ZIP Code 65804

Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. It is the principal city of the Springfield metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 481,483 in 2021. The city is an important center of education and medical care, with two of the largest hospitals in the area, employing over 20,000 people combined. It has been called the "Buckle of the Bible Belt" due to its association with evangelical Christianity. Springfield is within close distance to Wilson's Creek National Battlefield and sits along the Trail of Tears, now a national historic trail. Due to its proximity to the mountainous area, the city is known for its outdoor recreation activities. It holds nearly 100 city parks and 140 miles (230 km) of outdoor bike trails. The City is the headquarters for Bass Pro Shops, which is the number one tourist attraction in the state ofMissouri, and the adjoining Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium is the world's largest wildlife attraction. In 1883, historian R. I. Holcombe wrote: "The town took its name from the circumstance of there being a spring under the hill, on the creek, while on top of the hill, where the principal portion of the town lay, there was a field." In 1833, a small general store was opened in the city. The first European-American settlers to the area were John Polk Campbell and his brother, who moved to the region in 1829 from Tennessee.

History

Springfield was named for Springfield, Massachusetts, by migrants from that area. Native Americans in the area slowed the European-American settlement of the land. In 1861, Springfield's population had grown to approximately 2,000. The city fought the Confederate armies in the Battle of Wilson's Creek, a few miles southwest of the city. In 1878, the town got its nickname the "Queen City of the Ozarks" and became an important commercial hub in the late 1850s and early 1860s. The first Union victory in the Civil War, General Nathaniel Lyon, became the first Union general killed in the battle of Lebanon in 1861. The town is located in Campbell Township, which is named after John Polk Campbell, who donated the land for Springfield's public square and platted the town site. The county seat of Springfield is located at the center of the town, near the intersection of I-40 and I-55. The state capital is at Springfield, which was once called New York City and is now called St. Louis. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the name Springfield is a misnomer, and that the city should be called Springfield, Missouri, rather than Springfield, Arkansas, or Springfield, Tennessee. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Springfield in the case of Springfield, Mississippi, in 1881. The name Springfield was chosen by settlers from Tennessee, among whom was Kindred Rose, who presented the winning name, "Springfield," in honor of his former home town.

Geography

Springfield is on the Springfield Plateau of the Ozarks region of southwest Missouri. The city is mainly flat with rolling hills and cliffs surrounding its south, east, and north sections. It has an average annual precipitation of 44.71 inches (1,140 mm), including an average 13.70 inches (34.8 cm) of snow. Springfield is near the population center of the United States, about 80 miles (130 km) to the east. On May 1, 2013, Springfield reached a high temperature of 81 degrees Fahrenheit, persisting into the following day and eventually accumulating to about two inches. According to a 2007 story in Forbes magazine's list of "America's Wildest Weather Cities" and the Weather Variety Index, Springfield is the city with the most varied weather in the U.S. It is placed within "Power Class 3" in the Wind Energy Resource Atlas published by a branch of the Department of Energy; having an average wind speed range of 6.4 to 7.0 miles per hour. On average, there are 40 days of 90 °F (32 °C)+ highs, 2 days of 100 °C (38 °C)'s highs, 15 days where the high fails to rise above freezing, and 1.3 nights of lows at or below 0 °F per year. The monthly daily average temperature ranges from 34.3°F (1.3 °F) in January to 79.2 °F  (26.2°C) in July.

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, there were 169,176 people, 80,693 households, and 36,237 families residing in the city. There were 77,620 housing units at an average density of 949.8 per square mile (366.7/km²) The racial makeup of the city was 81% White, 79.4% Non-Hispanic White, 5% African American, 2.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, and 9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6% of the population. The average household size was 1.94 and the average family size was 2.68. The median age in theCity was 33.6 years. The city has a population of 159,498 people, 69,754 households and 35,453 families as of the 2010 census. In the city, 17.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 19.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.7% were from 45 to 64; and 14.5% were 65 years of age or older. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the city's population is 151,580 people, 64,691 households,and 35,709 families. The population density is 2,072.0 people per squaremile (800.0/ km²). The city's median age is 33.2 years and the city has an average population of 69,650 people.

