The Weird Missouri-Kansas Trend of Swapping Residents

There has been a natural rivalry between Missouri and Kansas longer than I've been alive (which is a very long time). However, the two neighbor states share something odd in common. They keep swapping residents and there's new data to prove that's happening now more than ever.

I was doing some research about the state most Missourians move to when they decide to leave the state. Number one is Kansas and there's not even a close second. What state are more residents of Kansas moving to when they decide to leave the Sunflower state? Missouri and there's not a close second there either. Despite all of the rivalry talk, both states can't seem to get enough of each other. Hmm.

In the last full calendar year of statistics shared by moving companies, 21,700 Missouri residents chose to move to Kansas while 18,400 residents in the most boring state to drive across ever Kansas chose to move to Missouri.

There is a rational explanation behind the Missouri/Kansas migration numbers

Missouri and Kansas have one very big place in common and that's Kansas City where the state line splits the metro area more or less. A vast majority of the Missouri to Kansas and Kansas to Missouri moves happen when residents in Kansas City move to a different part of the area which oftentimes is in the Kansas part of that region.

If you've ever been to or witnessed a Missouri vs Kansas football or basketball game, you know it's a huge shouting match between Tigers and Jayhawks. Just know that while that will always be the case, Missouri and Kansas really can't get enough of each other no matter how much each will protest this fact.