Springfield, MO, Missouri

The big metro for southwest Missouri, Springfield, is more of a city than you might expect to find in this part of the country. Downtown Springfield is home to the same variety of restaurants, shopping centers, entertainment opportunities, and sports stadiums that you might expect to find in much bigger cities. Springfield is also home to a few different universities, and its growing job market makes it a destination for younger folks in the area as well.

Here's a lifer with their strong reco for living in Springfield:
I've lived here my whole life. The best part is…well. All of it. The cicadas chirping in the trees and swimming in the creeks in the summer. To all the restaurants. From the “steering wheel waves" on the outskirts of town. To the snowflakes hung along National st during Christmas. Reasonable rent/mortgage rates. Of course theres pros and cons to any city. But the history of queen city is interesting, and makes for a sentimental choice.

For more reviews of what living in Springfield is like from locals check out: The Buzz

With that being said, city life and southwest Missouri don’t always mix perfectly in Springfield. The city is often described by residents as dirty, not just on account of its appearance, but because of the other people that live there as well. Some residents describe their neighbors as racist, sexist, and toxically masculine, while others complain about the city’s major homelessness problem, high crime rates and drug issues. Some residents complain that the police department is underfunded and others complain that there’s an NRA Museum attached to the local Bass Pro Shop. It’s a strange mix.

Here's a transplant on the culture of Springfield:
I do think it's hard to find accepting, progressive people in Springfield, and even in my social circles, I regularly find myself having to hold my tongue and even my breath to keep from frustrated rambling regarding politics and religion. I feel like many people in Springfield are scared--of talking to strangers. When I'm in Chicago, it's pretty normal to chat with people in line at a coffee shop or get to know someone over breakfast in a cafe. When I'm in San Francisco, I almost can't get the people in the cafe to stop talking to me. When I'm at the Mudhouse in Springfield, I often can't get the person at the next table over to even make eye contact.