Community Information
Springfield is the third-largest city in the state of Missouri, and is growing at an ever increasing rate. The city of Springfield is the county seat of Greene County, and boasts a population of 155,000. Springfield offers a wide array of cultural, recreation, education, entertainment, and economic offerings.
Shopping: Springfield is a regional shopping center that serves a large geographic area, including Southwest Missouri and Northwest Arkansas. It is the third-largest market in the state and one of the top 150 U.S. markets. The downtown area is currently going through resurgence, with major investments in new and refurbished buildings accompanied by an influx of independent retailers.
Parks & Recreation: There are 92 parks, 3 golf courses, a zoo and other facilities owned or managed by the Springfield-Greene County Park Board. The department incorporates a network of linear parks and trails that run near and around geologically unique areas of the Ozarks, such as creek beds and springs.
Six recreational lakes are within 100 miles of Springfield. Table Rock Lake and the Branson entertainment area are within 45 miles.
Sports: Springfield plays host to college teams from Missouri State University (NCAA Division I), Drury University (NCAA Division II), and minor professional teams including the Springfield Cardinals, a Texas-League affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Springfield is also home to a number of amateur sporting events. The PGA sponsored Ozarks Open is played at Highland Springs Country Club on the southeast side of Springfield. The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is located near the city as well.
Higher Education: With over 42,000 college students Springfield has a large selection of colleges and universities within the city. Missouri State University is the state's second largest university with nearly 23,000 students. For the seventh consecutive year, MSU has been selected for The Princeton Review’s 2010 list of “Best Colleges: Region by Region.” MSU is most known for its College of Business, and Theater and Dance School. Drury University is a private university with nearly 4,000 students and consistently ranks in U.S. News and World Report's Top 10 Universities in the Midwest. Ozarks Technical Community College is the second largest college in Springfield with approximately 12,000 students. MSU, Drury, and OTC are all located in and around downtown Springfield.
Other colleges in Springfield include Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Baptist Bible College, Central Bible College, Evangel University, Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, St. John's College of Nursing and Health Sciences of Southwest Baptist University, Vatterott College, Everest College, Cox College, Webster University, University of Phoenix, and Bryan College.
Healthcare: Springfield is a regional medical center with six hospitals and more than 2,200 beds. The city's health care system offers every specialty listed by the American Medical Association. Two of the top 100 hospitals in the U.S. (CoxHealth and St. John’s Health System) are located in Springfield, and both are in the midst of expansion projects. The industry employs over 30,000 people throughout the Springfield metro area.
Transportation: Springfield is served by Interstate 44 which connects the city with St. Louis, Missouri and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Route 13 (Kansas Expressway) carries traffic north towards Kansas City, Missouri. U.S. Route 60, U.S. Route 65, and U.S. Route 160 pass through the city. Major streets include Glenstone Avenue, Sunshine Street (Missouri Route 413), National Avenue, Division Street, Campbell Avenue, Kansas Expressway, Battlefield Road, Republic Road, West Bypass, Chestnut Expressway and Kearney Street. Springfield has public transportation operated by City Utilities (CU) that serves most areas inside the city limits with its fleet of biodiesel-fueled buses.
Airport: Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF) serves the city with direct flights to 12 cities with 33 daily flights. It is the principal air gateway to Springfield region.
Living Conditions: In 2009, Next Generation Consulting ranked Springfield 17th on its "Next Cities" list, and in 2008, America's Promise Alliance ranked Springfield among its "100 Best Communities for Young People" for the third year in a row.
In 2007, The Milken Institute ranked Springfield as a "Best Performing City" for creating and sustaining jobs, and Expansion Management magazine listed Springfield among "Top 20 Mid-Sized Metros for Recruitment and Attraction." Also that year, Worldwide ERC named Springfield among "The Best Cities for Relocating Families," and the World Health Organization designated Springfield as a "Safe Community."