Joplin, MO, Is Perfect for Families
What’s more important than spending time with loved ones? Residents of Joplin, MO, know that living in this midsize community allows them to enjoy a slower pace of life while having access to plenty of amenities. In other words, Joplin, MO, is perfect for families. Read on to hear from a few locals who can’t get enough of this southwest Missouri community.
Families Love Joplin, MO’s, Amenities and Affordability
Imagine a place where kids have a sense of freedom and spend long summer days outdoors with friends. A fairytale nowadays? Nope, this still exists in Joplin, according to busy mom Kayela Horn.
“We’ve been blessed to live in wonderful neighborhoods,” Horn says. “We’ve gotten to know and befriend our neighbors. The kids take over the neighborhood in the summer and spend so much time playing up and down the street.”
Horn works as an associate pastor at Saint Paul’s United Methodist Church. She admits that she pictured herself as more of a big-city person and thought she might settle down in a more populous community. But she, along with her husband, a fellow Missouri Southern State University graduate, and their four kids, has grown to love Joplin.
The affordability aspect of living in Joplin is a lure to keep her family here.
“If our home was in a bigger community, it would cost twice as much,” Horn says. “The biggest thing for us is the cost of living.”
The median home value in Joplin is just over $189,000 (Zillow, April 2024), about 78% of the Missouri average.
In addition to its fabulous cost of living, Horn’s family enjoys Joplin’s many outdoor amenities, such as walks at Wildcat Glades or Mercy Park.
“I love to hike and walk with the kids, and my husband enjoys fishing,” Horn says. “There are great places to enjoy all of our outdoor activities right here in town as well as right down the road going in any direction.”
Joplin, MO, Boasts Activities and Adventures
Aside from visiting parks, Horn’s kids stay busy participating in AAU sports or city sports leagues, and they are active in local theater.
“All the kids have found what they love here,” she says.
Speaking of things kids love, Joplin is a paradise for those with a sweet tooth. From cookie shops to “cakeries,” family-friendly businesses are a hit with her kids.
“Joplin is full of wonderful local businesses,” Horn says. “The local business scene is one of my favorite parts of Joplin.”
If families get an itch to experience more than what Joplin offers, more adventures can be found just a short drive away.
Family daytrips could include art museums or concerts in Kansas City or Tulsa or shopping and amusement park stops in Branson.
“We are a short car ride away from an adventure-filled day, while living in a city where the cost of living is lower than the places we like to visit,” Horn says.
Families Plant Roots in Joplin, MO
Tylan Harris arrived in Joplin on a football scholarship to Missouri Southern State University and soon realized it was a friendly community.
“Joplin is very welcoming no matter what part of the world you come from,” Harris says. “If you want to thrive, there is a place for you in Joplin.”
He realized after college that Joplin was the perfect community to call home.
“I stayed here because of the relationships and connections that I had made here in Joplin as well as the resources and cost of living,” Harris says. “There are ample amounts of opportunity for growth in many areas and occupations.”
Harris is impacting the next generation of Joplin as assistant principal at Irving Elementary School after starting as a fifth-grade teacher in the school district. He and his wife started a family in Joplin, welcoming a daughter in 2023.
Growing up in a smaller town in Texas, Joplin was a bigger community than what he was used to. Still, Joplin has that small-town community feel he was accustomed to back in his hometown.
“I still felt that small-town connection. It’s a tightknit community,” he says.
His family loves to take out the stroller and experience city parks in Joplin. Mercy Park is among their favorites, as they can soak in the Sculpture Garden, which showcases many beautiful pieces of art along a walking path.
“They have them lit up during Christmas, and it’s just gorgeous,” Harris says.
When it’s time to fuel up as a family, they enjoy Hackett Hot Wings, Trackside Burgers & BBQ or Downtown Burgers. For a city the size of Joplin, there is quite a selection of dining options, he says.
“They have a lot of variety in Joplin, with everything from Mexican to Italian to Tex-Mex and burger places,” he says.
Overall, Joplin is the perfect fit for Harris and his family.
“The education system here is making huge growth, the cost of living is good, and it’s the central hub for bigger cities, which opens doors for new opportunities,” he says.
This article is sponsored by Choose Joplin, which is actively supported by the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Joplin.
