Great area if you're an avid outdoorsman/hiker/etc. I forget how breathtakingly beautiful the Ozarks can be. But I'd stay out of city limits, or at least the more populated areas in Springfield. Namely, the drivers are terrible and Springfield is now considered the number 4 most dangerous college town in the nation link. Also the lowest wages in Missouri . The entire 417 area code is infamous for its meth problem. If you're dead set on the area, look for housing in Nixa, Ozark, etc. Personally I'd choose Texas any day, but Springfield weather is a bit more temperate