, thank you, to the the "progressive" mindset that finds excitement in turning back the clock 150 years.

[atler8]

Don't tell me about "turning the clock back 150 years". I live in the south burbs of a major metro area that is hampered by existing in a red state that refuses to recognize & offer solutions for the reality that it's largest metro is an area of 6 million people that is dying in gridlock & facing real quality of life decisions that are affecting it's ability to compete as effectively it once did on a national basis. The state government here is truly paralyzed & afraid to govern through LEADERSHIP.
In terms of urban planning & quality of life stats such as health or income etc., the Twin Cities have it all over metro K.C. while your vaunted Johnson County has excelled largely purely by virtue of it's location & prowess at stealing businesses & residents across the state line from out of Missouri.
As they say in real estate circles, it's "Location, location, location..."
Without Johnson County, Kansas would basically be flat or declining in population & falling further behind in education & income levels.