Economy

Springfield's economy is based on health care, manufacturing, retail, education, and tourism. Total retail sales exceed $4.1 billion annually in Springfield and $5.8 billion in the Springfield MSA. According to the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau, an estimated 3,000,000 overnight visitors and day-trippers annually visit the city. The city has more than 60 lodging facilities and 6,000 hotel rooms. Positronic, Bass Pro Shops, John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, BKD, Noble & Associates, Prime, Inc., Springfield ReManufacturing, and O'Reilly Auto Parts all have their national headquarters in Springfield. Two major American Christian denominations General Council of the Assemblies of God in the United States of America and Baptist Bible Fellowship International (a fundamentalist Baptist denomination) are headquartered in the City. The top 2019 employers in the metro area are: The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, the Springfield Area Economic Development Council, and the Springfield-Springfield Chamber of Business and Industry, which was founded in 1903. The Springfield-St. Louis International Airport is located in the city's central business district. The airport is one of the busiest airports in the state, with more than 2,000 flights a day. It is located on the Missouri Turnpike, which runs from Springfield to St. Louis and the Kansas City-Missouri border. It has a population of more than 1.2 million. The largest shopping mall in Springfield is Battlefield Mall, which opened in 1998.

Government

Springfields city government is based on the councilmanager system. By charter, the city has eight council members, each elected for a four-year term on a nonpartisan basis. Jason Gage, the City Manager, appointed by the Council, serves as the chief executive and administrative officer for the City. City Utilities of Springfield (CU) is a city-owned utility serving the Springfield area with electricity, natural gas, water, telecommunications and transit services. CU provides service to over 115,000 electric, 84,000 natural gas, and 83,000 water customers. The presiding officer at council meetings is the mayor. Council meetings are held every other Monday night in City Council Chambers. City Council elections are held the first Tuesday in April. The City Clerk is appointed to serve as the Chief of Staff for City Council Members and Custodian of Records, coordinates and responds to all Sunshine Requests and maintains official City records, including minutes, ordinances, resolutions, contracts, and other vital documents. The city manager is responsible for directing the overall operations of the City of Springfield and for executing all policies and programs authorized by City Council. The mayor is elected for two-year terms, and the city clerk is the City Clerk's chief of staff for the four-member council. The council has the power to fire the city manager if it finds him or her in violation of the city council's rules or regulations. The police chief is the chief of police for the city, and he has the authority to issue fines for violations of the law.

Education

Springfield has several universities, colleges, and high schools. Three of the main higher learning institutions, Missouri State, Drury, and OTC, are all located in and around downtown Springfield. The Springfield Public School District is the largest district in the state of Missouri with an official fall 2011 enrollment of 24,366 students attending 50 schools. Other colleges in Springfield include Baptist Bible College, Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, and Cox College (Nursing and Allied Health) The city is home to the University of Missouri, which opened a clinical campus in 2016 for their medical school to increase their class size. It is also home to Lindenwood University, which has a Springfield extension from their College of Education and Human Services. The city also has several private high schools, including Springfield Sudbury School, Summit Preparatory School, Greenwood Laboratory School, New Covenant Academy, Springfield Catholic High School, Christian Schools of Springfield, and Grace Classical Academy. It also has a number of private elementary and middle schools, as well as one public high school, Springfield Elementary School, and one private middle school. The town is also the home of the Missouri State Museum, which is the state's oldest and largest museum. It was founded in 1873 by a congregationalist, and was modelled after schools like Yale and Harvard. The museum is located in downtown Springfield and has a collection of more than 2,000 pieces of art and sculpture. It has also been the site of the National Museum of American History, which was opened in 1881.

