Moving to West Plains, MO (Rolla, Ozark: sales, rent, homeowners insurance)

[Wishing2GoHome]

Wow...I grew up in the W.P. area and am currently living about an hour from St. Louis. We are fighting to get home (WP) because the cost of living here (My house cost about 40,000 more than it would have in W.P.) is growing everyday. You want to see a house sit on the market? My neighbors had theirs on the market for 3 years. Only because the Market started going soft and everyone owes more on their homes than what they are currently worth. (That's our current economy...not greedy sellers...we're all in a pickle.) Of course this post has been a while but the Market has been going south for about 2 years. (I was a Real Estate agent for the last 3 years.)

As for smog...one of the best things about going home is seeing the night sky. You can't see it from my yard. When I go home I marvel at all the stars and actually...at times being able to see the milky way!! I don't think she is seeing smog. I'm not sure what she's seeing but it's not smog!

I have no idea where the diesel smell thing is coming from. She should be stop on I-40/64 in a bumper to bumper traffic jam...now that's a smell.

Over all...West Plains is a great place to live. Jobs can be a problem. Cost of living is lower but wages aren't as high. But I'd trade about $6,000 a year to raise my kids where you can see the sky and where the school classroom sizes are smaller and the schools care more about the kids and aren't as politically driven! I can't wait to get home!

[mamagator54]

My husband and I live in the Ava area but love going to West Plains. The people we have met have all been extremely nice. I have never noticed a smell or smog.
We love to eat at either Chen's chinese buffet or the Chinese Buffet #8 which I think is the best of the two.
We love the little western store and the discount shop next to it.
Driving to West Plains may take longer for us, than going to Springfield, but, we like WP.

[OA 5599]

Originally Posted by mamagator54

My husband and I live in the Ava area but love going to West Plains. The people we have met have all been extremely nice. I have never noticed a smell or smog.
We love to eat at either Chen's chinese buffet or the Chinese Buffet #8 which I think is the best of the two.
We love the little western store and the discount shop next to it.
Driving to West Plains may take longer for us, than going to Springfield, but, we like WP.

If you guys like Mexican food, check out El Charro. They have two locations, one older one at the north end of town near Porter Waggoner and 63, and another at the south end where all the development is going in on 160. The new one is a lot nicer. Even after living in Texas I still think they have great Mexican, and try to go every time I'm home. Its pretty cheap with really fast service too.

[brnlcrd]

Just came across this site. My husband and I lived just outside of West plains, in Koskonong. Loved living in the "out skirts" of town. I don't want to degrade anyone. The people there are not the friendliest. and finding a job ( 2 parter here.) 1. I dare you to find a job. We were there almost 2 years - nothing. And the person who wrote you need to know some one -- can not express how true that is. 2. IF you do find a job will it have decent pay? NO. I've worked for 16 yrs in the pharmacy field. and because of ALL my expeirence I started at $6.50/hr! We finally gave up and move to Wichita, ks. With all my expierence started at $12.50/hr. Cost of living the same. Everything cost the same down there as it does in KS. I did find that if you went to the damaged goods store there you could cut some of your cost. And what is up with you people down there with not tagging your vehile? I've never been in one place for so long and could lose count on a daily basis the amount of vehicles without tags. If you are looking from West Plains out maybe it don't look so bad. To an outsider - wave at us on our way out Happily not going back!

[mcol]

Interesting posts. I've lived in four states now, and I do find West
Plains to be a friendly town. Don't move here with an attitude and
wanting to change everyone though, be accepting of the people
here and they are very friendly. Also funny as I really wasn't looking
for a job but I have had a job I guess find me - I have an interview
next week for a management position and look forward to see what they
have to offer. This was without even trying. Plus another business has
been after me as well to work for them for awhile now. I guess it's
just what you do or have done for a living as to whether you are in demand or not. When we moved here 5 years ago we didn't know a soul-
and have managed to not only pay the bills but do very well, tyvm. That's because we get out and meet people and don't try to change anyone. As for not tagging vehicles - I have seen a few but haven't paid that much of attention I guess, I feel that is not my job, as my vehicles are indeed tagged.

