The Ozark Mountains city of Springfield is a nature lovers' paradise
Springfield, Mo., lies in the most densely populated subregion of the fertile Ozark Mountains, called the Springfield Plain. The five-state region is a plateau-like mountain range alive with forests, lakes, waterfalls, creeks and streams. “People who live in this part of the country love the outdoors,” says Jenny Fillmer Edwards, public information administrator for the Springfield Green County Park Board and a resident for most of her life.
Watersports destinations surround the city’s 170,000 residents, as do rolling hills, woods and trails. The birthplace of America's famous Route 66, Springfield is Missouri's third-most populous city behind Kansas City and St. Louis.
National retailers Bass Pro Shops and O’Reilly Auto Parts are based here, and top employers include CoxHealth and Mercy Hospital Springfield. But the core of Springfield's economy is more grassroots, according to Laurel Bryant, Realtor at Murney Associates Realtors, a real estate agent for three decades. "People have jobs in small businesses, universities or hospitals,'' she says. "A large percentage of businesses here have fewer than 50 employees, and many people own their own businesses.''
An increasing number of coastal residents are moving to Springfield for the lifestyle and the cost of living, Bryant says, adding, "Why wouldn’t they want to live in a more affordable place?”
Route 66's impact on the West Central neighborhood of Springfield is evident through history, art displays and thriving businesses.
Midtown residents have convenient access to the Cox North Hospital which also employs many residents in Springfield.
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A variety of home styles and reasonable housing costs
With a median price of about $280,000, housing costs in Springfield are 25% lower than the national median. Additionally, the overall cost of living is 13% below the national average, one of the main reasons U.S. News & World Report includes Springfield on its 2023 list of the 25 Best U.S. Places to Live. In Young-Lilly, about 5 miles west of downtown, buyers can find midcentury homes for around $150,000 to $300,000, while new one-story homes are listed at around $400,000. In Southeast Springfield, recently built New Traditional and estate-style homes in the subdivision of Hickory Hills range from $400,000 to $3.2 million. Old-house lovers will find Queen Anne, Victorian and American Foursquare homes in the National Historic District of Walnut Street.
Elaborate queen anne and victorian homes sit side by side along historic Walnut Street in Springfield.
In Midtown Springfield older brick craftsman style home create space for families to grow.
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An award-winning park system
Springfield’s parks system is one of 2% in the United States accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies. This system includes 105 parks, four golf courses, a zoo, playgrounds, pools, sports courts, and a Japanese Botanical Garden. “Our parks are very well-used, popular, and a source of community pride. People have a sense of ownership for our parks and deeply identify with the park they grew up next to,” Fillmer says. Children enjoy visiting Rutledge-Wilson Farm Park, a working educational farm.
Locals fish, sail, and swim in Fellows Lake, which includes an ADA-accessible dock. Trails surround the lake 14 miles north of downtown. Missouri’s No. 1 tourist destination is downtown Springfield's 500,000-square-foot flagship Bass Pro Shops. Its adjacent nonprofit educational venue, the Wonders of Wildlife National Aquarium, is a wildlife museum and aquarium with immersive habitat exhibits.
A waterfall fills a small pond among blooming trees in the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden in Springfield.
The Wonders of Wildlife Museum draws visitors from all around to the Mark Twain neighborhood in Springfield.
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Strong public schools and nearby colleges and universities
Springfield Public Schools is the largest district in the five-county Metro area. With a Niche grade of B, the district operates 35 elementary schools, 10 middle schools, five high schools and several other programs serving nearly 23,000 students. The district is known for its SPS Choice Programs. Springfield business, industry and postsecondary education leaders collaborate to create dynamic learning experiences such as pilot training or on-the-job learning. Magnet schools focus on STEM, medicine, fine and performing arts, agriculture and conservation.
Springfield's Missouri State University is the state’s second-largest by enrollment and the largest school in Springfield. Private liberal arts universities include Drury University and Evangel University in midtown.
The Missouri State University campus sits adjacent to the Walnut Street neighborhood in Springfield.
Drury University gives Midtown residents easy access to a variety to college activities in Springfield.
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Historic arts venues balance with a thriving dining scene
Springfield’s arts venues have been part of life here for nearly a century. The Gillioz Center for Arts & Entertainment, built in 1926, hosts plays, concerts and a variety of performances year-round. The Springfield Little Theatre is Missouri’s oldest civic theater. Classical music lovers can get their fix of live performances every month when the Springfield Symphony performs on the Missouri State University campus.
The dining scene in Springfield is known for its breweries, including Springfield Brewing Company, Mother’s Brewing Company and One 2 Five Taproom. Adventurous diners will discover restaurants inspired by global cuisines from Japan, Mexico and Italy, as well as classic burger joints and steakhouses. The Roundtree neighborhood is a shopping and dining hot spot adjacent to the campus of Missouri State University. Battlefield Mall, the area’s largest shopping center, is another favorite place for locals to shop and dine.
Springfields Gillioz Theater is a historical site with big name shows throughout the year.
Mother's Brewing draws big crowds to the West Central neighborhood in Springfield.
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Four mild seasons with occasional flooding
Located in the heart of the Ozarks, Springfield experiences a relatively cool and temperate climate with four distinct but mild seasons. The city may see occasional snowfall in winter, but accumulations are minimal. There is a minor risk of flooding within the city.
According to FBI data, Springfield's reported rates of violent and property crimes have been higher than the national and state average since 2020. However, the Springfield Police’s crime reports have reflected consistent year-over-year reductions from 2021 onward, with a 3% decline in violent crime rates from 2023 to 2024 and a 2% decrease in property crime during the same period.
Getting around Springfield
Bicyclists can ride 83 miles of paved bicycle lanes across the city. Drivers will find that the average commute time is 17 minutes compared to the national average of 25. Springfield’s transit system — CU Transit — offers bus service throughout the city. Drivers heading east and west take Interstate 44, which runs through the north end of Springfield. Those traveling north and south drive about 60 miles west to catch Interstate 49. Springfield-Branson National Airport offers direct flights to 13 destinations. The next closest international airport is Kansas City International, 200 miles north.
One of the city’s new developments is the Grant Avenue Parkway, which features a pedestrian and bike pathway connecting downtown Springfield 2 miles south to the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium. Along the way, the city plans to revive long-dormant creeks, creating waterways through downtown and connecting businesses, streams, parks, neighborhoods, and schools.
The Springfield Cardinals and the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival
The Springfield Cardinals are a minor-league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, and they share Hammons Field with the Missouri State Bears baseball team. The new year starts with the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions, a national basketball tournament of the best high school teams in the country. Artsfest, held each May downtown, is the largest outdoor art festival in Southwest Missouri and August welcomes the annual Birthplace of Route 66 Festival, which includes car shows, music, a parade, vendors and food.
Visitors come to Springfield for ArtsFest from all around southwest Missouri and beyond.
Cardinals fans cheer on future stars at Hammons Field in the Bingham neighborhood of Springfield.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
