Michigan to Kansas Moving Guide
Updated June 20, 2025

Planning a 994 mile interstate move from Michigan to Kansas? This moving guide will help you compare living in Michigan vs Kansas across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like harsh winters vs milder winter temperatures), food & health (like Coney Island Hot Dog vs BBQ Brisket), real estate & housing (craftsman, colonial vs ranch, bungalow), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Michigan), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Coney Island Hot Dog and Great Lakes Fish, but get your taste buds ready for BBQ Brisket & Smoked Ribs
- Kansas housing costs are 7% less expensive than they are in Michigan
- Rent in Kansas is 24.36% more affordable than in Michigan
- Moving from Michigan to Kansas will cost on average between $2,000 - $6,500
- Our top recommended Michigan to Kansas movers is Pro-Low Moving
Michigan to Kansas Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Michigan to Kansas
- Harsh winters
- High cost of living
- Heavy traffic in cities
- Lack of prairie landscapes
- Milder winter temperatures
- Lower cost of living
- Less congested roads
- Vast open plains
- No major lakes
- Fewer cultural events
- Limited professional sports
- Fewer local wineries
- Great Lakes access
- Diverse cultural attractions
- Vibrant sports scene
- More winery options
Pros of moving from Michigan to Kansas
- Say goodbye to harsh winters and hello to milder winter temperatures
- Look forward to moving away from the high cost of living and moving to Kansas with a lower cost of living
- Swap the heavy traffic in the cities of Michigan for less congested roads in Kansas
- Get ready for vast open plains in Kansas
Cons of moving from Michigan to Kansas
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from great Lakes access in Michigan to live with no major lakes in Kansas
- You'll lose out on the pro of diverse cultural attractions and have to settle for the con of fewer cultural events
- Time to bid farewell to a vibrant sports scene and get used to limited professional sports in Kansas
- Swap more winery options for fewer local wineries
Michigan vs. Kansas: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Michigan | Kansas |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Coney Island Hot Dog | BBQ Brisket |
Most popular meat dish | Great Lakes Fish | Smoked Ribs |
Most popular street food item | Pasties | BBQ Sandwiches |
Most popular vegan food | Vegan Pasty | Jackfruit BBQ |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Michigan to Kansas, you will be trading the iconic Coney Island Hot Dog of Michigan for the equally delicious BBQ Brisket of Kansas. And while the locals in Michigan rave about their flavorful Great Lakes Fish and sumptuous Pasties, Kansas residents know they have tasty Smoked Ribs and BBQ Sandwiches to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Vegan Pasty they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Jackfruit BBQ of Kansas. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Michigan eateries like American Coney Island, Zingerman's Delicatessen, and Slows Bar BQ. After the boxes are unpacked in Kansas, don't wait too long before making your way to Kansas's acclaimed eateries like Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, Arthur Bryant's Barbeque, and Q39.
When comparing lifestyles, Kansas shows less emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Michigan. Food truck fans will discover a less desirable selection in Kansas compared to what you are used to in Michigan. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in Kansas.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Michigan and Kansas
Comparison | Michigan | Kansas |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Craftsman, Colonial | Ranch, Bungalow |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Lake access, Wooded Lots | Spacious lots, Quiet neighborhoods |
- The Craftsman and Colonial architecture that Michigan is known for will be replaced with the Ranch and Bungalow architecture typical of Kansas.
- Compared to Michigan's real estate listings that commonly reference lake access and wooded lots, Kansas real estate listings often highlight features like spacious lots and quiet neighborhoods.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes. Kansas is more walkable than Michigan.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike. Kansas is more bike-friendly than Michigan.
- Kansas has more of an urban feel than Michigan.
- Kansas housing costs are 7% less expensive than they are in Michigan, with a median home price of $223,883 compared to Michiganβs $239,770.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Kansas have increased by 49% compared to a 45% increase in Michigan.
- Rent in Kansas is 24.36% more affordable than in Michigan.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Michigan and Kansas
Comparison | Michigan | Kansas |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Snowstorms, Ice Storms | Tornadoes, Hail |
Air Quality | Good to Moderate | Good to Moderate |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 80Β°F / 59Β°F | 91Β°F / 69Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 31Β°F / 17Β°F | 44Β°F / 20Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 32.8" | 28.9" |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 60.66" | 16.5" |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from Michigan to Kansas. Kansas gets 35% more sunshine days than Michigan.
