A realistic portray of Joplin/Webb City, MO
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8/18/2010
Pros: Low cost of living. You can find a very nice house for far below the national average. If you happen to land one of the few worthwhile jobs (see below) in the area, then you will live very comfortably. If you want to live in a heavily Republican area, then you will be at home here politically. There are a decent number of good restaurants in the area, including great Thai and sushi, which one would not expect in a smaller Midwest town. Shopping is adequate for most people. There are several school districts that receive high marks, and the private schools are top notch. Just do your research before buying a home. The area seems to be growing, unfortunately it is only in retail and restaurants for the most part.
Cons: If you are a college-educated individual, you will have a very hard time finding suitable employment here. You will compete with many other individuals for the same low-paying job. Actually, you won't really compete, as the majority of the employers here seem to have a bias against college grads and place no value on education. This is truly a town where you have to know someone to land a job. If you have a degree, look at nearby Northwest Arkansas before Joplin.
The crime here is rising. We have experiences a number of property thefts and we live in a nice, newer neighborhood where everyone leaves their patio and garage lights on. The criminals are getting bolder, most likely due to their need to purchase more meth. Yes, the meth problems here are real. Recently, more and more residents have become aware that there truly is gang activity in the area as well. We have had to install greater security measures on our home, where we felt quite safe just 5 years ago.
Southwest Missouri is also home to high rates of child abuse and a disproportionate number of sex offenders. Presumably because the employers prefer to hire them over college graduates and they can afford housing here. Make sure and check the sex offender registries online before buying a house as you are sure to find one nearby no matter where in the area you go.
Which leads me to another point. In other places I have lived in the country, good neighborhoods and bad neighborhoods tend to be separated geographically. The proximity of the bad elements to where you buy your home is always pretty close. You can't escape the redneck trash.
Conclusion: You have to take the bad with the good. Ultimately, I suggest looking at other nearby locales that offer similar housing prices and cost of living but have more job opportunity and lower crime. Do your homework before you fall for the "cheap" nature of the area. You get what you pay for. Don't save a few bucks only to find yourself spending extra cash buying security measures for your home and worrying about the safety of your kids when you find out a sex offender just moved in next door.
Bp | Webb City, MO