I've lived in KC for 15 years. Prior to med school, was/am a contractor who traveled the city 100-200miles/day for 10 years and was in practically every neighborhood and in almost all the homes that have been mentioned. Here is the scoop.
The streets are set up fairly uniformly. If you start at the downtown and go South, the street are numbered (for the most part). So, 1st street is downtown, KU is 39th St., Roeland Park, KS about 55th Street and Northern areas of Prairie village, KS is around 63rd Street, Overland Park, is West and South of Prairie Village and extends down to 151st Street (its the big boy on the block), Leawood is is Just south and East of Prairie Village around the State Line (MO/KS) and extends from around 75th Street to 151st street (but its skinny)
Now, Stateline (an actual road that splits the two states) has street names that extend from the east/stateline road West and the numbers get larger. So, in the middle of Overland Park an address might be 7200 West 91st Street. (that address would be approx. 15 minutes from KU--b/c you would wind your way to there).
My opinion of school districts is this (and I've got 3 kids). The strongest schools are South of 103rd Street and get progressively better down to 151st Street. Now, there are some large homes north of there, but, as with all metros, crime has infiltrated a lot of neighborhoods. I wouldn't put my kid in a school North of 75th Street, would have second thoughts til' 87th street. Do they get a great education in those KS schools above that line, yes (Johnson Cty is a very wealthy county and is willing to spend on education). However, if you live in those neighborhoods, you wouldn't let your kid run around during the day without you there.
I wouldn't buy a home in Kansas City, KS if you sold it to me for 10,000. Ohh, yeah, that's what many are going for anyway. Its an old city/county and all the old money is now in Johnson County. And a poster talked about Piper district. Major taxes-property-mill--etc. cause it pays for the inner city Kansas City, KS drain.
Missouri is weird and their politics are even worse. That city is a mess!
Did ya know their public schools haven't been accredited in like 3 years!!! 😱 Brookside is in Kansas City, MO and is a nice neighborhood with some really good people, nice homes (190-400k)/overpriced and close to KU, but if you don't have the cash to put your kid in private school, forget it! Also, it butts up against one of the worst crime districts in the city! 👎 People walk up and down the street looking through trash to pick up gems. I don't even think they need a trash service, cause you put it out and by 10am, it's all gone anyway.
Liberty is North of the main downtown about 100-150 blocks. Not hard to get right down the interstate to KU though. Better to good schools but the district is getting to big and they have had their problems with space and haven't put up the money to build more schools. Kansas just kicks the rest of the cities butts when it comes to education. There are pockets in MO, but the school districts just scare my family too much. I'd live there if single. 'course, I could live in a hole in the wall.
Olathe is very good. Really strong schools, good prices for homes (150-500). Shawnee is getting a little too old unless you want to travel farther out.
Lenexa is better. Leawood is very good, Southern Overland Park is very good.
Plus, down south of town there is great resturants, shopping, every convienence a girl could want. They have a couple of shopping districts that are very clean, safe and fun. The area is close to highways to make a quick trip to the hospital.
There are 2 major private schools in MO that I would send my kids to. 20+G/year.
So, call yourself a Kansan and learn to love the Jayhawks!
Rock Chalk...baby! 👍
