How are Missourians in general? (St. Louis, Springfield: fit in, home, neighborhood)

[NaturalARMO]

I am planning a move to St. Louis Metro Area within a year or two. I am curious about the residents of the Show Me State.

How are Missourians in general? I mean the friendliness and welcoming to outsiders. What about reservedness? Midwesterners are known to be reserved, especially in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

I used to live in Missouri Bootheel (Kennett, MO). Although I had a bad experience, I wouldn't judge the entire state based on one region. Residents in Kennett weren't friendly and welcoming to outsiders and they were cliquish socializing with only people they know from church, neighborhood, and school since Kindergarten.

I had former neighbors who are an elderly couple who moved from Little Rock, Arkansas to a charming college town of Columbia, Missouri. They came back home after 3 years because they didn't feel welcome in Missouri.

I hope most of Missouri aren't like that, especially in St. Louis Metro Area.

[MoNative34]

St Louis has this deal where grown adults run around wondering where everyone went to high school.

I thought it was important, too. Then I graduated.

[Arrby]

The St. Louis metro population is estimated at over 2,800,000 people. It would be impossible to generalize about such a large group. It would be impossible to even generalize about the groups that make up that population.

This link (from the City-Data website) may give you some useful demographic information: //www.city-data.com/county/St._...County-MO.html . Beyond that, there is a specific St. Louis sub-forum which you will want to consult.

Go to any city or state forum on this site and you will find complaints by people who found a city or area to be unfriendly. I refuse to believe that you cannot find friends and companions somewhere among nearly 3 million people.

[attrapereves]

I moved to Missouri from the south. I find people in Columbia to be very nice, even nicer than Southerners.

I've been to KC and STL many times. I'd much rather live in KC. STL is way too snobbish for me. Reminds me of Stepford Wives

[christina0001]

I moved to MO several years ago from New Jersey. I'm on the western part of the state. My experience is that people are very warm and welcoming. I live in a rural area where everyone knows everyone, and everyone is related to someone... obviously I don't fit in at all but people are still so kind to me. Huge difference from the east coast. Good luck on your move! St. Louis is a great city.

[GunnerTHB]

Originally Posted by NaturalARMO

I am planning a move to St. Louis Metro Area within a year or two. I am curious about the residents of the Show Me State.

How are Missourians in general? I mean the friendliness and welcoming to outsiders. What about reservedness? Midwesterners are known to be reserved, especially in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

I used to live in Missouri Bootheel (Kennett, MO). Although I had a bad experience, I wouldn't judge the entire state based on one region. Residents in Kennett weren't friendly and welcoming to outsiders and they were cliquish socializing with only people they know from church, neighborhood, and school since Kindergarten.

I had former neighbors who are an elderly couple who moved from Little Rock, Arkansas to a charming college town of Columbia, Missouri. They came back home after 3 years because they didn't feel welcome in Missouri.

I hope most of Missouri aren't like that, especially in St. Louis Metro Area.

I find people from St. Louis to be a little too reserved for my liking.

[rmissourimule]

Having lived most of my life in Missouri I never really noticed any particular animus to others. I don't think there will be any problems. But as previously stated, St. Louis is a very big area. I'm not sure where you intend to settle down but I like somewhere out around High Ridge/Fenton or if further north, somewhere in the Chesterfield area. St. Louis is really a misnomer anyway. There is St. Louis City that is its own county and then there is St. Louis County that encompasses much of the rest. And then there is Jefferson County and the other adjoining counties nearby. Plenty to choose from.

I don't live there because I don't like large cities and all the traffic. That's why I live where I do.

I'm not sure why there would have been a problem in Kennett. I spent much of my youth and young adulthood around the Cape Girardeau area and that is a short distance away. Everyone seemed fine to me.

The way I see it, I don't spend a whole lot of time worrying about how others view me. I've found most people are generally decent and will reciprocate if one does the same. To be sure there are jerks to be found everywhere and even bad people like criminals but they are the exception. If someone doesn't like for me to be in their social circle that's fine with me. I doubt I would want to be around them anyhow.

It might be that up around Columbia where Mizzou is located that there are a lot of high rollers who look down on their "lessers." So far as I am concerned they can take a long walk off a short pier. I had a friend who went there and thought the world revolved around himself. So maybe that is what is going on there. I don't think Columbia is representative of anything in Missouri to be truthful. Probably an anomaly.

[breeinmo.]

Moved here 3 years ago from CA..Was scared I'd be treated as a leper because of where I was from.
Folks couldn't be nicer. My neighbor mowed my lawn before I even came out, and helped move my stuff in before meeting me. Sadly, he passed and I lost the best neighbor ever.


This is a small town of 400 so they could've been click-ish, but they all go out of their way to be friendly. My kids live 50 miles away in a city, and while everyone I've met is super nice, they don't wave like they do here. I'm mainly impressed by how nice and helpful the workers are in stores and food places. Good luck OP.

[MoSouthernMan]

Originally Posted by NaturalARMO

I am planning a move to St. Louis Metro Area within a year or two. I am curious about the residents of the Show Me State.

How are Missourians in general? I mean the friendliness and welcoming to outsiders. What about reservedness? Midwesterners are known to be reserved, especially in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

I used to live in Missouri Bootheel (Kennett, MO). Although I had a bad experience, I wouldn't judge the entire state based on one region. Residents in Kennett weren't friendly and welcoming to outsiders and they were cliquish socializing with only people they know from church, neighborhood, and school since Kindergarten.

I had former neighbors who are an elderly couple who moved from Little Rock, Arkansas to a charming college town of Columbia, Missouri. They came back home after 3 years because they didn't feel welcome in Missouri.

I hope most of Missouri aren't like that, especially in St. Louis Metro Area.

Most of Missouri isn't like KC or Stl area. You're from Arkansas right? I mean living in Kennett should have been no different because Kennett is located in the south. Unless you like lived in Fayetteville or Little Rock, then I can see it being different since they're bigger more diverse cities than a town like Kennett.

You probably will be better off living in the southern parts of Missouri. The southern quarter of the state is no different than Arkansas. Living in Springfield, Caruthersville, West Plains, Sikeston, Branson, Lebanon, Poplar Bluff, Cape Girardeau will probably be more up your alley. Warmer weather, more southern culture.

[Moboy32]

KC maybe? Or Columbia area.