Which Is Better? Joplin Or Springfield (Kansas City, St. John: crime rate, credit, employment)

[pedro24]

Post a source then. Here's mine...Missouri Census Data Center. While these are only population estimates, they are from the U.S. Census Bureau. I would think these numbers are a little more reliable than the Joplin Chamber of Commerce (which by its nature wants to promote Joplin as positively as possible). Updates to these estimates are provided by the census bureau every year.

[DocGSD]

Originally Posted by pedro24

Post a source then. Here's mine...Missouri Census Data Center. While these are only population estimates, they are from the U.S. Census Bureau. I would think these numbers are a little more reliable than the Joplin Chamber of Commerce (which by its nature wants to promote Joplin as positively as possible). Updates to these estimates are provided by the census bureau every year.

City of Joplin, Missouri

Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce - Improving Business in Joplin, Missouri (MO)

They report to the censeu every year, sure. Wouldnt you think the the chamber and the city would have a better idea, since they report to the census bureau? Also, since they have record of all home purchases and such. Just playing devils advocate here. I am partial to Springfield over Joplin but I do think Joplin is a nice place overall. When my parents were young, Joplin was bigger than Springfield. It is cool to see how different areas progress.

[pedro24]

Your parents must have been born before 1910 since Springfield has had a greater population since at least that year.

http://www.sos.mo.gov/library/reference/census/cities1900-1990.pdf (broken link)

[Gwynyvyr]

I live in Joplin.
I want to get out of here so bad it hurts.
There is nothing to do here other than the Piano Competition every year to go see.
The Spiva Arts Center is a joke.
The meth problem is HUGE.
We have one of the highest rates of child sexual abuse in the country.
Downtown monies for improvement are mainly used to benefit the Central Christian Center and the area around it.
We are a *minimum wage* town. It is rare to find a job that pays over 9 dollars an hour and most pay way less.
The actual dirt in peoples yards is polluted by heavy metals from decades of lead mining. The EPA comes in every once in a while and puts down *stabilizing fabric* (a plastic mesh) down in yards and covers it with a thin layer of top soil and then reseeds it.
There is a high rate of kids in *special ed* classes in the local schools. When I moved here when my kids were in high school, the favorite insult was to tell someone "Your mama didn't care enough to drink bottled water, did she?"
Very high incident of assaults, robberies, gang activity.
Christian Fundamentalists have a stranglehold on the town.
The one bright note is a thriving gay/lesbian community (no, not a lesbian, it just seems they are the only decent, friendly, intelligent people you run into here)

I have lived in many cities, many countries.
This is absolutely the worst town I have lived in.
(I ended up here through a serious of bad luck and bad decisions...but I am working and saving to leave)
I have visited Springfield and it was nicer than Joplin.
Also Stockton is nice and Rolla.
If you want to see what is going on in Joplin, I suggest you check out craigslist.org and look up the Joplin page. Look at the jobs offered. Check out the rants and raves section and the real estate (real estate is cheap, gotta admit that!)

[femsmahus]

I have to admit that most of the things you say I agree with. I dislike Joplin for many reasons...some of which you expressed. I too have lived in many different cities/small towns/countries and I find Joplin to be boring, unimaginative, and trashy. To say that Meth. is a problem here is a gross understatement. It is a problem that is completely out of control. It is strangling our police force and holding our neighborhoods hostage. I am horrified by the general unhealthy state of the people that live here as well... go to WalMart of a Saturday and take a good look. Joplin certainly is not a city that promotes healthy, outdoor living. I must however disagreeing with you about Spiva...I know it is a tiny place, with few resources, but I think they do a great job with what they have. I know a few of the people that really make an effort to make Spiva "something"...and they are nice, positive, great hearted people. I applaud their effort to bring art to Joplin for the few of us that NEED something....anything! Where did you get your information in regards to child sex abuse? I would like to see that data on that. I did hear on TV recently that we are now have the highest meth production/distribution/usage in the COUNTRY! And they are everywhere... I can not go anywhere at anytime without seeing meth heads around. It is frightening! I recently got carjacked by 2 two of them.

[Madwoman]

I live near Joplin and have all my life. I don't see things being quite as bleak as depicted above in post 14.
One thing to consider, however, that in Joplin you're near Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas...and Jasper county has the highest rate of tornadoes in the state. Only occasionally do they seem to get really ugly, though. And I know Springfield has it's fair share as well.

[Gwynyvyr]

Originally Posted by femsmahus

I have to admit that most of the things you say I agree with. I dislike Joplin for many reasons...some of which you expressed. I too have lived in many different cities/small towns/countries and I find Joplin to be boring, unimaginative, and trashy. To say that Meth. is a problem here is a gross understatement. It is a problem that is completely out of control. It is strangling our police force and holding our neighborhoods hostage. I am horrified by the general unhealthy state of the people that live here as well... go to WalMart of a Saturday and take a good look. Joplin certainly is not a city that promotes healthy, outdoor living. I must however disagreeing with you about Spiva...I know it is a tiny place, with few resources, but I think they do a great job with what they have. I know a few of the people that really make an effort to make Spiva "something"...and they are nice, positive, great hearted people. I applaud their effort to bring art to Joplin for the few of us that NEED something....anything! Where did you get your information in regards to child sex abuse? I would like to see that data on that. I did hear on TV recently that we are now have the highest meth production/distribution/usage in the COUNTRY! And they are everywhere... I can not go anywhere at anytime without seeing meth heads around. It is frightening! I recently got carjacked by 2 two of them.

I recently talked to a relative that lives near L.A, Ca...their son is a LEO in the county...meth is called *417* on the streets there because it is Joplin's area code. There's our claim to fame...sigh...

As for the child sexual abuse, a friend of mine works for DFS in Jasper County...they recently had a meeting to discuss problems in the area vis-a-vis foster care, etc. She said they were told that statistically, the Joplin/Jasper county area has a HUGE amount of child sexual abuse ...the highest in the state...and a very, VERY high incidence of sexual predators living in the area. I'll try to get a hold of her this week and find out what agency gathered the figures.

I know Spiva tries...but I moved back here 2 years ago from Asheville, NC...and believe me...after you live within walking distance of a hundred art galleries 3 museums and innumerable artistic/theatrical offerings...Joplin is an absolute joke...

I hear you on the outdoor activities...I live a scant two miles from my job and frequently walk to work...for me, it's a nice stroll. My co-workers are aghast at the prospect. I have seen them drive across the parking lot (maybe 50 yards) rather than walk to talk to a friend. EGADS!

[Gwynyvyr]

Originally Posted by Madwoman

I live near Joplin and have all my life. I don't see things being quite as bleak as depicted above in post 14.

If you had come here from another area/state that didn't have the meth/child sexual abuse/other problems that Joplin has in such high numbers, you'd see how bleak it really is...

[GraniteStater]

I have been to Joplin a few times, but never realized it had as many problems as some of you have said. From what some of you are saying it sounds like Joplin has many issues to deal with. I still can not figure out why the population of Jasper County is growing so fast given the fact that non-farm job growth has been quite poor. I heard that particular corner of Missouri could be gaining some population because it offers an affordable place for retired people to live. (Cheaper real estate prices compared to most areas of the country).

[DC at the Ridge]

One reason for the growth in Jasper County is that the housing is more affordable than in Northwest Arkansas. Northwest Arkansas has grown so much during the past ten years, and the job market is so strong that thousands of Missourians commute to Northwest Arkansas to work each day. I've known people from Joplin who work in Bentonville, though they aren't as common as people from Noel or Anderson or other communities in the vicinity.