Total outsider want to move to small city in Missouri, where do you suggest? (St. Louis: homes, living in)

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by tossup99

If all you need is a walmart then you can find that in just about any town with more than about 5,000 people. The 'nicest' and most expensive (relatively speaking) smaller towns will tend to be near major metro areas including Springfield.

Generally speaking, north of the Missouri River is a little more 'midwestern' so flatter, fewer trees, colder winters, and towns tend to be a little more tidy even if they are poor. South of the river is more forest and hills but you start to see more southern culture and poverty so more homes in disrepair, lawns that haven't been mowed all growing season, clusters of mobile homes with 14 junk vehicles parked out front along with decades of broken furniture and appliances. I tend to like southern Missouri better because of the scenery but the poverty/redneck culture is definitey more widespread and apparent.

This map shows school districts in poverty which could be a loose measure of how depressed a town may feel and look. As you can see most of the southern Missouri outside of the Joplin/Springfield area is pretty dark purple but there are a few places with some higher levels of industry and economic activity.

https://i.imgur.com/nBADxOZ.png

I personally like the scenery of Missouri, south of the MO river as well, especially further south like Lebanon on south with the taller hills. That is true about Southern MO. Especially I notice that going down I44 when you get to St. James and Phelps county you notice unfortunately that trashy stuff you mentioned with homes in bad shape and junk in the yards.

Sadly you notice that a lot in the upper south like the Ozarks for example and other areas as well.

But yes, you're right about how north of the Mo river and I70 for example the state looks a lot different. As I said before areas along and south of the MO river are like a transition zone of Midwest and south mixed in. Then when you get within about 20 miles north of highway 60 it becomes pretty much full on southern.

But in Southeast Missouri I don't see that kind of white trash as much. I mean southeast Missouri that's considered more of the Delta South, deep southish, not the Ozark upper south type culture. As I said some reason upper south cultures have that white trash, hillbilly stuff more.

I mean, southern Missouri Ozarks, Arkansas Ozarks over to the TN mountains and Kentucky like all in that region you have that stigma. The white poverty rates in southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas are pretty high just like in eastern TN and KY. I wonder if the hilly terrain has something to due with the lack of industry and farming because of the rugged terrain and the lack of industry. Unlike southeast Missouri, deep south that had cotton farming.

[atractor49]

I have driven the state extensively, here are some of my recommendations:
Columbia, Jefferson City/Taos, Parkville, Weston, Rock Port, Hwy 100 corridor from Bonnots Mill to I-44, Hwy 94 corridor from Jefferson City to 40/61/64, and the Hwy 79 corridor from Hannibal to Clarksville. Some of the towns in Southern Mo. are a bit down at the heels,but can still retain some charm, especially if you can land one of those great old "Ozark Giraffe" style houses you will still see there.
Best advice is to invest some money in gasoline, and see for yourself.

[Okey Dokie]

I like the geography of southern Missouri better, but Chillicothe seems to be coming up in the world. The completion of Highway 36 to 4 lanes across Missouri makes it an alternative to I-70 and I-80 and people are discovering that. There’s been a small building boom with hotels, gas stations and fast food. I know that’s not exactly making the economy zoom, but it’s better than dying towns.

As far as “hillbilly” goes, in the 70s I processed refund requests for an jnsurance company. People had to sign the form, and there were quite a few from the bootheel (Kennett, etc) that just signed with an “x”.

[tossup99]

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

I personally like the scenery of Missouri, south of the MO river as well, especially further south like Lebanon on south with the taller hills. That is true about Southern MO. Especially I notice that going down I44 when you get to St. James and Phelps county you notice unfortunately that trashy stuff you mentioned with homes in bad shape and junk in the yards.

Sadly you notice that a lot in the upper south like the Ozarks for example and other areas as well.

But yes, you're right about how north of the Mo river and I70 for example the state looks a lot different. As I said before areas along and south of the MO river are like a transition zone of Midwest and south mixed in. Then when you get within about 20 miles north of highway 60 it becomes pretty much full on southern.

But in Southeast Missouri I don't see that kind of white trash as much. I mean southeast Missouri that's considered more of the Delta South, deep southish, not the Ozark upper south type culture. As I said some reason upper south cultures have that white trash, hillbilly stuff more.

