Coastal transplants will find that Springfield is pleasantly low crime as compared to their home. We only have a handful of killings and driveby shootings a year now, but that didn't use to be the case, to people who have lived here longer than 5 or 10 years crime is skyrocketing. The low cost of living invites people from big cities, and with poverty comes crime. In five years it'll be much worse, we had our first gang shooting at a high school recently, and it was from a St. Louis gang banger who moved here. I expect now that there has been one, there will be more.

Anyway, if you're moving here from out of state and have any money you wont be in places where you have to worry about crime (yet). North of Grand is the current big crime dividing line.

If your health is up to it, I would recommend trying to get into a trade at the bottom floor, even just a laborer. You can always go back to fast food or WalMart job, but after a year or two of good work you can be making good money.

Edit: Relevant suggestion because many construction companies and trades are hiring entry level around here, take your pick.