[OA 5599]

Koshkonog only has around 200 people, so I can imagine that it is very close knit, and may not be that open to outsiders. I'm betting all of the "untagged vehicles" were 3/4 ton and up trucks, which aren't required to have a rear license plate in Missouri if they are for farm use. The local law enforcement in that part of the world are quite strict when it comes to even minor traffic violations, and if someone was driving around in a true untagged vehicle, they would likely be pulled over fast.

I grew up in the area and have since left, and get shocked every time I go back by just how friendly it really is. Employees in stores, random people on the sidewalk, and even people who wave at passers-by on gravel roads...it is a very friendly environment. Jobs are few and far between in the area though, especially good paying ones. I wouldn't move there expecting to find a good paying job, unless you are well qualified in the education or health care fields, which are usually hiring and pay decent.

[whyhellothere]

Originally Posted by brnlcrd

Just came across this site. My husband and I lived just outside of West plains, in Koskonong. Loved living in the "out skirts" of town. I don't want to degrade anyone. The people there are not the friendliest. and finding a job ( 2 parter here.) 1. I dare you to find a job. We were there almost 2 years - nothing. And the person who wrote you need to know some one -- can not express how true that is. 2. IF you do find a job will it have decent pay? NO. I've worked for 16 yrs in the pharmacy field. and because of ALL my expeirence I started at $6.50/hr! We finally gave up and move to Wichita, ks. With all my expierence started at $12.50/hr. Cost of living the same. Everything cost the same down there as it does in KS. I did find that if you went to the damaged goods store there you could cut some of your cost. And what is up with you people down there with not tagging your vehile? I've never been in one place for so long and could lose count on a daily basis the amount of vehicles without tags. If you are looking from West Plains out maybe it don't look so bad. To an outsider - wave at us on our way out Happily not going back!

Just a not so friendly note -- if the best you can pull elsewhere on 16 years experience is $12.50 you don't have the experience you think you do -- especially when it comes to pharmacy work

[joe stixpuck]

Originally Posted by whyhellothere

Just a not so friendly note -- if the best you can pull elsewhere on 16 years experience is $12.50 you don't have the experience you think you do -- especially when it comes to pharmacy work

That's neither a fair or nice thing to say, especially in these economic times.

I know PLENTY of people making half or less than their previous salaries of a couple years ago, and some who went from the $40/hr range to more like $10-$15/hr virtually overnight, and those jobs were in metro areas and not rural where unfortunately the wages are more likely to be closer to minimum wage despite experience.

If you're gonna knock people for being unable to find work that pays less than their skills or experience is worth, well that is not a very Missourian thing to do in my opinion, even if it's not the fault of the communities that the prevailing wage is low to begin with.

For the most part I've enjoyed reading the good and bad everyone has shared in this thread. I have a few friends living in the area who've mentioned both the good and the bad. The one thing I know from personal experience about the area is there are a LOT of great places to go fishing nearby.

[brnlcrd]

Originally Posted by whyhellothere

Just a not so friendly note -- if the best you can pull elsewhere on 16 years experience is $12.50 you don't have the experience you think you do -- especially when it comes to pharmacy work

wow, I didn't mean to offend anyone. This was our expierence. But, the work I did find was in West Plains. We had good neighbors in Kosh, Most of them couldn't stand each other. We stayed out of that. It has been roughly 4 years since we've lived there. Now I teach pharmacy tech at a local college $24.00/hr thanks for your vote of confidence!

[joe stixpuck]

brnlcrd- congrats on the teaching job! always good to hear of someone able to pull themselves up by the bootstraps these days.

katherine- although West Plains is a fine place from much of my understanding, your job prospects will definitely be better in Springfield. for either place, try to make some friends fast (not always easy in semi-rural areas, folks can be clannish) and that'll help so far as looking for work. who you know can be as much or more important than what you know. if ya'all enjoy the outdoors and don't mind a slower pace of life then southern MO will hopefully suit ya very well. good luck!