Moving to Springfield, MO and now I'm getting scared! (St. Louis: high crime, employment)

[Zoltani]

[quote=warren49;2820206]
warren49
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Clovis CA
1 posts, read 45 times
Reputation: 14



Springfield...a decent town
I ran across this messageboard today and found this particular thread to be interesting. I was born in Springfield in 1949. I lived there until I was 18, moving to San Jose in 1968. As a young man, I felt I needed to be "on the coast"....which merely meant California. I have never regretted the move (and extremely happy that I chose the Bay Area over LA). I have now retired (a little early) in Clovis CA.

Springfield is forever my "hometown". I love to visit. I love to go out Sunshine St. road (highway D) to see where our house used to sit. However, for me, it would be a far too conservative place to live (although the argument can be made that Clovis CA is more conservative than Springfield).

If anyone is thinking of living there, they should know that the summers are hot and humid during the season (but that's why they invented air conditioning isn't it?) and the winters can be very cold. It seems that the last few years, the winter weather has become more extreme than when I lived there. Ice storms are genuinely beyond description. Thunder snow is also a unique experience. And....tornadoes. However, where can a person live without nature causing some problems?

If you are politically liberal (and contrary to some of the talk radio nonsense these days, there is nothing evil about that), be prepared to be in the minority. For the most part, people in the area will be respectful of your politics. Those who are not respectful are probably not worth knowing anyway. Just be prepared.

It's beautiful country in the spring and fall. Summers can be enjoyed because of the endless recreational opportunities. Winter is the only "bad" season, IMHO.

Just thoughts from a person who was born there.


" ... If you are politically liberal (and contrary to some of the talk radio nonsense these days, there is nothing evil about that), be prepared to be in the minority. For the most part, people in the area will be respectful of your politics. Those who are not respectful are probably not worth knowing anyway. Just be prepared."

Comments ...

Correct, no perfect area in which to live ... whether it be Northern Calfornia, Southwest Missouri, or anywhere else ...
Talk radio "nonsense?" Ratings drive success. Pitifully few "liberal" talk radio shows stay on the air. Air America RIP. Southern California, from my point-of-view, has many advantages over Northern California, not the least of which is distance between there and Berkley, far more moderate weather, and superior freeway system. Just expressing my inner child. Liberals should understand. Peace ... live and let live.

[warren49]

[/quote]

Comments ...

Correct, no perfect area in which to live ... whether it be Northern Calfornia, Southwest Missouri, or anywhere else ...
Talk radio "nonsense?" Ratings drive success. Pitifully few "liberal" talk radio shows stay on the air. Air America RIP. Southern California, from my point-of-view, has many advantages over Northern California, not the least of which is distance between there and Berkley, far more moderate weather, and superior freeway system. Just expressing my inner child. Liberals should understand. Peace ... live and let live. [/quote]



Yeah, there is no perfect place, for sure. My "nonsense" comments were meant more in terms of the nonsensical idea that political viewpoints are important markers of a person's character, which often seems to be, at the very least, a perception of talk radio. Yes, the ratings are good, but popular is not the same as correct. Popularity often has very little to do with what's right.

I would agree that the freeway system in the LA area is better. Of course, to me, that makes me even happier that I did not end up in southern California. Before I moved out here, freeways seemed to be one of the things that was good about California, something I no longer believe (but then, I don't have to drive to work anymore).

You know, I lived in San Jose for almost 40 years, but I drove to Orange County many more times than I ever drove to Berkeley. Berkeley seemed like it was light years away from the southern end of San Francisco Bay.

[bluskyz]

Having only a very short stay in Springfield, I had just enough time there to want to come back again for more. I am sort of poking around on my off time to get a feel for my upcoming retirement. In the SW Missouri areas I was impressed by the people and the scenery--both very nice.

[breann1]

I've lived in Springfield since 1992. We have lived in several different parts of town. Some I would not move back too. Even the Bad areas though weren't bad like some larger cities. My kids went through the school system here. They all graduated highschool. I do wish it were a bit more culturally diverse. There are alot of theatres and artsy things that go on. Good resturaunts are abundant. Churches are abundant. It doesn't seem to me a crime ridden community at all. Expense wise I don't really have a comparison because I've lived here most of my adult life. I think it is reasonable. Our gas is lower than the state average. My biggest complaint is the weather. One day 70 and sunny, then rain, maybe even snow. They say though, " if you don't like the weather in Missouri wait 10 minutes, it'll change". I think you'll like it here.

[YouPacked?]

