Liberty, Missouri, is a suburb of Kansas City and the county seat of Clay county, with a population of approximately 31,000 residents. The town is proud of its history as it was considered the "jumping off point" for frontier and westward expansion, and is home to five historic districts and many sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous people include Jesse James’ brother Frank, who pulled off the country's first success daylight bank robbery here in 1866, and Joseph Smith who was the first president and prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, and became Liberty’s most famous prisoner. Both the bank and the jail are now museums. Liberty’s downtown historic square reflects the different style of architecture as it was developed between 1875 and 1942, and today the town square is made up of shops and restaurants. In 2011, the vibrant community was recognized by Family Circle Magazine as one of the top places for families and by CNN/Money Magazine who placed it 7th on their list of Best Places to Live. Picture of Clay County courthouse in Liberty, Missouri courtesy of Wikipedia and Kbh3rd; picture of Historic Square Architecture courtesy of Wikipedia and Adam Jones; picture of Historic Liberty Jail museum courtesy of Wikipedia and Americasroof, Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0/
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Where to Retire in Liberty and Home Prices
There are historic neighborhoods in Liberty, with homes displaying several different architectural styles. According to Zillow, the median home value was $231,469, in late 2020.
What is Special about Liberty
Other than historic districts and a thriving downtown historic square, Liberty is also home to 500 acres of park land, Fountain Bluff Sports Complex, William Jewell College, and is a "Preserve America" community, recognized by the White House for preserving and promoting America's cultural and natural heritage.
What is Not Special about Liberty
Cool winters with a little snow, and summer temperatures can be in the high 80's with humidity.
Who Will Like Retirement in Liberty
Retirees who want to live in a historic town and not far from a large city may enjoy living in Liberty. As a college town, there are cultural events to attend presented by William Jewell College, along with those hosted by the community. Liberty is also home to a library, hospital, a sports complex, museums, parks and trails.
Local Economy is Driven by
Education and health care are important drivers of the economy. Hallmark Cards has a distribution warehouse here and Liberty is also home to the operations headquarters for Ferrellgas, the 2nd largest retail provider of propane in the United States.
Climate and Physical Environment
January's average temperature is 32 degrees and July's is 81 degrees. Liberty gets about 16" of snow annually.
Restaurants & Cultural Scene
There are several restaurants in Liberty, both locally owned and franchises. Culturally, Liberty offers museums, historical sites and districts, and is host to several events and festivals including Jazz on the Square, Fall Festival, and Wine about Winter. The Corbin Theatre, the Liberty Community Chorus, and the Liberty Symphony Orchestra presents concerts and shows. For more dining choices and cultural venues, Kansas City is nearby.
Crime
The crime rate here is below the national average.
Medical Facilities
Liberty Hospital services the area.
Transportation
The nearest airport is the Kansas City International Airport, about 20 miles away; Liberty has a multi-use trail system that goes through parks and greenways across the city; there is bus service from Liberty to downtown Kansas City.
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