Pros and Cons of living in Springfield, Missouri

This is considered a pro and a con, but Springfield, MO is known for its inconsistent and crazy weather. There’s lots of jokes that circle around the locals, one being that it can be all 4 seasons in one day. Tornados are a fear that a lot of people have relocating to the area. To be fair, I can’t imagine living in an area where hurricanes or earthquakes are common. Springfield itself has a low risk of tornado due to it being a plateau. All of this said, we do have 4 seasons which I’m thankful for. We have beautiful Springs, picture perfect Falls, all the lake life/pool/hiking weather you need in the summer and snow in the winter.

Con #2 is road construction and drivers. First of all, a majority of car fatalities in SW Mo are caused by speeding and aggressive drivers. Speeding and aggressive drivers can be made worse by all of the road construction. I’m thrilled that our city has grown so much in the last decade, but the road construction has to end sometime right? We literally just had a major highway road closure because of a SINK HOLE. Super convenient.
Con #3 is crime rates. Springfield has a relatively high crime rate for the population size. While the crime rate is high, there are still areas and suburbs that are safer than others just like everywhere else. I always encourage my clients to visit neighborhoodscout.com to do their homework on areas of interest!
Con #4 is lack of walkability. Springfield, MO has very limited public transportation and the town itself is pretty spread out. This makes it difficult to navigate for those that dream of a walkable city. I’m always hopeful of changes to our transportation systems, but I’m not aware of anything coming soon to fix this issue.

Pro #1…the food! The Springfield, MO area is saturated with great food and atmospheres. There are a lot of local restaurants, coffee shops and cuisine choices from different cultures. We’ve got breweries, food trucks, you name it we probably have it.
Pro #2 is cost of living. Springfield’s cost of living is 10% lower than the national average, with housing costs being 20% lower.
Pro #3 is the job market. The Greater Springfield area is home to many major companies such as Prime, O’Reilly, Bass Pro, 3M, Amazon, Jack Henry, Chase, Cox and Mercy Hospitals and more.
Pro #4 has to be the landscape. Southwest Missouri is BEAUTIFUL. If you love nature, you’d love it here. We have greenways, hiking trails, national parks, lakes, rivers and so many parks.