What is a 25-30 minute drive from Springfield? (Lebanon, Nixa: real estate, housing)

[2beamissourian]

So this week we are broadening down our search and seek of the new life ...

Looks like Springfield is where the jobs are so we need to be close to there. What areas are 25-30 minute drive from there that are country life?

I look at other real estate web sites and some of these areas do not show up ... so then they say search on your own etc... and they want zip codes or they name places I cant find on a map.

My hubby hunts so country life is for us!! And a small commute is not bad.
but that big city and all the lights no way!

[Ozarks21]

Here's my list of favorite stand alone small towns within 1/2 hour of Springfield. Marshfield, Bolivar, Mount Vernon, Rogersville, Strafford, and Willard.

As for even smaller towns - Billings, Clever, Highlandville, Spokane, Sparta, Fordland, Pleasant Hope, Walnut Grove, Ash Grove, and Marionville.

There are others, but these all seem to be pretty good communities from what little contact I've had.

[sparta06]

I think communities you should look into are Rogersville, Strafford, Billings, Clever, and Sparta. These communities are small but no too small with each of them having a population between 1,000-2,000. Each community is growing and offers their own experience. If you want a town thats a little bigger then those mentioned above try Nixa (pop 16,000), Republic (9,000), and Willard (4,000). But I would warn you to stay away from Ozark. I know a lot of people that live there and they say the taxes are high and it's just not a good place to live anymore.

[2beamissourian]

while looking I noticed homes in Ozark area were distinctively higher than most.

[2beamissourian]

What is in these areas? as far as gas stations grocery store etc.

[G4inMO]

I live in Strafford. I like it for the small town country feel. Population on the sign says 1845, but I feel we are a little bigger than that. Don't know if you have kids in school, but the schools are great. We have 4 gas stations, a few banks, McDonalds, Taco Bell, Subway, Foxes Pizza and Harter House grocery store. Strafford makes you feel you live far enough away, but close enough to the bigger towns. If you have 5 or more acres, you can get free tags for hunting on your property. This is for Greene County.

Springfield is only 10-15 minutes away. If you need Sams Club, Home Depot or Lowes. Ten miles west on I44 you have the town of Marshfield. It's a little bigger. They have a new Wallmart which is very convient.

Good Luck on your search. We in Missouri have many opinions on what we like, but I am sure anywhere you choose, you'll like it.

[2beamissourian]

Originally Posted by G4inMO

I live in Strafford. I like it for the small town country feel. Population on the sign says 1845, but I feel we are a little bigger than that. Don't know if you have kids in school, but the schools are great. We have 4 gas stations, a few banks, McDonalds, Taco Bell, Subway, Foxes Pizza and Harter House grocery store. Strafford makes you feel you live far enough away, but close enough to the bigger towns. If you have 5 or more acres, you can get free tags for hunting on your property. This is for Greene County.

Springfield is only 10-15 minutes away. If you need Sams Club, Home Depot or Lowes. Ten miles west on I44 you have the town of Marshfield. It's a little bigger. They have a new Wallmart which is very convient.

Good Luck on your search. We in Missouri have many opinions on what we like, but I am sure anywhere you choose, you'll like it.

Sounds like my kind of place .... actually I would like to live even farther out but thats not practical ... ya know the way you go to town once a month and thats when you do your visiting ?

Thanks for the information ..

Does any of these littler areas have web sites?

again Thank you

[Jcoon]

I would look at Marshfield east going west to Elkland, west to fair grove to pleasant hope, ash grove if hubby likes to hunt and fish. These places I frequent when I go and have lived and are within 30-45 min of Springfield and are affordable places to live. I currently live in Marshfield which is a good little community with a super walmart several good restuarants and schools. The Elkland community is about 12 miles NW of Marshfield on hwy 38 and attends Marshfield schools. If you like more help send me an email

[him8nc]

Towns you might consider (a few have already been mentioned) include:

Buffalo (Dallas County)
Fair Grove
Marshfield
Marionville
Aurora
Monett
Hartville
Everton
Fordland
Morrissville
Branson
Branson West
Kirbyville
Forsyth
Hollister

Most of these towns have wide open rural areas between them and the next town (some more than others) so you can find something that feels like you're out in the country but the city is close enough for emergencies or something to buy or something to do.

Here's a link to click (or copy and paste) to go to the newspaper for Ozark (Christian County Headliner) and once you're there, you'll see spots to click to go to newspapers for other surrounding towns that are owned by the same publisher. http://www.zwire.com/site/tab6.cfm?brd=2841

Springfield's daily paper will give you an idea of the jobs and housing in the area. Their classifieds are online. Here's the link http://www.news-leader.com

And Springfield Business Journal is a fabulous weekly publication. http://www.sbj.net

Ozark and Nixa are located in Christian County, which has been named one of the fastest-growing counties in the USA for the last two years. It's also the fastest-growing county in Missouri. Their schools are rated very highly. You'll find lots of growth in these towns (obviously, since they're the fastest-growing) so there are lots of McMansions being built, lots of housing in general being built. That's why the prices seem so high. The rural areas surrounding Ozark and Nixa are disappearing as these towns continue to sprawl.

Lebanon is 45 minutes to an hour outside of Springfield. It's a good-sized town.

[2beamissourian]

Thanks everyone ..
I wish these would get emailed to me