More cons than pros
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1/13/2022
Folks will tell you to go to CJ as they have the best schools in the area. That's both debatable, and doesn't really tell the entire story. The best schools in this area are so unbelievably sub-par compared to the best schools in the state - so keep that in mind.
Pros: A safe, mostly quiet place to live
I would list housing affordability as a pro - but like a lot of places, housing has gone through the roof here. Nice homes sell in days, if not hours.
Cons: Most folks that live here were born and raised here. They have a very insular view. CJ doesn't feel like an old established town that's just on the smaller side. It feels like a place people found because they didn't want to be in Joplin. It doesn't feel like an established town. There really isn't a downtown to speak of. The only option for groceries is a Dollar General store. There really is very little here. It's also a tale of two places. You have Carl Junction, and you have Briarbrook. It very much feel like two different communities.
CJ desperately needs a new elementary school. As they have grown, they slap a different building nearby, and now you have 3 separate buildings divided by year. Have multiple kids? Well, congrats, you get to wait in multiple different car lines to pick up and drop off your children. Classes sizes are too big, and will only get bigger. Because they have three different buildings, they also have three different principals. For a district with one middle school and highschool - the fact that they have so many superintendents and principals is concerning. It is a lot of taxpayer money going to administration.
Speaking of: Schuber Mitchell has taken over building houses here. CJ has given them free rein to do whatever they please. The only thing CJ sees is more money in their pockets. Schuber has torn up roads, worked early in the morning, destroyed property, and are currently building homes on a flood plain. It is a mess.
Other cons: You need to go to Lowes? You need a hospital? Sams club? 25-30 minutes away.
Everything is being built in the southern part of Joplin, making for a long drive back and forth.
In moving here, I expected small town charm with friendly neighbors. A feeling of community and a great school district to send my kids. In my experience, it is none of these.
John | Carl Junction, MO