Seriously Considering Alton or Willow Springs (Springfield, West Plains: to live in, restaurants, prices)

[HMcD]

We're retired, want a quiet life, make a few friends, non-church-goers, grew up in Missouri. Any comments on either area gratefully received.

[OA 5599]

Out of the two, Alton is significantly more isolated than Willow Springs. Besides a grocery store or two, there isn't much shopping in Alton, and you'll have to drive to West Plains to go to be close to decent shopping. West Plains is about 30 miles west on US 160, which is really curvy, windy, 2-lane, shoulder less, and steep for pretty much the whole way. MO 19 to Thayer isn't much better. That being said, I always liked Alton. Its a really neat little town, with a real square downtown which always seemed pretty lively, lots of mom-and-pop stores (no fast food even!), and I'd consider it more attractive than Willow Springs.

The advantage to Willow Springs is that you can easily get to West Plains or Springfield on a good 4-lane highway with little traffic. This is an advantage if you like to eat out or shop fairly often (Willow has little in the way of restaurants, West Plains has quite a few, and Springfield has a great deal of both shopping and restaurants).

Both areas are scenic and quiet, and you will get a quiet, rural life. As I've said Alton is more off the beaten path, and if that appeals to you then you will like it. Great fishing for trout and bass on the Eleven Point River just north of town too, and being so far out there, its almost never crowded.

If you aren't a church-goer, making friends may be kind of hard. Church is the main social activity across the Ozarks, and most people go. Most of the friends my parents have they made through work, so if you are retired it may be difficult. I believe both towns have a Lion's Club and a Rotary Club, and I know West Plains has an Elk's Lodge, so if you move to the area and are in to that sort of thing it would be a good way to meet people.

Housing prices will be dirt cheap in either town, with Alton probably being slightly cheaper.

[Yankee Implant]

Like OA said, it all depends on what you want. I live in Willow Springs and it is quiet most of the time. If you want to live in town or outside of the city limits is another big question. Do you have pets? If you have a dog that is outside you might want to ask the cops where a good location intown is so you won't get any complaints. I was taken to court over mine because he barked all night. I even had proof that it is impossiable and he barked at all the critters that came around. I still got fined $200, the court took the old mans side that had a hearing aid!

So there are a lot of questions about location.