I mean, southern Missouri Ozarks, Arkansas Ozarks over to the TN mountains and Kentucky like all in that region you have that stigma. The white poverty rates in southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas are pretty high just like in eastern TN and KY. I wonder if the hilly terrain has something to due with the lack of industry and farming because of the rugged terrain and the lack of industry. Unlike southeast Missouri, deep south that had cotton farming.

I have noticed that as well - the ozark culture is remarkably similar to appalachia. Both have elements of the south but not entirely southern. A lot of poor white people. Low levels of education. High rates of smoking. Lots of run down properties. Beautiful scenery. My best guess is due to terrain - limited agriculture and industry opportunities back in the early days (once all the forests were logged out) which lead to widespread generational poverty that persists to this day.

[SteelCityRising]

What about Mount Vernon? Proximate to Springfield or Joplin. Safe. Walmart, Taco Bell, grocery stores, gas stations, offices, motels, etc.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by tossup99

I have noticed that as well - the ozark culture is remarkably similar to appalachia. Both have elements of the south but not entirely southern. A lot of poor white people. Low levels of education. High rates of smoking. Lots of run down properties. Beautiful scenery. My best guess is due to terrain - limited agriculture and industry opportunities back in the early days (once all the forests were logged out) which lead to widespread generational poverty that persists to this day.

I agree. It's like you can take a line using the MO river as a dividing line which is also the start of the Ozarks south of the MO river and take that over to Kentucky, Eastern TN, Northern AR Northern AL, far northern GA and West Virginia and it's very high rural white poverty.

Now granted you will have cities like Fayetteville, Springfield, St. Louis (yes St. Louis county technically could be considered within the Ozarks still) Louisville, Nashville that of course have affluent people and better income levels but for the most part all the rural areas within this hilly region have issues with poverty.

I'll have to find that recent US map that backs up the welfare rates too. The southern half of Missouri, Northern AR, Central Eastern KY, TN, northern AL, GA, and WV hill regions all have extreme high rates of welfare. All these areas are heavily white as well.

And they talk about white privilege the liberal media but they ignore regions like the Ozarks and West Virginia that have even worse conditions when you look at what some of these people have to live in.

[edujop]

thank you for your replies

[MUTGR]

Originally Posted by tossup99

I have noticed that as well - the ozark culture is remarkably similar to appalachia. Both have elements of the south but not entirely southern. A lot of poor white people. Low levels of education. High rates of smoking. Lots of run down properties. Beautiful scenery. My best guess is due to terrain - limited agriculture and industry opportunities back in the early days (once all the forests were logged out) which lead to widespread generational poverty that persists to this day.

You wouldn't believe how much of what you describe I saw vacationing in southwest Michigan once you get on the back roads. There's a lot of money there with the homes on the shore and in the small beach towns but a lot of poverty, people smoking, junked cars in the yard, same deal.

Hell, watch American Pickers and they go to those places all over the country, from California through the Midwest and into the Northeast. Not just the south. Even, dare I say, New England.

[Sassybluesy]

I would suggest (for low cost of living) Sullivan, MO. It's a pretty sleepy area, but it's close to Merrimac State Park, and lots of scenic places. They also have a Walmart. Then there's places like Defiance, Dutzow, and Augusta...which are very scenic towns...although Defiance gets busy in the nice weather, with bikers and outdoors people coming through.


Some of the small towns within the vicinity of Lake of the Ozarks have a low cost of living as well...such as Warsaw MO. Sometimes you can find a house for sale that has a view of one of the branches of Lake of the Ozarks. They have a Walmart as well. lol


But...the thing to be aware of...Missouri winters can be harsh, and the terrain around Lake of the Ozarks tends to be VERY hilly and rocky. If you're not used to driving on ice and snow...that's something you should keep in mind.

[chicagobear]

Originally Posted by tossup99

I have noticed that as well - the ozark culture is remarkably similar to appalachia. Both have elements of the south but not entirely southern. A lot of poor white people. Low levels of education. High rates of smoking. Lots of run down properties. Beautiful scenery. My best guess is due to terrain - limited agriculture and industry opportunities back in the early days (once all the forests were logged out) which lead to widespread generational poverty that persists to this day.

The native Ozarkers came from the Upper South, mostly Scotch-Irish originally from Northern Ireland. Other parts of Missouri are more German and English.