Kansas isn’t just a state full of farmland and towns full of character. While there are some similarities on both sides, there’s a definite difference between an eastern and western Kansan. The changes when you live in different parts of Kansas don’t necessarily separate us, but they’re hard not to notice.
- Accents
soupstance/Flickr Some parts of western Kansas have a southern type accent they get from Oklahoma, but many on the eastern side of things adopt a different accent the closer they get to Johnson county and Kansas City. Sometimes we like to argue that we don’t have an accent at all, but you’ll notice the difference between “you guys” and “y’all” pretty quick. It also applies to other words, like “wash” verses “warsh.”
- Weather
Gary Gamso/Flickr The areas with the highest average snowfall are in the western and northwestern areas of Kansas, most likely due to storms that pass through Nebraska and Colorado following wind patterns. Then again, it’s also rainier in the east, though these averages are slowly changing over the years.
- Scenery
Mount Sunflower Facebook It’s true that much of Kansas is flat, but most of those flat areas fall in western Kansas. The eastern half is full of flint hills that keep the landscape moving.
- Population
ThatBanjoGirl/Flickr More and more of our small towns in western Kansas are slowly disappearing, while the cities on the east side are growing steadily. I wonder where that will leave us in 50 years?
- Sports teams
Daniel Spiess/Flickr On the eastern side, rooting for the Broncos in public is mostly frowned upon, and sometimes outright booed. In western Kansas, you’ll find a lot more diversity in team loyalties, and plenty of Broncos fans to watch games with.
- Road trips
Let Ideas Compete/Flickr If you live closer to mountains, it makes sense that you’ll take a road trip or two to see them. However, if you’re on the east side of things, you’ll find the drive a lot longer, and sometimes it’s just easier to drive to the Ozarks instead.
- Style choices
Randy Adams/Flickr For most of western Kansas, boots are a necessity before they’re a style. For all the cities in eastern Kansas, you’ll find many boot wearers haven’t stepped in the mud even once.
- Pace of life
Lane Pearman/Flickr Small towns make up most of western Kansas, with the exception of small cities here and there. The pace of life is slower, with less hustle in your everyday life. On the other hand, the eastern side knows how to live in the faster lane, being used to cities like KC and Wichita, plus all the stops in between.
- Shopping
Adam Kuban/Flickr There are a few Wal-Marts in western Kansas, but on the east side of the state, they’re all over the place. Conversely, you’ll find that small town stores are what people rely on in western Kansas, more often than not.
What are other differences you notice between Kansans? Tell us what you’ve found in the comments below!
soupstance/Flickr
Some parts of western Kansas have a southern type accent they get from Oklahoma, but many on the eastern side of things adopt a different accent the closer they get to Johnson county and Kansas City. Sometimes we like to argue that we don’t have an accent at all, but you’ll notice the difference between “you guys” and “y’all” pretty quick. It also applies to other words, like “wash” verses “warsh.”
Gary Gamso/Flickr
The areas with the highest average snowfall are in the western and northwestern areas of Kansas, most likely due to storms that pass through Nebraska and Colorado following wind patterns. Then again, it’s also rainier in the east, though these averages are slowly changing over the years.
Mount Sunflower Facebook
It’s true that much of Kansas is flat, but most of those flat areas fall in western Kansas. The eastern half is full of flint hills that keep the landscape moving.
ThatBanjoGirl/Flickr
More and more of our small towns in western Kansas are slowly disappearing, while the cities on the east side are growing steadily. I wonder where that will leave us in 50 years?
Daniel Spiess/Flickr
On the eastern side, rooting for the Broncos in public is mostly frowned upon, and sometimes outright booed. In western Kansas, you’ll find a lot more diversity in team loyalties, and plenty of Broncos fans to watch games with.
Let Ideas Compete/Flickr
If you live closer to mountains, it makes sense that you’ll take a road trip or two to see them. However, if you’re on the east side of things, you’ll find the drive a lot longer, and sometimes it’s just easier to drive to the Ozarks instead.
Randy Adams/Flickr
For most of western Kansas, boots are a necessity before they’re a style. For all the cities in eastern Kansas, you’ll find many boot wearers haven’t stepped in the mud even once.
Lane Pearman/Flickr
Small towns make up most of western Kansas, with the exception of small cities here and there. The pace of life is slower, with less hustle in your everyday life. On the other hand, the eastern side knows how to live in the faster lane, being used to cities like KC and Wichita, plus all the stops in between.
Adam Kuban/Flickr
There are a few Wal-Marts in western Kansas, but on the east side of the state, they’re all over the place. Conversely, you’ll find that small town stores are what people rely on in western Kansas, more often than not.
Also, if you’re looking to see all sorts of Kansans, this adventure from east to west will surely get you through many of them. If you’d rather just take I-70, check out this list of stops along the way.
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