City_Market_Kansas_City_MO

Kansas City is a great destination for young professionals looking for new homes. The job market is expanding, housing costs are reasonable, and there is plenty of culture and nightlife to entertain you when you’re not at work. But if you’re not from the area, it can be difficult to know just where you should live. Here are a few of the best neighborhoods in the city.

River Market

The home of the Midwest’s largest Farmer’s Market, this neighborhood is located between downtown KC and the Missouri River. About four square miles, the area includes Columbus Park and its historical Italian neighborhood, great shopping, and wide variety of shopping, new apartments, and lofts. Within easy walking distance, you can find bars, coffee shops, restaurants, and several intriguing stores. The River Market also features neighborhood events, such as outdoor film showings and various foodie gatherings.

Most residents of the River Market are in their 20s or 30s, well-educated, and employed. Public transportation is a good option in this area.

Crossroads

The Crossroads Art District is located around the intersection of 19th Street and Baltimore to the south of Kansas City’s downtown loop, and once the site of many empty businesses and crumbling buildings. Cheap real estate and the location appealed to developers, and over the past decade the neighborhood has been revitalized. Art galleries, eclectic shops, bars, restaurants, and improvements in public transportation including bike-sharing stations, have helped earn the district awards for city planning.

Apartment spaces, lofts and condos surround the central part of the district, and many young professionals have moved here in recent years. Most of the 20- and 30-year-olds who live in this area are culturally and racially diverse, adding to the energy of the neighborhood.

Westport

One of the oldest neighborhoods in Kansas City, Westport has long been a hotbed of nightlife and culture. Shopping, entertainment venues from theaters to nightclubs, and a great selection of restaurants surround the area around 39th and Main streets, just to the south of Kansas City’s downtown. The tree-lined avenues lead to a variety of houses and apartment buildings which offer a quiet respite from the bustle of the city.

The average age in Westport is mid-30s and highly-educated. The commute from Westport to downtown is only about four miles.

Mission, KS

The metro area extends well outside of Kansas City, Missouri, and many young professionals choose to live in the neighborhoods just over the river in Kansas. Many people in their 20s move to Mission, which is located just 15 minutes away from downtown Kansas City. A nice two-bedroom house can be purchased for less than $200,000. Mission offers many other housing options including condos and apartment buildings. Mission has its own historic downtown shopping district, as well as neighborhood taverns and excellent restaurants.

For those planning on starting families, Mission also has highly-regarded schools such as Shawnee Mission High.

Lenexa, KS

Lenexa is southwest of Kansas City, but is a fast-growing area close to major highways. The commute averages about 20 minutes, but Lenexa has many start-ups and established businesses in town. Quiet neighborhoods offer great deals for first-time home buyers. Oak Park Mall offers shopping, and there are restaurants and nightspots everywhere. Shawnee Mission Park offers a different kind of entertainment for those who enjoy boating, swimming, fishing, or running and biking along the many trails.

The average age here skews a bit older than the other neighborhoods, at about 35, but young people are moving here all the time.

No matter what neighborhood sounds the best to you, remember that Gerber Moving & Storage is available to help you settle into your new home.