7 Best Small Towns In Missouri For Retirees
The state of Missouri offers a great deal for people thinking of retiring or who have retired already. With four-season weather and a long list of cultural and natural points of interest, the state provides plenty of stimulation or peace, depending on what the senior-aged person may be looking for. From majestic rivers to well-manicured urban parks, and from early settlements to the architectural gems that Missouri-made fortunes have funded, the retiree — whether their interests lie in culture and history or the great American outdoors — should see Missouri as an attractive place to spend their post-career years. The state offers retirement options for all interests, budgets, and healthcare needs.
Boonville
Boonville, population 7,700, is a petite and picturesque place in central Missouri. Its position between St. Louis and Kansas City makes it easily accessible from those two large transportation hubs, an important fact for retirees expecting visits from out-of-town families. History buffs will appreciate that the town played host to one of the earliest skirmishes in the US Civil War. The town's more modern features, including numerous parks and a section along the Missouri River, make for great places to get fresh air and stay active, whether with friends or alone. The town offers various locations for assisted and senior-focused living at various price levels, from the Riverdell Care Center nursing home to Ashley Manor in the southern part of town. Boonville's hospitals and specialty care options for Alzheimer's cases make the town a smart choice for seniors at all levels of health.
Neosho
Neosho, with 13,000 residents, offers charm and history for the retirement-minded person. The town, like elsewhere in the state's Ozarks region, has a number of its buildings included on the National Register of Historic Places. For local history and a fascinating place to visit, Neosho offers the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery, a grounds that has served as a final resting place since 1855 and includes at least one veteran of the US Civil War. Despite its modest size, Neosho caters to a variety of senior needs across three assisted living centers, including Oak Pointe of Neosho and Gran Villas Neosho. For light recreation in a small-town setting, green spaces like Big Spring Park and the Bicentennial Conservation Area provide four-season opportunities to stay healthy and take along visiting loved ones.
Ste. Genevieve
Ste. Genevieve, named after the patron saint of France, reflects its roots well and should delight those seniors who want a place with history and beauty alike. First settled by French-Canadian immigrants as early as 1735, the town is Missouri's first permanent settlement by Europeans. It lies along the Mississippi River, which separates it from the state of Illinois across the water. Sainte Genevieve offers a charming downtown; the delightful Hawn State Park nearby is one of Missouri's loveliest landscapes. The town provides a long menu of senior-focused care options, from nursing and assisted-living homes to subsidized and low-income alternatives.
Kimberling City
Kimberling City, with a modest 2,400 inhabitants, lies near Boonville and offers a quiet, naturally beautiful alternative for one's retirement years. Seated in Missouri's southwest corner, a short way from the Arkansas border, the town has been celebrated as a gateway to the Ozark mountain and natural areas. The town itself lies near Table Rock Lake, with marinas dotting the area, enabling boat rentals and easy access to the lake's waters for fishing and other pastimes. The Ozark Mountain Highroad will delight visiting children and grandchildren with spectacular views. The town likewise has a more affordable cost of living than Missouri's large cities. Kimberling City offers Tablerock Healthcare, a nursing home facility, while nearby Branson offers other healthcare sites within easy reach.
Poplar Bluff
Poplar Bluff, population 16,200, sits in Missouri's southeast and provides another entry point to the broader Ozarks region. With more than a dozen senior care facilities, according to SeniorHousingNet.com, the town is a well-established magnet for retirees and older generations. The town lies within an area known locally as Three Rivers, so named for the Current, Black, and St. Francis rivers that flow close to one another. For active seniors, Big Spring, one of Missouri's first state parks, is a natural draw. Poplar Bluff's Amtrak train station facilitates visits from friends and family traveling in to see those who may not be able to travel themselves.
Carthage
The town of Carthage, with 15,500 residents, offers a genteel small-town square and abundant Victorian and other historic architecture. Another site of Civil War fighting, the town later benefited from rail-related economic growth and the good fortunes that ensued. Local limestone was quarried in the late 1800s and then processed to achieve what is known locally as "Carthage Marble," a look and heritage that should delight retirees who appreciate the location's cultural past. The Jasper County Courthouse in downtown Carthage offers a well-celebrated example of the local stone. The town's place along the famous Route 66 brings visitors from around the world and should interest seniors and their family members of all ages. For seniors requiring any level of care, Carthage has more than two dozen senior facilities in town or in the nearby town of Joplin.
Overland
The northern St. Louis suburb of Overland, population 15,600, offers big-city attractions yet remains affordable for seniors on fixed incomes or other modest means. The Boarding Inn provides the town's main assisted-living services, but nearby care facilities, from independent living to more intensive hospice options, number more than twenty, according to the SeniorHousingNet online database. Given the town's nearness to St. Louis, air, rail, and road transportation links abound, making a visit in, or a quick escape away, equally viable for out-of-town family and their active senior-age relatives. Fun fact: the Build-a-Bear company is headquartered in Overland, and visiting grandkids can assemble their own stuffed animal at Build-a-Bear locations across St. Louis.
Missouri, A Natural Choice
Given all that Missouri has to offer, the state should rank high on the lists of all kinds of different retirees. Even those who have stopped working yet should know just how much the state has to offer in their post-career lives, from abundant natural areas to the fascinating history, culture, and architecture that give the "Show Me State" so much to put on display. Whatever the budget and no matter the healthcare needs of a given senior, Missouri has many retirees well taken care of. The small towns above show that Missouri should only continue its tradition as a retirement destination into the future.
