4 Reasons to Move to Missouri
Why are so many young working adults, middle-aged professionals and retired people relocating to the nation’s Heartland, particularly Missouri? There are dozens of reasons, but several stand out, including the area’s amazing vacation spots, booming real estate market, financial centers in St. Louis and Kansas City, excellent school systems and central location. Of course, there’s more to the state’s popularity than that, and you’ll hear new residents mention things like nationally-ranked football and baseball teams, the Branson entertainment center, world-class fishing in the Lake of the Ozarks and hundreds of famous historical sites. Here’s a quick rundown of the top reasons people are picking up and moving to the Show Me State.
Owner-Friendly Real Estate Market
With statewide average rates well below the national average, investors gravitate to the state. Missouri boasts some of the lowest property tax rates compared to most other U.S. states. Coupled with attractive buying opportunities in prime markets like Kansas City’s and St. Louis’s suburbs, the lower-than-average rates are a big part of the reason Missouri’s population is expected to grow by almost 4 percent by 2040.
What are investors looking for? In addition to excellent ROI (return on investment), they seek areas like big city suburbs where demand is high, operating costs are reasonable, and safe locations make for family- and small-business-friendly neighborhoods. Property taxes are another part of the equation, because they are a significant factor for anyone who owns rental properties. So, when they’re low, as they are in Missouri, that’s financial icing on the cake for investors.
Vacation Mecca
Vacationers have plenty of choices in Missouri, including Branson, the Ozark Mountains, Civil War battlefields and the historic homes of Daniel Boone, Walt Disney, Walter Cronkite, President Truman and Mark Twain. Branson has built a reputation as a new center of the music and entertainment industry. Sometimes called the “New Nashville,” the city is home to a family-friendly collection of live shows, unique restaurants, safe streets and a carnival-like atmosphere that draws millions of visitors annually.
Visitors can ride a riverboat along the shores of the river where Mark Twain used to live, stroll around the neighborhood in Independence where President Harry Truman resided after he left office, and view childhood homes of creative genius Walt Disney, news pioneer Walter Cronkite and legendary explorer Daniel Boone.
Financial Centers in Kansas City and St. Louis
A little-known fact is there are 12 Federal Reserve Banking district headquarters in the U.S., and Missouri is the only state that has two of them—one each in Kansas City and St. Louis. The two metro areas are national financial centers and are home to more than 25 Fortune 500 company headquarters. For young people all over the world, both cities are popular places to begin a career in banking, finance, investment, brokerage, real estate, law and accounting.
School Systems
From elementary school through university-level education, the state’s offerings are among the best ranked in the nation. In Rolla, there’s a world-ranked school of engineering, while Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia and several other towns boast elite universities and colleges. Elementary and high schools in all the major cities are also top-ranked, both academically and in sports, science competitions and forensic debate teams.
