Is Missouri a good place to live for a southerner looking to start somewhere new? (Kansas City: vacation home, job market)

[sub]

Originally Posted by iDontLikeSand

I got family in Missouri and them and I aren't fans of either Lake of the Ozarks nor Springfield. Lake of the Ozarks is too crowded and Springfield is a drug-ridden ghetto.

I would personally recommend Cape Girardeau. It's a nice town with cheap housing and plenty of amenities. Plus it was the birthplace of Rush Limbaugh which should give you a good understanding of the local politics.

Calling Springfield a ghetto would be an overstatement. It's not the worst place in the world. It has a lot of really nice areas and it's growing.
Most places in rural Missouri struggle greatly with drugs. The counties just to the south of St. Louis have it the worst.
Cape isn't bad, but nothing special either. They're equally viable options, but personally I'd go with Springfield since it's bigger and has more opportunities.

[sub]

Originally Posted by GunnerTHB

Any reason you are focusing on Missouri in particular? I really liked living in Tennessee for some of the same reasons that you listed at the bottom of your post. You can certainly find what you are looking for in Missouri though, as well as several other states.



Not a bad option, the land prices are a bit steep for acreage though. Other nearby counties are cheaper.

Tennessee is at risk of becoming what the OP is trying to get away from. It might already be there.
Inevitably, places with high growth are like that.
Missouri isn't on that track at the moment, and probably won't be for a while.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by sub

Tennessee is at risk of becoming what the OP is trying to get away from. It might already be there.
Inevitably, places with high growth are like that.
Missouri isn't on that track at the moment, and probably won't be for a while.

I would watch Southwest Missouri. More people seem to be retiring down there since it's not as cold as northern Missouri and pretty mild. South of Springfield has been seeing growth. Of course not the growth as the Nashville area of TN or Chattanooga, never will be, but I can see that region getting a lot more populated in the next 15 years.

I just hope it doesn't mess up the voting patterns in SWMO.

Springfield lost another house seat in the MO house. That's two seats now. That used to be unheard of in that area of the state!

I'm thinking due to MO State and attracting jobs there.

I've seen post on this forum people noticing more from California in parts of Missouri

[Sassybluesy]

Originally Posted by cowpat5

Hello. I know the title is kinda funny. But hear me out. I currently live in the suburbs in central FL (about 30-40 minute drive from Orlando and Disney World). I've lived between here and upstate NY for years. First moved to this location in 2004 so I've seen a lot here. I'm 26. Been back here about 6 years straight now and I just want a change... the area is growing too fast, too many people moving here (and I am thinking about moving to Missouri, sorry; I come in peace) and I just simply can't afford to live here now with so many people moving from out of state.

I feel like I am paying for a lot of amenities that I do not use or care about (city nearby, Disney world and other attractions nearby, a lot of white collar job opportunities, etc etc.). I am owner/operator of a pressure washing business. Been doing this fulltime for 3 years and I make decent money but not really enough to afford to not have to work all the time. For instance, a studio apartment here starts at about $1100, not including any utilities, cable, garbage disposal, etc...

I want a more peaceful, slow-paced way of living. Where I don't have to work 24/7 to afford a little place to lay my head. I don't mind hard work but I just feel like I can't get ahead here in FL. So I am looking to start over, again (I've moved quite a bit growing up), in a totally new environment. I have 45k cash saved up. But I don't want to purchase a house in a state I've never been to... so I was thinking of visiting different parts of the state in the coming months and eventually move to an area I like and rent for a while. See what happens, go from there. I am leaning more towards the southern part of the state. Outside Springfield. I think outside Springfield and outside the Lake of the Ozarks area may be good for my business. I want to stay self-employed and continue pressure washing...

About me: 26, single, no kids. No plans on getting married or having kids honestly. Want a small house on acreage, like to fish, boating, shooting, freedom, not living like a slave to a job.

Dude...think about Warsaw, MO. Look on a map...access to Lake of the Ozarks, but not in a touristy area, and housing is (IMO) very affordable.

[Ybelin77]

Originally Posted by Sassybluesy

Dude...think about Warsaw, MO. Look on a map...access to Lake of the Ozarks, but not in a touristy area, and housing is (IMO) very affordable.

I do not quite understand the author of that post, if he is not married, he has no children and he is not framed by anything, then what is the problem with him to move ?!

[Sassybluesy]

Originally Posted by Ybelin77

I do not quite understand the author of that post, if he is not married, he has no children and he is not framed by anything, then what is the problem with him to move ?!

I'm not really sure what you're getting at or why you quoted me, but I'll attempt to answer.


I personally, have NO problem with him living wherever he wants. He's single, and has no ties, so he picked Missouri.


I suggested Warsaw, MO because it seemed like, to me, that it might fit his criteria.

[TRex2]

Originally Posted by sub

Tennessee is at risk of becoming what the OP is trying to get away from. It might already be there.
Inevitably, places with high growth are like that.
Missouri isn't on that track at the moment, and probably won't be for a while.

You have a point, we lost KY a few years back. I think TN and MO will hang in there for at least another 10 years, but can't be certain. And after the next census and reapportionment(2030), anything will be possible. St. Louis seems determined to commit suicide (doing their best to encourage violent crime), so who knows where that is going.

Originally Posted by Sassybluesy

I'm not really sure what you're getting at or why you quoted me, ...

I think they are just new to forums and still learning where to click.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by TRex2

You have a point, we lost KY a few years back. I think TN and MO will hang in there for at least another 10 years, but can't be certain. And after the next census and reapportionment(2030), anything will be possible. St. Louis seems determined to commit suicide (doing their best to encourage violent crime), so who knows where that is going.


I think they are just new to forums and still learning where to click.

What do you mean lost KY? It's still pretty rural and finally flipped to Republican in the state house and senate, granted they elected a ******* governor.

Missouri was the same way as KY too. Rural areas used to vote democrat in certain areas, especially areas that were neutral or pro confederate during the civil war. Those areas of MO tended to vote democrat up until about 2002.


The area I worry about is Southwest Missouri. People from places like California are moving there to retire just south of Springfield, and to a lesser extent even Springfield.

TWO seats in the springfield area in the general assembly flipped to Democrat! In SWMO!!!

SWMO is the fastest growing area of MO. Milder climate, Table Rock. However someone posted on here that in the Columbia area they are seeing Commiefornia license plates the last couple years. Yikes.

[RisingAurvandil]

If Missouri ever goes blue again, it will be because of the StL and KC suburbs, and it would be a moderate blue. I wouldn't be too concerned about the far-left taking hold here in the near future.

The state is barely growing, and relative to warmer states, receives very few transplants. Even our fastest growing areas, Columbia and Springfield, would be laggards in any high growth state.

[TRex2]

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

What do you mean lost KY? It's still pretty rural and finally flipped to Republican in the state house and senate, granted they elected a ******* governor.

...

You mean the Democrat Governor who had to be told by a federal judge that he couldn't arbitrarily force a mask mandate onto everyone? And do it after the Republican-controlled legislature voted earlier this year to strip the governor of that exact authority? Yes, that is pretty screwed.

Part of why I say we lost KY is because the people had no better sense than to elect him.

But, if they voted Right for House and Senate, maybe I was a bit harsh. Kinda weird, though, to go Right on House and Senate, then Left on Gov.

The area I worry about is Southwest Missouri. People from places like California are moving there to retire just south of Springfield, and to a lesser extent even Springfield.
...

I worry about that, too.