A litte different (Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield: apartments, house, employment)

[Minervah]

I am checking out various areas in which to relocate. I am currently living in Portland OR and want to move.

So my questions are these: What is the employment situation in Branson?
Is there public transportation and is it possible to live there without owning a car? How is the apartment/rental situation? What is there for entertainment? How is the cost of living ie food, rent, entertainment etc.

Would you recommend your city to someone wanting to relocate?

Thanks for any input.

[melissajo]

Hi there!
Although I have never actually lived IN Branson, I have lived near that are my entire life. Around here, life without a vehicle would be pretty difficult. Us midwesterners love to drive I guess. There isn't much for public transportation around her YET. That may change in a few years though. There is a lot to do in Branson, depending on your taste. There are many shows, several theme parks, museums, restaurants, shopping, etc. My favorite part is Table Rock Lake. That is where we spend most of our summers. But I am partial, I grew up just on the other side of the lake in Shell Knob.

I would recommend Branson. It is a wonderful place to live...for some people. It is a friendly town with a lot of great ammenities. However, some people can't handle the Honky Tonk Country vibe in the area (which I like!) so it certainly isn't for eveyrone.

If you can dance or sing...Branson has a job for you. Or if you can wait tables, take tickets, sell timeshares, or run a cash register. Skaggs is the local hospital. I am not sure what area you are looking to be employed in.

[overture]

Need more info. First off what do you do for a living? I can tell you that no matter what you do be prepared to take a hefty cut in earnings once you cross the line into Missouri.
Branson employment is seasonal and yes there are lots of jobs waiting tables but in the months from January to April the town basically shuts down and you starve. Also I waited tables from 1996 - 2003 off and on through college and the earnings among the waiters steadily declined year after year. I no longer live in the US and I make way more money than could ever be offered me in that part of the country.
I honestly wouldn't recommend this part of the country to anyone wanting to relocate unless your time here on earth was limited, had a buff retirement, and wanted to spend your final years on the cheap. Or I guess if you were a person wanting to open up a new business and pay your workers rock bottom wages then it might be a tantilizing prospect.
Face it, Missouri is still in the dark ages and probably will be for many years to come if not eternity. I used to work in Bangkok Thailand. I took a Christmas vacation to Cambodia and was suprised to learn that the starting wages for foreigners (white westerners) in many capacities were about $2.00 an hour higher than the average wages in Springfield. Now that's pretty sad.
Also I can't imagne just what is going through peoples' minds when they tell others that there are so many enjoyable things to do and see in Missouri. The only thing I could remember that a person could consistantly do was to go to the bars and get plastered. That and eat out...that is IF you had enough money left over afte paying the bills.
No public transportation unless you're in Springfield and then the bus comes about once a day to your part of town. And you have to ride with mentally deranged people, incidentally the types of people who can't get licenses and have to take the bus.
Yes the cost of living is low there but it's grossly offset by the rock bottom wages most all businesses offer. They aren't going to get any richer paying you a living wage.
Come check it out if you must but you have been warned. Moderator cut: no soliciting permitted I lived in Missouri for 30 years Move along nothing to see here.

[Jusimplify]

First answer some questions for the rest of us.
*What do you do for a living?
*What is everything you are looking for in your next community?
*Do you need a community with public transportation?
*What are you looking for in the way of entertainment and recreational activities?
*Are you bringing children? If so, what do you need available for them?

While you're deciding on a place to settle, and as you're receiving opinions, keep these things in mind: a lot of life- no matter where you live- depends on what you're after, and how well you manage your own life and finances.

Welcome, and hope to hear back from you! Jusimplify

[8 SNAKE]

Originally Posted by overture

Move along nothing to see here.

While I'm sorry to hear about your unfavorable experience in Missouri, your story is hardly the norm. There are a LOT of people thriving here.

As for a shortage of activities, I will again strongly disagree. There are as many activities as a person wants to find. There are many rivers, lakes and other nature and conservation places for outdoor lovers to enjoy. There are art walks on Walnut St during the Summer. There are a couple of theaters in Springfield and all the shows you could ever want in Branson. There's Bass Pro Shops, Battlefield Mall, Branson Landing and many, many other shops to explore. There's the Springfield Zoo, Springfield Science Center, Jordan Valley Park, Hammonds Field, etc. I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea.

