My son is moving to Springfield for school. What areas not to live in? (apartment, near)

[tc_raney]

would you say the apartment complexes are nice around the school? and not allot of crime?? Do you feel safe, and your vehicles are safe at night? I kinda had gotten the impression that it wasn't a place you really wanted to live in.
Thanks for your imput

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by tc_raney

would you say the apartment complexes are nice around the school? and not allot of crime?? Do you feel safe, and your vehicles are safe at night? I kinda had gotten the impression that it wasn't a place you really wanted to live in.
Thanks for your imput

It's definitely safe. Lately here have been a fair number of automobile break ins, and some occasional mischief (slashing tires, breaking out windows), by people who have nothing better to do. But for the most part cars are safe.

As a lone woman, I would not be frightened to walk alone at night anywhere around the campus. And I am a *very* cautious person.

As far as the apartment complexes being nice. Well, you get what you pay for. If you get one that charges $385 a month for a studio or one-bedroom, it's not going to be a nice as one that charges $450. But It will be clean and livable. For being a city with a metro area close to 300,000 people (including the 'burbs), it's a remarkably safe and nice place to live.

20yrsinBranson

[christina0001]

Certain blocks seem better than others. But overall I think it is very safe. It is well lit, and campus and Springfield police are on constant patrol. No place is 100% safe; I take night classes and see lots of people walking around at night, and they are in groups, which of course is the safest way to be at night. I have walked through campus in the dark and felt 100% safe.
There are benefits to having so many college kids in one area - it's hard for criminals to do much when there are young adults awake 24/7 and hanging around outside.
To be safe, I would recommend finding places he likes, and then scouting them out at night to see how things really are at those specific locations.

[stlcitygirl]

Sorry to revive an older thread, but Springfield is very safe. I lived there 5 years and had a great time. I lived in several different houses/apartments. Your son will be more than safe living somewhere close to campus. He will also have the choice of just walking to campus instead of dealing with parking. Springfield is also very cheap to live. Overall, its a great place to go to college.

[socoguy_78]

So your son is going to MSU? I went when it was SMSU. I loved the school and I too was a quiet kid as well. When I went 10 years ago I found the school, ask anyone, was a large party school. The people I knew that lived off campus when first attending MSU(SMSU for me) did worst in school than those that lived in Residential Halls. They tended to party a lot because there are not rules or restrictions for living off campus. If you live in a dorm... well... it's harder to drink alcohol, stay up late to party, smoke marijuana, and study because there arn't any people you can easily study with especially onces in the same degree as yourself. Springfield seemed extremely safe and nice. Only problem I had was when people found out I was Catholic and I was told I was going to hell for not being baptist, or some other religion. I did enjoy seeing all of the protests around planned parenthood every week! haha. I do wish your son lotsa luck!

[MOKAN]

Originally Posted by socoguy_78

....Only problem I had was when people found out I was Catholic and I was told I was going to hell for not being baptist, or some other religion.....

Did you experience this as more than an isolated incident? Were they older folks or did college-aged kids actually say something like that to you? I have Baptist family in Arkansas and from the experience of knowing of them, I suppose the latter is possible. It just seems very strange to me, being from Kansas City.

[socoguy_78]

Originally Posted by MOKAN

Did you experience this as more than an isolated incident? Were they older folks or did college-aged kids actually say something like that to you? I have Baptist family in Arkansas and from the experience of knowing of them, I suppose the latter is possible. It just seems very strange to me, being from Kansas City.

Mokan...
I know and I thought it was stranger as well. There were 3 people in Woods Dorm that told me that and two others in classes and all were traditional students age 22ish and under. However the weird part was when I was working in springfield and was told this by others at my jobs in food service. I'd say the employees were mid 30s and even had customers tell me this when they asked me if I attended church and which one. Of course I said yes evening mass during the weekdays and said which church. I forget the churches name but it was only a few blocks away from MSU(SMSU). But that area I felt very safe in and it never bugged me; I knew there were less catholics in that area but I was going there to further my education not go to a christian university. No offense to anyone just my take on when I went to school down in springfield. I'm sure times have changed however.

[MOKAN]

^I like Springfield. I think there's a need for places for all types and that's a good thing. It would be lame if every place were the same and America was a homogenized mass with no variation or true culture. Of course, with mega corporations, corporate transient worker culture, and a liberal push for political correctness and to take the culture out of everybody and anything remotely offensive, America could become that homogenized mass.

[imbored198824]

I have lived in southern Missouri my entire life. Yes the majority of people are baptists or other conservative evangelical christian denominations.....but I rarely have any kind of problem with religion. Most of the people I work with are very religious, but respect my opinion. I have never had anyone tell me I am going to hell. Catholics account for less than 10% of the population in springfield....I would guess. So it may be just a bit of a culture shock.

[Vols44]

There's plenty of young professionals and students at the Nathanael Greene Apartments. Most of the previous posts are accurate about some areas north of Sunshine. Like most cities with populations over 100k, safety is in numbers and going downtown or out at night requires awareness. The police know where the trouble is and they patrol accordingly.