Submitted by jadedheartslowkiss t3_ygprze in springfieldMO

Hi all,

I am considering a possible move to Missouri, and am curious about the safest parts of the city of Springfield. I am drawn to Springfield because of its small town country feel, but with city amenities. I have looked into the south and east sections of town, but have also heard good and bad equally for every area. From your experience, what are the safest neighborhoods? Which ones should I avoid? All help is appreciated!

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417SKCFAN t1_iu9rmr1 wrote

The simplest way to explain it is generally anything south of James River Freeway or east of Highway 65 are considered the “safer” neighborhoods. However there are many safe neighborhoods across Springfield and most violent crime is committed between people with an existing relationship.

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deborah_jai t1_iua6ony wrote

Yeah there are very few “dangerous” neighborhoods in SGF in my experience, and even those are fine. Just lock your doors. People only look after themselves and their shit, no one’s trying to take yours. Especially if you’re broke.

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417SKCFAN t1_iuab5az wrote

I agree with the first half, but not the back half. People in Springfield steal everything, even if it’s bolted down. Doesn’t make it unsafe, just means don’t leave stuff in your car or in the yard.

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throwawayyyycuk t1_iudxnkt wrote

Exactly what I was going to say, If you carry peace offering cigarettes no harm will come to you unless it’s traffic related

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Advanced_Car1599 t1_iuadsl5 wrote

InB4 omg Spfd is the most dangerous city in America! Seriously, you’ll be fine.

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frankenbeansssss t1_iuaf615 wrote

I came to Springfield for work from the Miami FL area. A lot of locals were telling me "avoid this area", "oh this area is super dangerous", etc. Compared to Miami, Springfield is basically Mayberry. I love it. I stay mostly on the north side and it's really not nearly as bad as people think it is.

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MLC3527 t1_iuayn3b wrote

Battlefield Mo. Basically touches Springfield Mo. And is in the top 10 safest towns in Missouri.

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shavedcow t1_iub71cp wrote

We had probably our first drive by ever though a couple weeks ago! Still clutching my pearls 😄. But yeah, I just tell people I live in sw springy.

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Numerous-Mix-9775 t1_iub9k67 wrote

If you want the small town feel, you might check out the suburbs of Springfield. They range in size and amenities - I don’t think Willard and Rogersville even have Walmarts, up to Ozark that has a movie theater over on the border with Nixa. Most of the suburbs are 10-15 minutes from Springfield so it’s very easy to access things there when you need them.

South Springfield is generally going to be safer, as others have said. We have a lot of issues with people using drugs locally, and a lot of homelessness, and people affected by those things tend to stick primarily to the north side and downtown. As a very rough guideline, stay south of Grand. There’s definitely some nice neighborhoods north of Grand (particularly around MSU) but for someone new to the area, it’s a good marker.

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Spiritual_Dentist_54 t1_iubo9m4 wrote

I live in a “bad” area in NW Springfield. My neighborhood is honestly fine, but there are a few tougher streets nearby.

Basically you just need to use common sense — lock your car and don’t be flashy and you’ll be fine.

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jadedheartslowkiss OP t1_iubstmq wrote

Do you know anything about Peach Tree Plaza, Ravenwood, and Spring Creek in South Springfield? The home values are stable and the schools are also highly rated. Good school ratings are usually a great indicator of how nice a neighborhood is. Want to make sure I’m finding the right place for my future kids to grow up in one day.

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Spiritual_Dentist_54 t1_iudsr02 wrote

I don’t know anything specific about those neighborhoods. Generally south side will be a little better, but there are pockets of bad spots everywhere.

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PredictablyRetarded t1_iudpi03 wrote

So generally, anything North of Sunshine, not the best. Anything North of Chestnut, is a no go.

Between Sunshine and Republic road is fairly safe. Anything South of Republic road is considered very safe.

There are one off’s everywhere.

For example the Phelps Grove area, pretty safe and nice area even though it’s South of Sunshine.

Then there are the neighborhoods that are far North, like North of the fairgrounds.

Those are pretty safe too.

Just don’t be around “Stabby Walmart”… NW side Walmart…

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WendyArmbuster t1_iug9dez wrote

In most towns, find out where the upscale bicycle shops are, and that's where the "good" side of town is. This holds true for Springfield as well.

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Apprehensive-Wing894 t1_iubk2xn wrote

I wouldn't live in Springfield, safer and better to live outside of it and commute. That map link ProgressMom68 is not accurate at all, I looked at downtown Springfield where at least 5 vehicle thefts happened in the past week near the square and they are not on it.

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