Parks and recreation

The Springfield-Greene County Park Board manages 3,200 acres and 103 sites. Ozark Greenways Inc. promotes trail recreation and local bicycling through the establishment of greenway trails. The Missouri Department of Conservation operates the Springfield Nature Center and numerous nearby conservation areas. The National Park Service operates the nearby Wilson's Creek National Battlefield.Springfield's metropolitan area is situated within close distance of recreational lakes, waterways, caves, and forests, such as the James River, Busiek State Forest, Lake Springfield, Table Rock Lake, Buffalo National River, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Fellows Lake, and Fantastic Caverns. The city is located on the Missouri River, which runs through the Ozark region of the state. It is also on the Arkansas River, a tributary of the Little Piney River, and the Mississippi River. The town is located near the Missouri-Arkansas state line, which flows through Springfield. It also has a number of smaller rivers and streams that run through the town and county, including the Frisco Highline Trail, a 35-mile crushed-gravel trail connecting Springfield to the town of Bolivar, and smaller trails connecting parks and sites of interest within the town. The area is also home to the Mediacom Ice Park, the Cooper Park and Sports Complex; Dickerson Park Zoo; and various other public parks, community centers, and facilities. The county is home to several historic sites, including Gray-Campbell Farmstead, Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden, Master Gardener demonstration gardens, and Dr. Bill Roston Native Butterfly House.

Culture

Springfield has seen a resurgence in its downtown area. Many of the older buildings have been, and are continuing to be, renovated into mixed-use buildings such as lofts, office space, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, boutiques, and music venues. The Downtown Springfield Community Improvement District has historic theaters that have been restored to their original state, including the Gillioz Theatre and the Landers Theatre. The Springfield Symphony was founded in 1935 and is one of the oldest arts organizations in the city. In 1938, a Springfield flag was made official. In 2017, the Springfield Flag Movement proposed a new flag for Springfield, arguing that the current flag is disconnected from modern Springfield culture. The new flag was officially adopted by the city on March 1, 2022. The Missouri Food Truck Festival has been held in Springfield for several years and brings food trucks from Springfield and surrounding states to be sampled for a single event. Like most local events, it includes live music and allows people to travel from one food truck to another to sample various specialties from various cuisines.Recently, the city has started to host an annual Route 66 Festival along Route 66 in downtown Springfield. The event is sponsored by the Springfield Regional Arts Council and features local artists showing their works of art. The city has also started an annual Walnut Street Arts Fest, featuring local artists and crafts, as well as cider and entertainment for children. The festival has been a regular event in Springfield since 2001 and features live music, crafts, and activities by local groups.

Transportation

Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF) serves the city with direct flights to 14 cities. It is the principal air gateway to the Springfield region. The Downtown Airport is also a public-use airport located near downtown. More than 65 freight trains travel to, from, and through the city each day. The city is home to the headquarters and main shops of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad (Frisco) It is also the site of the first diverging diamond interchange within the United States, at the intersection of I-44 and MO-13 (Kansas Expressway) (at 37.2503°N 93.3107°W / 37.253; -93.3 107 (Springfield, Missouri, divergingiamond interchange)). U.S. Route 66 and US. Route 166 formerly passed through Springfield, and sections of historic US 66 can still be seen in the city. In mid-November 2013, the city began discussing plans to upgrade sections of Schoolcraft Freeway (Highway 65) and James River Freeway. The main reason is to minimize confusion should there be an incident on Interstate 44 as a detour route. The average commuting time was 17.7 minutes from 2013 to 2017. No international flights have regular service into Springfield- Branson, but it does serve international charters. Springfield operates local bus service on its Jefferson Lines line from New York to Los Angeles on its line from Kansas City to Little Rock/Pine Bluff.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Springfield, Greene County, Missouri = 78.6. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 86. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 62. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Springfield = 4.8 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 169,176 individuals with a median age of 34.6 age the population grows by 2.27% in Springfield, Greene County, Missouri population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 2,035.49 residents per square mile of area (785.91/km²). There are average 2.09 people per household in the 68,983 households with an average household income of $34,209 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 8.90% of the available work force and has dropped -0.89% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 29.32%. The number of physicians in Springfield per 100,000 population = 331.2.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Springfield = 42 inches and the annual snowfall = 17.3 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 108. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 210. 89 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 22 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 34, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Springfield, Greene County, Missouri which are owned by the occupant = 49.30%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 35 years with median home cost = $98,210 and home appreciation of -0.64%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $7.37 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,191 per student. There are 18.3 students for each teacher in the school, 660 students for each Librarian and 344 students for each Counselor. 4.61% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 15.42% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 7.91% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).