The monotony of day to day living can begin to feel stale and boring with no respite from routine. We get up, go to work, come home, and repeat. Sometimes life can become one long string of tasks to accomplish just to make a paycheck and keep the lights on. In these lulls of real living you might start to forget to just enjoy. Sometimes everyone just needs a break. Dinner and a movie. Exploring a museum or art gallery. Walking a green park with a four legged friend. Chasing the thrills in a theme park. Reading a new book with a cup of tea at a corner bistro. Whatever your choice for downtime, sometimes it’s just needed. Finding the right place to live makes that a little easier. You have to be sure your new home base has a balance of work and recreation. The jobs have to be there but so does the opportunity to enjoy living off the clock. Finding a community with a great work-life balance can mean the difference between thriving and stagnation. These cities in Missouri have it figured out and offer some of the best places to live and work in the Midwest. Not only are the jobs available, but the lifestyle is also affordable enough to allow stress free living and diverse enough to supply something for everyone.
Residents of Kansas City have the benefit of living in the largest city in the state. They enjoy a bountiful economy in a community that offers one of the largest job markets in the state as well. With so much opportunity, they are able to live a very balanced life. The median income in KC is just over $45k and travel time to work averages 21 minutes. Housing cost usually lands somewhere around $130k. These three factors make it very possible to live in Kansas City working reasonable hours and make a living. Residents have the choice of living in the city or in a suburb further widening their price versus income equation as certain areas are even cheaper than others. Working in the city and living in an affordable suburb gives you a lot of wiggle room in the budget. With this extra income every month you are free to take your days off to enjoy all that the city has to offer. Restaurants with every kind of cuisine you can image, shopping galore, live entertainment, cultural experiences, beautiful greenspaces… the list of recreational activities in Kansas City are limitless.
St. Louisans live in Missouri’s second largest and enjoy similar benefits to those in Kansas City. The entire state of Missouri has a lower than average cost of living which is reflected in housing prices. To live in one of the spectacular and historic homes of St. Louis will, on average, cost you $170k. Compared to other cities of its size and value this is far below normally expected market price. Combine this with a median income $60k a year and you have a great combination for living a balanced life. In addition to your financial comfort, St. Louis adds the extra bonus that is free recreation. All across the city you will be amazed by the number of fun, engaging, and fantastic experiences you can undertake for free. The residents of St. Louis just really love free stuff and that makes almost impossible to not live a life you love.
Living in the Queen City of the Ozarks puts in the middle of one of the cheapest regions of an already cheap state. Cost of living in Springfield is 10% below the national average and surrounding communities are even cheaper. Housing prices can reach into the hundreds of thousands, but can also be found for less than $50k depending on the area. An average Springfield resident makes between $35k and $40k with nearly 70% of the working age population being employed. They work between 35-40 hours a week on average and enjoy a rich recreational life outside of work. Springfield and it’s smaller surrounding towns have a strong community feel and host many public events all year. There is top notch shopping available alongside diverse and eclectic dining options. Springfield also puts you in a prime location to enjoy the outdoors. Just outside of the city becomes small town which becomes rural town which becomes farm, forest, and pasture. The outdoor presence in this part of the country is so influential that Springfield itself is home the original Bass Pro Shops and centers a large amount of community activities around this business because it plays a huge role in the local economy.
Branson is the city for families. If you want to find a city to raise your children, live in beautiful countryside, and enjoy the life you work hard to build then Branson could be for you. This community is built around the tourist and entertainment industry which bolsters its economy tremendously year round. Employment can be found in all aspects of running the numerous shows lining the famous 76 strip or in the residential side of town in everyday professions including medical and educational thanks to the large local medical facility and college. Average residents make around $40k a year and enjoy beautiful suburban homes near the lake priced in the low to mid $100k range. When not working they not only have the Midwestern entertainment capital to enjoy, but beautiful Table Rock Lake. Days can be spent at dinner and a show, on the lake throwing in a line, or at Silver Dollar City theme park just to name a few of the local attractions. No matter what you decide to do with the day off, you can relax knowing that your life is balanced and healthy.
