7 Reasons to Live in Joplin, MO
Everyone has a list – be it on paper or tucked away in a brain cell – of the attributes their ideal community possesses. Joplin, MO, checks many people’s boxes and offers additional amenities (the icing on the cake, if you will). Read on to learn about just seven reasons you need to live in Joplin, MO.
In This Article
1. Community Events
Joplin hosts several festivals and events throughout the year. Resident Chandler Grace loves Porchfest, an annual fall event where residents offer their porches to musicians playing live music. Over 40 acts perform a variety of genres.
“If you find an act that’s not quite your taste, you just walk a block over and find another little concert,” says Grace, an account manager for an IT service provider. “With food trucks and vendors, it’s like a farmers market meets a music festival. It’s probably my favorite event in Joplin.”
Speaking of farmers markets, the Joplin Empire Market is a Saturday must-do for cookbook author and freelance writer Kimberly Zerkel. This year-round indoor market offers farm-fresh produce, handcrafted products and local gourmet foods. For those who live in Joplin, MO, it’s the perfect Saturday tradition.
“Live music, along with all the vendors, makes it a great atmosphere and fun place to go,” Zerkel says.
Both Grace and Zerkel enjoy Third Thursday, where thousands of people gather on Main Street every third Thursday from March through October to hear live music, eat, drink and enjoy local artisans.
“It’s some of the best visibility in Joplin for all kinds of businesses,” Grace says.
2. Arts Scene
“There’s a thriving arts scene here, and the hub of that community is the Cornell Complex,” Zerkel says. A visual and performing arts center, the Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex houses Connect2Culture, a nonprofit for the performing arts, and Spiva Center for the Arts, which includes exhibits, a reference library, classes, camps and more.
A Connect2Culture season ticket holder, Zerkel says she loves the variety of offerings, from ballet, music, plays, comedy and everything in between.
“They’ve had Grammy-winning performers, and they also have great children’s programming with plays and concerts for kids,” Zerkel says.
3. Higher Education
A native of Joplin, Zerkel considered colleges elsewhere, but she won a scholarship to study French at Missouri Southern State University.
“At Missouri Southern, I got personalized attention before making the huge jump to study abroad in Orléans, France, my junior year of college,” Zerkel says. “That experience opened the door for my move to France after graduation, where I lived for over 10 years.”
Local higher education institutions attract those who live in Joplin, MO, as well as those from outside the city and state. In fact, some students who relocate to Joplin for college choose to stay there to start their careers.
Thanks to his former position at the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce, Grace toured the Kansas City University (KCU) College of Dental Medicine in Joplin several times.
“It’s bringing people here who would never have come to this area,” Grace says. “I think KCU’s dental school will be one of the most transformational things for Joplin over the next 15 years.”
4. Entrepreneurial Resources
Zerkel and her fiancée, Anthony Monteleone, plan to open a French-inspired restaurant and wine bar in late 2025.
“The Downtown Joplin Alliance has been a really big driving force, encouraging us and helping us,” Zerkel says.
And because rent for commercial space is a fraction of what it would be in large cities, starting a business in Joplin is feasible.
“If you’ve got the itch to open a small business, the risk is a little lower here because the costs for rent and everything else are more approachable,” Zerkel says.
To help entrepreneurs start strong, the Joseph Newman Innovation Center offers coworking spaces and private offices. The business incubator is located next door to the chamber of commerce, which offers multiple resources for small businesses.
“Some of these resources are far superior to what I’ve seen at other chambers across the country,” Grace says. “Our chamber is the hub if you want to meet other businesses or get information on how to get going.”
5. Community Involvement
Volunteering helps community organizations, and it is often rewarding for the volunteers themselves.
“Even though I grew up here, I’d been gone so long I had to kind of rebuild my community,” Zerkel says. “And I rebuilt it through volunteering.”
If you’re not quite ready to jump in with both feet, start with a shift with the Downtown Joplin Alliance’s clean-up crew, Zerkel says.
If you’re ready to dive in, consider the nonprofit One Joplin.
“I’m on the literacy committee,” says Grace, who is also a former teacher. “They also have health and poverty teams to address other challenges. One Joplin is trying to make the city a better place to live, make Joplin healthier and more educated, and reduce the level of poverty throughout our community.”
6. Outdoor Recreation
Many people who live in Joplin, MO, love to get outside, including Zerkel. She loves to walk, and her fiancé is an avid cyclist. They enjoy pursuits on the Frisco Greenway Trail, a 3.5-mile rails-to-trails corridor.
“I walk my dog there, too, and I love to ride bikes all the way up to Webb City,” Zerkel says.
Grace appreciates the ranger-led presentations at Wildcat Glade Natural Area, an area of chert glade habitat that exists only in southern Missouri.
“There are some beautiful hiking trails there,” Grace says.
He fishes at Shoal Creek and praises the many possible activities, from nature programs to wildlife watching.
“It’s just a nice body of water,” he says.
7. Day Trips
Those who live in Joplin, MO, love that they can make quick trips to major metropolitan areas.
“For us, that’s Kansas City,” Zerkel says. “It’s a two-hour drive and is full of restaurants, wine bars, breweries, great shopping and a thriving arts district. Kansas City is my big-city fix.”
As for everyday life, Zerkel is glad to have returned to her roots.
“I wanted to be a homeowner; I wanted to have a family; I wanted to start a business; I wanted to be free to travel; and I wanted to have an impact directly on where I live,” Zerkel says of her decision to move back to Joplin. “You can have a few of those things in other places, but this is the place where I found I could have it all.”
This article is sponsored by Choose Joplin, which is actively supported by the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Joplin.