How is MO???

Come to Kansas City!!

You are only three hours away from the true Ozarks Mountains and rivers in Arkansas, housing here is awesome, 3000 square feet for about 325,000, good schools in Johnson County, Kansas that borders the Missouri line, a booming downtown district (H & R Block are sinking millions into its renovations), culture, great restaurants, with minimal traffic jams. My husband is from LA and he wouldn't move back there if you paid him. It is unbelievable how cheap it is out here and there are awesome hospitals. For an RN with 10 years experience, you would probably start out around here between 25.00 to 30.00/hour unless you had a managerial position, (75,000), or worked for an agency (40.00) per hour. We have a new cardiology research center going in at the University of Kansas Hospital, awesome pediatrics hospital. For all you St. Louisians, I don't know how you do it, that city is just way to big for my own taste and it is so spread out, and you do have traffic jams, I know, I have sat in them before for two hours. Kansas City is awesome because your only 9 hours from Denver and the mountains if you want to change your scenery a bit, or you could go into the Flint Hills of Kansas and see amazing western landscapes and prairies. I just have to brag about this place, I wouldn't live anywhere else!

Good luck to you!

Rhiannon

FYI, there IS a California, MO.....a Nevada, Louisiana, AND a Mexico, too.

Suebird

Sounds like Springfield is the city for you. From anywhere in springfield, 15 minutes to the rural areas, lakes, rivers, etc. I have lived close to springfield for several years and think it is great. I have also lived in St Louis over 20 years and it is good for big city and lots of good facilities there to work for. Good luck

I agree with you, in California there are too many people chasing the same thing... I appreciate your comments!

I have more questions: since there was a recent storm in Missouri, there is such a thing like a "tornado alley" in Missouri? What would be a city where there is more than one hospital and no sprawling? More rural feel, less Walmarts and chain stores. I have nothing against them but I do feel there is a direct relationship betwen the megastores and less local business. And one more thing, how humid is in the summer there? There are any areas that are cool (temperature wise)? I know, too many questions and I can find some of these answers on other sites also but I want a "nurse" oppinion... you know, 12 hours of night shift, driving home in traffic, etc.

I have to throw in my 2-cents' worth! I grew up in Illinois, just across the river from Missouri and then lived in St. Louis for 10 years from the age of 22 to 32.

St. Louis is great for culture and the arts. The Fox Theatre, the Muny, Riverport Ampitheater, Powell Symphony Hall, Sheldon Concert Hall, and many other places for live theatre and music. Plenty of Museums, the science center, and historical attractions and many of them free.

For outdoors, you have Forest Park with the outstanding St. Louis Zoo, Six-Flags is nearby, plus Grant's Farm... so much to do!

Plus: quaint neighborhoods, historic districts, art-house type movie theaters, several parades & festivals throughout the year... I could go on, but you get the picture.

It's definately a place to consider moving to.

I agree with you, in California there are too many people chasing the same thing... I appreciate your comments!

I have more questions: since there was a recent storm in Missouri, there is such a thing like a "tornado alley" in Missouri? What would be a city where there is more than one hospital and no sprawling? More rural feel, less Walmarts and chain stores. I have nothing against them but I do feel there is a direct relationship betwen the megastores and less local business. And one more thing, how humid is in the summer there? There are any areas that are cool (temperature wise)? I know, too many questions and I can find some of these answers on other sites also but I want a "nurse" oppinion... you know, 12 hours of night shift, driving home in traffic, etc.

We live just outside of St. Louis, and not being a native, I am not familiar with a lot of areas outside of this region....but I'll answer what I can:

I'm not aware of a "tornado alley"....we've been here 13 years, and I think we saw something more like a funnel cloud one time...we've talked to people who were born and raised here who have never seen nor experienced tornadoes...given my choice between a tornado with some slight warning and the "Big One" (or little ones) with no warning, I feel a LOT safer here!! The storms are actually sometimes fascinating...growing up in So. CA, I had never seen such fantastic lightening storms....they're awesome unless you happen to lose electricity during one!! Especially in the warmer months!!

Humidity is horrible here, particularly for a CA/AZ girl who was used to so little and doesn't love the heat anyway...it's my least favorite time of year...don't know if or where you can get away from it here....

As for your question about a city....we like St. Louis and there are many lovely surrounding areas....something you might look in to is the Columbia, MO area....Univ. of Missouri - Columbia (Mizzou) is there and my son is a freshman there...my husband and I were blown away by the area and the college....it is more of what I picture a "college town" to be like...tons of little restaurants and shops right off campus, plus lots of cultural activities because of the campus -- concerts, etc. It's about 90 minutes east to St. Louis from there, and probably a bit farther than that going west to Kansas...sort of mid-state off of Highway 70....I don't know how many hospitals they have out there, but there appears to be a lovely complex very near to Mizzou, which has a nursing program at the least...they may have other medical programs, but I haven't looked that closely....

Check them out: www.mizzou.edu for more info on the school and surroundings...as far as temps, I do know we're in the mid-60's today and they slightly cooler, but I don't think there's a big difference in the summer....

Good luck!

I plotted into Google Earth the hospitals in MO and I can see that next to the University Hospital, thare are two other hospitals; Children's, and a VA. Anyway, the whole area is soooo green. Does it snows in the winter there or is dry and cold? I appreciate your comments so far, thank you!

Yes, it does snow here. However, it's not an abundance of snowfall. We really haven't gotten a lot of snow in the past few years - the last big snowfall I remember was in 2000, where most areas got 12+ inches. I LOVED it! It's not like Colorado, but there's snow. And it's not cool anywhere in the summer. Sorry!!!

