I moved to Kansas from New York City to be safe from flooding, afford a bigger house, and put roots down

• Landscape architect Jason Beury, 40, moved from Brooklyn, New York, to Kansas City, Kansas, in 2020.
• He factored sea level rise and affordability of homes to buy into his search for a new location.
• He thinks Kansas City is an up-and-coming destination for people moving from other states.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with architect Jason Beury about his decision to move from Brooklyn, New York, to Kansas City, Kansas. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

As a landscape architect, I can work anywhere I want. So if I want to build equity in the property, New York City is not the place, both because New York City is so expensive and partially because of climate change.