Is Missouri a good place to live for a southerner looking to start somewhere new?

[sub]

The fastest growing areas are in suburban Kansas City, who still went red last election.
JoCo Kansas went blue, but they're just as likely to go back red next time.
The urban areas of the big cities aren't going to overwhelm the rest of the state anytime soon the suburbs don't seem terribly prone to follow the trends you might see in other places.

Not terribly worried about the growth in southwest MO.
The outsiders that move there tend to be conservative, sometimes extremely so because they often move to the region just for the politics.
These are people who are financially capable or are willing to make the sacrifices to live in an area with few good-paying jobs.
SWMO has jobs, but people don't generally go there for the great job market.

The reason I show a little more concern for Arkansas is that it's fastest-growing region, NWA, attracts people primarily for the jobs, COL, and the outdoors. Politics isn't always a part of the equation for those who move there. That's a recipe to change the face of Arkansas if they're not careful.
Reportedly, there's even a billboard in Austin, TX advertising the benefits of moving to NWA.
Doesn't bode well if that's the direction they want to go in.

Columbia's not exactly deep blue and it's surrounding areas are red.

As for Kentucky, governor races don't always follow outside logic.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by sub

The fastest growing areas are in suburban Kansas City, who still went red last election.
JoCo Kansas went blue, but they're just as likely to go back red next time.
The urban areas of the big cities aren't going to overwhelm the rest of the state anytime soon the suburbs don't seem terribly prone to follow the trends you might see in other places.

Not terribly worried about the growth in southwest MO.
The outsiders that move there tend to be conservative, sometimes extremely so because they often move to the region just for the politics.
These are people who are financially capable or are willing to make the sacrifices to live in an area with few good-paying jobs.
SWMO has jobs, but people don't generally go there for the great job market.

The reason I show a little more concern for Arkansas is that it's fastest-growing region, NWA, attracts people primarily for the jobs, COL, and the outdoors. Politics isn't always a part of the equation for those who move there. That's a recipe to change the face of Arkansas if they're not careful.
Reportedly, there's even a billboard in Austin, TX advertising the benefits of moving to NWA.
Doesn't bode well if that's the direction they want to go in.

Columbia's not exactly deep blue and it's surrounding areas are red.

As for Kentucky, governor races don't always follow outside logic.

Yea, you can also thank Wal-Mart partially for that growth too in Northwest AR around Rogers and Springdale.


The only thing I'd worry about that growth is that it's not far from the MO border and that growth could spill into far southern MO.


But overall I think any growth in that area of AR and MO is not enough to sway the whole sale.


AR is very conservative now. The growth in NW AR is not going to sway it Democrat. Same if more Commiefornia people move to southern MO.


Even Tennessee same way. All that explosive growth in the Nashville area isn't enough to sway that heavily Republican state. The state keeps becoming more red.


The only thing I can see with Missouri and Arkansas is that it could lose super majorities in the state houses and senates.


As I pointed out in recent years Springfield area lost TWO republican Missouri house seats which has opened some eyes and I suspect possibly the growth around the university possibly from transplants caused that to flip.


The good thing is Republicans control things so I think with this next census they will gain back a couple seats when district lines are drawn again. Remember Clean Missouri fraud was repealed by voters which was huge.


You should be glad Disney decided not to build their theme park in SWMO back in the 60s. That would certainly have made Missouri more liberal. Here in FL it has made Orlando more liberal in voting as it attracted more transplants as it grew.


Don't forget Louisiana too. They too at the state level vote democrat at times. Look at the joker they elected to governor.


States like Louisiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri are blue collar states and also have the civil war mentality voting still too. Remember, many areas of MO hated Republicans due to the civil war especially southeast Missouri and central Missouri.


Missouri and Arkansas rural areas finally completed their flips. Up until 2004 rural MO in parts still elected conservative democrats.


Look at the conceal carry override in 2003. 14 rural democrats in the MO house and 3 in the MO senate voted for overide. Those seats are now Republican seats.


The Democrat part is no longer the working peoples part in the border states and southern states like Missouri. That's why they get slaughtered in most of Missouri in elections now.


I don't see Missouri electing a Democrat governor for a VERY long time. Nicole Galloway is the best they have and she was pounded in the election.


Chris Koster only did okay and only because he was pro gun and pro death penalty.

[tossup99]

Based on what you are saying, and running a power washing business you could probably do well in either Springfield, Joplin or Cape areas. Springfield is more of a small city where the other two are more like large towns. I don't know about other areas but in the Joplin market you'll probably find more work than you can do, laborers of all trades have huge backlogs right now. You could also look into either the Branson/Table Rock or Camdenton/LOTO markets with a lot of vacation homes. All decent places to live.



I'm sure you could make a go at it in suburban KC or STL but based on what you say I think you'd like the areas I listed better and they will also be cheaper (except for the lake areas).



If you could swing it, just rent a few airbnb's for a few days at a time and spend some time in each region then look at buying or a longer term rental.



Just this week another house on my street sold and now I see cars in the driveway with CA plates - this is becoming more common but not nearly to the extent of some other states. The house next to them was bought by a family from FL and across from them is a couple from California.

[cowpat5]

TYVM for commenting. I will be driving up in about a week and staying for like a week and a half. I have done this with other states and just slept in my van (it's a cargo van so I set it up pretty nice lol). But will it be really cold?

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by tossup99

Based on what you are saying, and running a power washing business you could probably do well in either Springfield, Joplin or Cape areas. Springfield is more of a small city where the other two are more like large towns. I don't know about other areas but in the Joplin market you'll probably find more work than you can do, laborers of all trades have huge backlogs right now. You could also look into either the Branson/Table Rock or Camdenton/LOTO markets with a lot of vacation homes. All decent places to live.



I'm sure you could make a go at it in suburban KC or STL but based on what you say I think you'd like the areas I listed better and they will also be cheaper (except for the lake areas).



If you could swing it, just rent a few airbnb's for a few days at a time and spend some time in each region then look at buying or a longer term rental.



Just this week another house on my street sold and now I see cars in the driveway with CA plates - this is becoming more common but not nearly to the extent of some other states. The house next to them was bought by a family from FL and across from them is a couple from California.

Noooo. Another Cali person moving to Southern Missouri??



Well, here in Southwest Florida when I see California plates it's typically not no car that cost a trillion dollars. It's usually cars about 10 years old so that tells me it's not the wealthy that are moving from California but the working class. That's just an observation I notice. Likely they have been prices out of Cali. The rich in places like Los Angeles probably won't move. They can afford it and there is a lot to do out there.

[TRex2]

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

Noooo. Another Cali person moving to Southern Missouri??

Well, here in Southwest Florida when I see California plates it's typically not no car that cost a trillion dollars. It's usually cars about 10 years old so that tells me it's not the wealthy that are moving from California but the working class. That's just an observation I notice. Likely they have been prices out of Cali. The rich in places like Los Angeles probably won't move. They can afford it and there is a lot to do out there.

As I have pointed out in the AR forum, it isn't the age or whether they are rich, poor, black, brown or white.

It is their values and attitudes. If they seek to change our home, so it is just like the h---h--- they just came from, I usually suggest they move to IL. Carbondale is a nice college town. Springfield and Decatur are fairly cosmopolitan places to live and work. Greenville is a college town with a bit of a religious bent. If those aren't suitable, they could try East St Louis or Belville (very different demographics, not far from each other).