We have the occasional tornado, but most of the time it's just heavy rain, thunderstorms, high winds, and hail. I've lived in this area my whole life and can only remember a handful of tornados. Trees were uprooted and some damage to homes, but nothing like what you see on TV happening in Tornado Alley.

As far as rural areas that don't have megastores and sprawl, good luck! Maybe try St. Charles? I live in Jefferson County and while we are rural, we are definitely a victim of sprawl.

I plotted into Google Earth the hospitals in MO and I can see that next to the University Hospital, thare are two other hospitals; Children's, and a VA. Anyway, the whole area is soooo green. Does it snows in the winter there or is dry and cold? I appreciate your comments so far, thank you!

We just got back from spending the night in Columbia for a Mizzou Family Weekend activity...I saw at least 4 fairly large hospital complexes within a very short distance of the campus....Boone, a Children's, and now I forget what others....looks like there's some options....and may be more in surrounding regions...I haven't been much farther than right near the college...of which there is also Stephens College for Women, and maybe others; I'm not sure.

Yes, it snows in the winter...areas north get more snow than we do here in the St. Louis region.....someone once commented that the storms during the winter seem to hit Kansas City, then miss us, or vice versa...I don't know how true that is....

I had a friend from the New York area who had transplanted and she hated the fact that we get the rather cold winters (probably 30's average with temps both above and below that off and on), but often didn't have the snow....seems like the past couple of seasons have been rather dry...I love the snow being from CA, it's such a novelty even after 13 years....but the roads here are clear often before you even think of heading out on them and usually they anticipate the bad storms and lay salt down ahead of time...driving isn't usually an issue except when there's ice or idiots on the road....like CA!!! The fall and springs are absolutely gorgeous....I had never seen hillsides full of trees turning colors except in pictures and to see everything in bloom during the spring is an unbelievable thing to witness...

While there are probably many lovely places in MO to live, I will also point out that I believe Columbia has come up on the "Top XXX Number" of best places to live in the U.S....I think it's college town status has something to do with that as well as their reasonable cost-of-living...just something to consider....I also think Kansas City is pretty cool and beautiful (and closer to Denver if you're in to skiing or the winter sports), and it also has many wonderful suburbs as does St. Louis....

Good luck whatever you choose!!

Hello! I've lived in Missouri all of my life and it's a truly great place whereever you decide. You might consider Columbia MO. Right on I-70 between St Louis and KC. Close to the Lake of the Ozarks too, so it's not a far drive to anywhere in the state. It's a moderate sized city with a rural feel. Great Mizzou (University of MO) Go Tigers! University of MO hospital, Boone Hospital Center, and VA. Great Dialysis center with the most friendly (and fun) group of nurses ever. Come for a visit and give it real consideration before you decide. I know you'll love it. And we would love to have you here.

Hello! I've lived in Missouri all of my life and it's a truly great place whereever you decide. You might consider Columbia MO. Right on I-70 between St Louis and KC. Close to the Lake of the Ozarks too, so it's not a far drive to anywhere in the state. It's a moderate sized city with a rural feel. Great Mizzou (University of MO) Go Tigers! University of MO hospital, Boone Hospital Center, and VA. Great Dialysis center with the most friendly (and fun) group of nurses ever. Come for a visit and give it real consideration before you decide. I know you'll love it. And we would love to have you here.

Now there's a sales job if I ever heard one!! :) I was really impressed with Columbia on the few trips we've made there however..and being centrally located is definately is a plus!!

And if I EVER manage to get through NS (having my doubts 7 weeks in to this!), I may even investigate that offer (if I have any brain cells left)!!!

Coming into this late, but I wanted to second the recommendations for Columbia. I went to nursing school there, and would move back in a heartbeat (my husband tells me he MUST be in St. Louis for his job...blah blah blah). There are multiple hospitals (University, Boone, Columbia Regional, the VA) in the immediate area, then you have Jefferson City (the capital) 30 minutes south which has 2 hospitals and Moberly 30 minutes to the north which has 1 hospital (Moberly is definitely rural). University hospital is the only level 1 hospital between KC and STL, so we got some great traumas. Also, University Hospital has a helicopter service (Staff for Life) on premises.

Lots of green space and trails. Truly some of the best park areas and trails I've ever been on - went hiking nearly every week while I lived there! 30 minutes west is the Mo river. The mayor of Columbia has been on a big push for several years to make the city more bike/pedestrian friendly. The Katy trail runs straight through Columbia too.

The town is a little more liberal than the rest of the state (good or bad depending on your personal views). Lots of good nightlife-bars, clubs, and restaurants. We got plenty of good concerts, and the Mizzou sports are a lot of fun.

Obviously, you're in the middle of MO, so you will get the hot summers and cold winters. But, if you move here, you'll get that no matter what (the extreme southern part of the state tends to be a little bit warmer). My experience in Columbia was good with regards to the street cleanup after snowstorms though.

There are several WalMarts, but there are also LOTS of family/personally owned businesses.

My recommendation? There are a TON of just barely outlying areas to Columbia where you can get acreage and a nice house, have less than a 15-20 minute commute to the hospital, and never even look at a walmart!

Good lord, can you tell I want to move back there? My sister is at MU now, and she "lets" me visit all the time!! In fact, heading down in a few weeks for a football game!!

Good luck!

PS-I live outside of St. Louis now, and like this area - we're southwest in the country, and I get to one of the level one hospitals in less than 30 minutes. I just liked Columbia more!