Hey GONEFISHING, don't worry so much. Have you looked at the stats in your own area? Mabye check out California, Florida or even Trinidad (in carribean). I have lived in all these places and I'm still standing strong. You can not hide from life, and it seems as if your bigest fear is LIFE. And trust me no matter where you live that fear will be with you. I live around Lebanon, Missouri and it was a huge change for me also. I live about 30min from Springfield, 20min to the lake & about 30min to Ft.Leodard wood. People are strange, but no stranger than Tusla, Oklahoma. I also have family there, is that where you are from? Nevertheless, things can only be as good as you will let them be. Goodluck!

[MOviaCA]

"Nevertheless, things can only be as good as you will let them be. Goodluck!" Aint that the truth. Too many people scared of if they will be accepted or not. I look at it this way we are all Americans.

[Junk Bond]

New mwmber....well, anyway I came across this forum while surfing so I thought I's add my two cents worth.
Here's and honest appraisal of the OP's fears.
Crime in Springfield is like any other major metropolitan area. As the population gets bigger the crime goes up. I wouldn't seriously rate safety as an issue unless your hobby is hanging around the seedy local bars.

The REAL bad about Springfield:
Yes the weather stinks. Its seems to have a blistering ot summer and bitterly cold winters. Temperature fluctuations wreak havoc on sinuses and the ragweed is bad for allergies.
The biggest stinker for the area is the pay. Springfield's mean pay outside the medical industry is rock bottom with lots of college grads taking jobs that pay little more than minimum wage. I haven't lived in Springfield for a while so I don't know if this has inproved but I doubt it.
As I recall there are a fair share of liberals there due to the extremely large low wage working class so you really shouldn't have to look too far to find some people who you see eye to eye with.
I don't know really, it's all a matter of personal choice. I think that there are some people who would like living in Springfield and there are those who definitely wouldn't and you seem to be of the latter persuassion. Springfield is a quiet place to live if you want a break from the hectic hustle and bustle of everyday life. Personally I would never move back there simply because I don't have a job connected to the medical industry and I'd have to take too huge a pay cut if I did.

[SK37]

It depend on what the person is looking for in the city. I lived here all but 2 years of my life and I have seen the very worst and I probably have seen the very best. It all depends on the situation you come from. I believe that Springfield is a great place to live if you have already experienced a lot of what else the world has to offer. If you plan to live in Springfield it is good to already have a job that you want because there is not as much opportunity here as there is in other cities. There is a lot of crime happening here but the crime is not as noticeable and doesn't turn people away from the city as much as job opportunities, bad cultural diversity, and bad high school football in the past few years. The higher crime areas of the city have very little more crimes than the lower crime areas in the city. It is pretty much diffused everywhere if you live within city limits. Police just be more skeptical in certain areas such as the southeast, northeast, northwest, central and west central areas. If you come from and urban setting or urban culture, you will be suprised of how small a town it feels like despite the population. It doesn't have any urban music stations. It does have some of the best chinese places though. Overall I believe that it is best to move to the city if you are just trying to live just to be living and are not still trying to go anywhere too radical life.

[stagn41]

I have lived in Springfield since January of 07 and have to agree with a lot of what gonefishing has to say, especially about the theft. My son had his motorcycle and truck stolen and I have had thousands of dollars worth of tools stolen. I have had so much stolen that I have gotten paranoid about it. I keep everything double locked and am constantly worrying about something getting stolen. I think it is related to the high meth problem in Springfield. On the bright side though, I think the police do a great job trying to deal with the high crime rate in this area. My son got his truck back only because KY3 did a story on him and showed his truck on TV. He eventually got his motorcycle back but it was ruined. The police arrested one of the thieves that stole from me and is being prosecuted. Another thief that stole from me was caught just this week. I'm glad the police nailed him but I have been told it takes a long time to get these characters prosecuted because the courts are so back logged.
There are a lot of churches in Springfield, but for all the churches there doesn't seem to be that many dedicated Christians.
Gonefishing is right about the traffic. At certain times of the day traffic is horrible and it seems accidents are pretty common.
Since I haven't lived in very many places I don't know what other cities similar in size are like. Overall I love living in Springfield, but the drugs and theft in Springfield has really been a big disappointment.

[skeating]

Not sure stagn41 where you live. Sounds like to need to move to a better location. We have always lived in Missouri. We have lived in St. Louis and numerous towns surrounding St. Louis, we have lived in Springfield and outskirts of the area. We have lived in Branson and small townships outside of Branson. Now we live within fifteen minutes of Springfield and Branson. We love it and have never had problems. Apparently you live in a really low income area. Traffic is a little congested, but not the way you are saying.

FOR EVERYONE WANTING TO LIVE IN SPRINGFIELD AND BRANSON, COME AND ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF THE OZARKS.