I'm not going to comment about your views of Missouri being in the Dark Ages while you rave about Cambodia. Must be something in the water.

[aragx6]

If you're looking for a smaller town that has a fairly extensive bus line I would actually suggest looking in Columbia, MO, which is in central Missouri. Almost everyone has a car, but I got around OK without one for a short time there.

[Lake Junkie]

Originally Posted by Minervah

I am checking out various areas in which to relocate. I am currently living in Portland OR and want to move.

So my questions are these: What is the employment situation in Branson?
Is there public transportation and is it possible to live there without owning a car? How is the apartment/rental situation? What is there for entertainment? How is the cost of living ie food, rent, entertainment etc.

Would you recommend your city to someone wanting to relocate?

Thanks for any input.

It isn't easy to make a living in ANY resort area. Jobs tend to be largely low-paying...unless you are a clever enterpreneur and can figure out a small business that would go well. I can think of a few.

There is no public transportation. You will want to own a car!

There is a shortage of rental/apartments but lots of people are working on fixing the "workforce housing" problem. New apartments are being put up as we speak.

Entertainment? That we've got...music shows, comedians, attractions, lakes, rivers...I can't imagine that anyone would be bored around here.

Cost of living is fairly low, but do note: This is not the most inexpensive place to live in Missouri. It's still very affordable by west/east coast standards, but there are other places you can buy a house cheaper! (Many people come here expecting it to be as cheap as in the boonies...well it's really not.)

I definitely recommend this whole area for people wanting a relaxed rural lifestyle...with a whole lot of good clean fun thrown in!

[mrschilicook]

If I may ask why do you want to leave Portland? It would be helpful if we knew what you were looking for here that differ's from Portland. Portland and surrounding areas are much more progressive than this area and Portland itself has many more ammenties (shopping, gardens, museums, brewpubs, etc.)

Have you ever been to this area? The weather, polictics, and general life style is very different than the west coast in general. Some of it is good, some of it difficult for some people.

What are you looking for? The cost of living is less than any coastal city, but not as dirt cheap as it once was (Branson in particular...on/near the lake specifically).

We moved here last year after living in San Jose, Los Altos, and Pleasanton CA. We've also lived in St. Louis, Edinburgh, and Las Vegas. This area is very different from any place we've lived....and we chose it for that reason.
We wanted a slower more laid back lifestyle. We wanted lakes, rivers, sports, shows, restaurants, bars, theater, etc. We have all of that here in spades. But it's not eutopia...we also have things we don't care so much for like humidity, spiders, snakes, ticks, ice storms, severe weather, etc.

Wages are lower here, but so is the cost of living. Let's face it...if your a minimum wage earner, it is better to live in a lower cost of living area than someplace like the SF bay area where you would starve on the streets. If you have a profession you can do well relative to the area. There are jobs in Branson but many are seasonal as stated earlier. But there are also full time jobs around here...especially in the medical world.

Missouri also can not be lumped into one description. SW MO is very different from St. Louis which is very different from Kansas City, which is very different from Columbia. All have their pro's and their cons'. MO is not in the dark ages, but is not progressive as many other states. But WAY WAY better than it was 10-20 years ago when blue laws were still in place in many areas. Smoking is still widely out there, residential alternative energy is spotty at best, "Green" is just beginning, politics seem to be heavily influenced by religion, etc. BUT people in this area are friendly for the most part and accept most people as they are. The area is beautiful and there is no lack of things to do.

This is a wonderful area for people of all ages. But go into with your eyes open. We've found in our travels and living in different areas, that any place you live can be great or can be horrible depending on what YOU want out of it.

[Silvermouse]

Originally Posted by mrschilicook

MO is not in the dark ages, but is not progressive as many other states. But WAY WAY better than it was 10-20 years ago when blue laws were still in place in many areas. Smoking is still widely out there, residential alternative energy is spotty at best, "Green" is just beginning, politics seem to be heavily influenced by religion, etc.

I guess I will never understand why people want to change an area to be like the place they were trying to get away from. I never did mind the blue law. It meant a whole lot more people got to spend that day with their families. Politics influenced by religion? As opposed to what?

[8 SNAKE]

Originally Posted by Silvermouse

Politics influenced by religion? As opposed to what?

Greenbacks!