- Kansas has lower humidity and a higher average UV index compared to Michigan.
- Say goodbye to the possible snowstorms and ice storms in Michigan, but be on the lookout for potential tornadoes and hail in Kansas.
- Get ready for warmer summers. The average summer high temperature in Kansas is 11 degrees warmer than in Michigan.
- The average winter lows are 3 degrees warmer than they are in Michigan.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in Kansas. Kansas receives 3.9 fewer inches of rain compared to Michigan.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Michigan and Kansas
Comparison | Michigan | Kansas |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $66,986 | $68,925 |
Cost of Living Index | 91.2 | 91.8 |
State Income Tax | 4.25 | 5.7 |
Avg. Property Tax | 1.54 | 1.37 |
Avg. Sales Tax | 6 | 8.7 |
Top 3 Industries | Automotive, Healthcare, Education | Agriculture, Aerospace, Manufacturing |
Affluence | Moderate | Moderate |
Poverty | Significant | Notable |
Homelessness | Noticeable | Less Prominent |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Kansas tend to earn about 3% more than in Michigan
- The COLI in Kansas will be 1% higher than what you are used to living in Michigan
- The state income tax in KS is 5.7 compared to 4.25 in MI
- The affluence in Kansas is moderate compared to moderate in Michigan
- The poverty level is notable in Kansas compared to significant in Michigan
- In terms of homelessness, it is noticeable in Michigan and less prominent in Kansas
Political and Religious Climate in Michigan vs. Kansas
Comparison | Michigan | Kansas |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Moderately liberal | Conservatively inclined |
Local Politics | Diverse with a mix of liberal and conservative communities | Largely conservative, though some urban areas are more liberal |
Religion | Mixed, with a strong presence of Christian denominations | Primarily Christian, with evangelical Protestants being significant |
- Michigan tends to lean moderately liberal in its political climate
- Kansas, on the other hand, is often described as conservatively inclined
- Kansas' religious environment can be described as primarily Christian with evangelical Protestants being significant
- Michigan's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as mixed with a strong presence of Christian denominations
Education Guide When Moving from Michigan to Kansas
Comparison | Michigan | Kansas |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Michigan Michigan State University Wayne State University | University of Kansas Kansas State University Wichita State University |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Harrow Elementary School Lakeshore Musson Elementary School Rochester Starkweather Academy Plymouth | Briarwood Elementary School Prairie Village Corinth Elementary School Prairie Village Sunset Hill Elementary School Lawrence |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Boulan Park Middle School Troy West Middle School Rochester Warner Middle School Farmington Hills | Indian Hills Middle School Prairie Village Lakewood Middle School Overland Park Prairie Star Middle School Leawood |
Top 3 High School Schools | International Academy Bloomfield Hills Troy High School Troy Northville High School Northville | Blue Valley North High School Overland Park Shawnee Mission East High School Prairie Village Lawrence Free State High School Lawrence |
Top 3 private high schools | Detroit Country Day School Beverly Hills Cranbrook Schools Bloomfield Hills The Roeper School Birmingham | Thomas More Prep-Marian Hays Wichita Collegiate School Wichita Bishop Carroll Catholic High School Wichita |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Roeper School Birmingham Greenhills School Ann Arbor Cranbrook Schools Bloomfield Hills | Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy Overland Park Cair Paravel Latin School Topeka Wichita Collegiate School Wichita |
Top 3 School Districts | Bloomfield Hills Schools Novi Community School District Troy School District | Blue Valley Unified School District Shawnee Mission School District De Soto School District |
How Much Do Michigan to Kansas Movers Cost?
Moving 994 miles from Michigan to Kansas will typically cost between $2,500 and $6,500 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $2,500 - $6,500
- Expected Time To Complete: 3-10 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Pro-Low Moving
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,766 | 300 ft3 | $5.89 |
1 Bedroom | $2,627 | 450 ft3 | $5.84 |
2 Bedrooms | $4,340 | 750 ft3 | $5.79 |
3 Bedrooms | $6,310 | 1100 ft3 | $5.74 |
4 Bedrooms | $9,099 | 1600 ft3 | $5.69 |
5+ Bedrooms | $10,146 | 1800 ft3 | $5.64 |
Top Michigan to Kansas Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Michigan to Kansas movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.