Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Springfield is a city of 169,847, and it grades C− overall, ranked 176th of 247 in Missouri. It is more walkable than 82% of U.S. towns. The trade-off: its police reported 2,075 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 98% of U.S. towns. 71% of working residents work locally in Springfield, where Missouri’s towns sit at 13% and U.S. towns at 8%. Its National Register listings include Springfield National Cemetery and U.S. Customhouse and Post Office. Only 16 of Missouri’s 419 towns score higher on hazard risk.
Where Springfield beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Day House| College | Students |
|---|---|
| Missouri State University-Springfield | 19,643 |
| Ozarks Technical Community College | 7,896 |
| Evangel University | 1,776 |
Its 70 National Register listings are more than in 99% of Missouri towns with a listing.
Census counts: 415 in 1850, 169,176 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1861 and 4 maps from 1935 on.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Missouri), ordered by how far Springfield is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Springfield, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Springfield.
Springfield draws workers from Nixa and beyond and is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it reports violent crime at 3 times the Missouri rate.
Violent crime runs at 12.1 per 1,000 residents, 3 times the Missouri rate; the Safety Grade counts each violent crime four times, so this weighs most on its D−. Property crime runs at 38.2 per 1,000 residents, about twice the Missouri rate, most of it theft.
For Springfield, the level of property crime is 38.2 per 1,000 residents.
| Springfield | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 12.1 per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 38.2 per 1,000 residents | 12.4 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Three of its 71 schools are below, each with the reason it’s listed. Its public schools are run by the Springfield R-Xii school district. 6 public schools serve Springfield, with 2,557 students in all.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pershing MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 702 | B+ |
| Kickapoo HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,923 | A− |
| Walt Disney Elem.Top results in townGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 514 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MO on state tests and graduation
153,055 jobs are based in Springfield, 2.2 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
Springfield had 153,055 jobs in 2023, up 14,676 from 2013. For Springfield, the average trip to work is 18 minutes. The top destinations are Republic (2%), Ozark (2%) and Nixa (1%). Half the trips to work are shorter than 4 miles.
| Springfield | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $49,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 10% | 9% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The biggest place to walk is Lake Springfield Park, 165 acres with 2.2 miles of trail. Walkers can cover 38 miles of trail in 52 parks and preserves. The density of trails for Springfield comes to 0.5 miles per square mile.
| Springfield | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2.3% | 2.1% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Nature Center Park | 2.7 mi | 82 |
| 2. Dickerson Park Zoo | 2.3 mi | 63 |
| 3. Lake Springfield Park | 2.2 mi | 165 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Only 43.9% of households own their home, against 68.1% across Missouri.
For residents in Springfield, the share who are under 18 is 18%. Adults 18 to 34 are 34% of residents (22% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 32% of residents (37% statewide). A bachelor’s degree or higher: 31% of adults 25 and older, vs 32% across Missouri.
| Springfield | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 18% | 23% | 22% |
| Median age | 33.7 years | 38.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 31% | 22% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 16% | 17% | 18% |
51.6% women, 48.4% men
About 94 men for every 100 women. Across Missouri, 50.7% of residents are women. Median age: women 34.7, men 33.1.
| Springfield | MO | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.2% | 11.9% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.4% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 17.7% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 16.1% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.8% | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.3% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.3% | 13% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.5% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.7% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.2% | 8.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 28.3% | 30.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 24.9% | 20.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.2% | 8.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.8% | 19.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.5% | 12.6% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
81 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 12 properties have flooded more than once.
FEMA puts 35% of Springfield’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 17% to heat waves. On expected storm and flood damage, Springfield sits below 73% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, Springfield has seen 81 flood insurance claims paid out.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Against the 5,528 U.S. towns with household incomes like Springfield’s, it is healthier than 68%, so its C isn’t only a matter of income. Within Missouri it is healthier than 50% of the 247 graded towns: much of Missouri scores lower on these measures.
In Springfield, 34% of adults feel lonely. CDC measures, 32 in all: Springfield beats Missouri on 2 and trails on 8. Among adults locally, 33% have high blood pressure and 18% worry about having enough food.
| Springfield | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 19% | 17% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 37% | 35% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 77% | 78% | 79% |
| What stands out | Springfield | MO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.6% | 8.6% |
| Fewer adults with high blood pressure | 32.7% | 36.5% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 11% | 8.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
July afternoons reach 88°, January nights drop to 23° and about 14 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Homes sold in Springfield spent a median 12 days on the market. Only 10 of the 247 Missouri towns we compare have a lower share of households owning their home than Springfield. Typical home values rose 3.1% in the year to September 2026.
| Springfield | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 44% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $964 a month | $972 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 49% | 43% | 48% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Springfield. Close and well known come first.
37 mi Theme parkSilver Dollar City
in town Zoo & aquariumWonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium7 mi MuseumRiverbluff Cave
8 mi National BattlefieldWilson's Creek National Battlefield371K visitors a year
39 mi MuseumTitanic Museum37 mi CaveMarvel CaveSilver Dollar City: Nan Fry, CC BY 2.0 · Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium: Robert Lawton, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wilson's Creek National Battlefield: National Park Service, Public domain · Titanic Museum: Brad A. Totman, Public domain
8 within 15 miles of the center of Springfield
About 12 of every 100 Springfield residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
7 colleges in town.
70 places in Springfield on the National Register of Historic Places.
41 notable people were born in Springfield.
City in Missouri, United States
Springfield is the third most populous city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Springfield metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 487,061 in 2022 and includes the counties of Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk, and Webster. Springfield is the largest city in the Ozarks region, and sits on the Springfield Plateau, which ranges from nearly level to rolling hills. Springfield's nicknames include "Queen City of the Ozarks" and "The Birthplace of Route 66". The city has been called the "Buckle of the Bible Belt" due to its association with evangelical Christianity.…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Springfield.
| Town | MO rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield | #176 | C− | B− | D− | B | C |
| Republic | #69 | B+ | B− | B | A | C+ |
| Willard | #49 | A− | B | B+ | A− | B |
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Springfield grades C− overall, better than 24% of U.S. towns and #176 of 247 in Missouri. It grades C for health, D− for safety and B for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D−.
That is 3.7 years of the area's median household income ($65,071 across the Springfield, MO metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
41 notable people were born here, including Kathleen Turner and Jake Wesley Rogers.
.jpg){kind=link}
.JPG){kind=link}
