- Mar 6, 2025
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Springfield is Greene County's third-largest city in Missouri. The 2020 census counted 169,176 residents. The Springfield metropolitan area, which includes Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk, and Webster counties and had an estimated population of 481,483 in 2021, is the fastest-growing in Missouri.
Springfield's nicknames are "Queen City of the Ozarks" and "The 417" after its area code. Route 66's "Birthplace" is here. Drury, Evangel, and Missouri State Universities are located there. The city's largest employers, CoxHealth and Mercy, employ over 20,000 people and are important educational and medical centers. Evangelical Christianity has made it the "Buckle of the Bible Belt." Over time, the city and region have become more diverse. Over 23,700 people immigrated to Greene County between the 2010 and 2020 censuses.
Springfield is on the Ozarks' Springfield Plateau. Outdoor recreation is popular in the city due to its mountainous location. The city has nearly 100 parks and 140 miles of bike trails. The city houses Bass Pro Shops, Missouri's top tourist attraction, and the Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium, the world's largest wildlife attraction. Springfield is near the Trail of Tears and Wilson's Creek National Battlefield.
Southwest Missouri's Ozarks Springfield Plateau is Springfield. The city covers 82.31 square miles (213.2 square kilometres), of which 81.72 square miles (211.7 square kilometres) is land and 0.59 square miles (1.5 square kilometres) (0.7%) is water, according to the US Census Bureau.
Springfield is mostly flat with rolling hills and cliffs around its south, east, and north. Northwest Arkansas to Central Missouri's Springfield Plateau is Springfield. Forest, pasture, and shrub-scrub cover the plateau. The James River, Galloway Creek, and Jordan Creek flow through the city. Table Rock, Stockton, McDaniel, Fellows, Lake Springfield, and Pomme de Terre lakes are nearby. Springfield is 80 miles east of the US population center.
According to NOAA's National Climatic Data Center, Springfield's surface wind velocity is comparable to Chicago's. The Wind Energy Resource Atlas published by a U.S. Department of Energy branch places it in "Power Class 3" with an average wind speed of 6.4 to 7.0 miles per hour.
According to Köppen, Springfield has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) in the north. It's humid, especially in late summer. January's average temperature is 34.3 °F (1.3 °C) and July's is 79.2 °F (26.2 °C). 40 days of 90 °F (32 °C)+ highs, 2 days of 100 °F (38 °C)+ highs, 15 days where the high fails to rise above freezing, and 1.3 nights of lows at or below 0 °F (−18 °C) occur annually. Average annual precipitation is 44.71 inches (1,140 mm), including 13.70 inches (34.8 cm) of snow. Temperatures range from −29 °F (−34 °C) on February 12, 1899 to 113 °F (45 °C) on July 14, 1954.
According to Forbes magazine's 2007 "America's Wildest Weather Cities" and the Weather Variety Index, Springfield has the most varied weather in the US. Springfield had an 81-degree high on May 1, 2013. Snow fell from May 2 to May 3 and accumulated to about two inches.
Council–manager governs Springfield. The city has eight nonpartisan council members and a two-year mayor. The Council-appointed City Manager, Jason Gage, oversees Springfield's operations and implements City Council-approved policies and programs. The City Clerk, Anita Cotter, coordinates and responds to Sunshine Requests and maintains official City records, including minutes, ordinances, resolutions, contracts, and other vital documents. Mayors lead council meetings. City Council Chambers host meetings every other Monday night. April's first Tuesday is City Council election day.
Springfield's downtown is reviving like many others. Lofts, office space, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, boutiques, and music venues are being converted from older buildings. The Gillioz and Landers theaters in the Downtown Springfield Community Improvement District (CID) have been restored.
Jordan Valley Park Phase I and Mediacom Ice Park opened in 2001. Jordan Valley Park completed Phase II in 2012. The city-owned Jordan Valley Park Creamery Arts Center opened in 2001. It houses the Springfield Regional Arts Council, Springfield Regional Opera, Springfield Ballet, and Springfield Symphony Orchestra and provides office and meeting space for other community arts organizations. The renovated center has two galleries with monthly exhibitions, an Arts Library, rehearsal studios, and classrooms with art workshops and hands-on activities. Outdoor classrooms are available.
In Springfield, where cashew chicken is ubiquitous, a March 2009 New York Times article chronicled its rise.
Springfield hosts Missouri State University (NCAA Division I), Drury University (NCAA Division II), and Evangel University (NAIA). The Drury Panthers men's and women's basketball teams play at the O'Reilly Family Event Center, which opened in 2010, and the Missouri State Bears and Lady Bears play at Great Southern Bank Arena (11,000 capacity).
Since 2005, the Springfield Cardinals, St. Louis Cardinals' Double-A affiliate, have played at Hammons Field in downtown Springfield. St. Louis has signed over 100 Springfield Cardinals. Since 1905, Springfield has hosted minor league teams and exposition games.
Springfield Rugby Football Club (SRFC) is a well-known Midwestern rugby club founded in 1983. In Division II of the Frontier Region of the Western Conference, SRFC fields men, women, and youth teams.
Highland Springs Country Club in southeast Springfield hosts the annual PGA-sponsored Price Cutter Charity Championship. Dr Pepper sponsors it. Since 1990, the event has raised $14 million for local children's charities.
Springfield hosts sports events. Springfield's Missouri State campus has hosted several Missouri Special Olympics. Springfield hosts the Show-Me Games and Missouri Winter Games in racquetball, trap shooting, swimming, volleyball, and gymnastics. Springfield hosts the 2019 and 2020 NAIA Softball Championship World Series. Springfield has hosted the Missouri Valley Conference baseball tournament and tennis and volleyball finals. Springfield hosts World TeamTennis finals at Cooper Tennis Complex.
The city houses the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. The 1994 hall of fame has over four thousand sports-related exhibits. The hall inducts Missouri athletes, coaches, physical therapists, winning teams, and Olympic athletes each year.
Springfield was one of thirteen US cities in the US Olympic Committee's Olympic Development Program in 2003. Springfield's program focused on archery, hockey, tennis, and volleyball to turn beginners into elites. The Springfield Greene County Park Board sponsors the Community Sports Development Program, which continues after the Olympic program ended in all cities.
Greene County, Missouri's Springfield. It's Greene County's seat. The 3rd largest city in Missouri and the 165th largest in the US, it had 172,080 residents in 2023. Since the 2020 census, Springfield has grown by 1.72% to 169,176. Springfield has 2,089 people per square mile over 83 miles.
Springfield has 23.77% poverty and an average household income of $51,407. In recent years, the median rent was and the median house value was. Springfield's median age is 33.2, 32.4 for men and 34.4 for women.
Springfield, Missouri. The Springfield-Branson Metro Area city is Greene County's seat. "Queen City of the Ozarks" is its nickname.
