Springfield, MO — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Missouri·Springfield

Greene County · Springfield · population 170,596

First-time buyers
Springfield, MO
Image: Wikipedia · Springfield, Missouri
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
69
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Springfield stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $245,279
1-year +2.1%
5-yr CAGR +6.8%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.2%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$245k$109k$158k$207k$255k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
40/100
Car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
30/100
Minimal transit
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
82/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,206/mo$852$1,065$1,278202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent139133100120140202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 17.0
Lean buy

At a 17.0 price-to-rent ratio, Springfield is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
60 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
73 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
49 · w16%
Rent YoY
68 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
79 · w10%
Long thesis

Springfield has held up across the cycle: home values at $245,279 with +6.8% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Springfield's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Springfield

Springfield is a city in Greene County, Missouri, with an estimated population of 170,596. The median home value in Springfield is $245,279 as of 2026-04, up 2.1% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.8% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Springfield average $1,206 per month, up 3.4% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 69 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Affordable AND rising: median home $245,279 with positive recent direction — rare combination most of the country can’t offer.
●Healthy 5-year run: +6.8% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +2.1% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Springfield (Wikipedia)

Springfield is the third most populous city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Springfield metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 487,061 in 2022 and includes the counties of Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk, and Webster. Springfield is the largest city in the Ozarks region, and sits on the Springfield Plateau, which ranges from nearly level to rolling hills.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorJeff Schrag
Area83.70 sq mi
Elevation1299 ft
Founded1834
Density2035.49/sq mi

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Greene County right now.

NWS active alerts (MO)Missouri Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Greene County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Springfield

35 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Spring Creek$409,223+1.9%
2Primrose$310,430+1.8%
3Southern Hills$295,101+4.0%
4Brentwood$285,613+1.6%
5Southside$276,201+1.3%
6Sequiota$273,037+1.5%
7Bradford Park$257,252-1.0%
8Sherwood$256,875+3.5%
9Kickapoo$255,240+1.2%
10Parkcrest$250,234+2.4%
11Delaware$242,928+3.2%
12Young Lilly$242,486+2.9%
13Downtown$241,729-2.5%
14Rountree$223,719-3.4%
15Phelps Grove$218,318-2.9%
16Mark Twain$213,644+1.7%
17Meador Park$212,803+1.4%
18Oak Grove$207,431+3.0%
19Seminole$202,395+1.8%
20Parkwood$193,688+4.8%
21Bingham$190,432+4.0%
22Fairfield Acres$182,589+0.2%
23Cooper Park$175,650+3.1%
24Fassnight$162,891-2.5%

See the full neighborhood ranking →

Cities like Springfield

Columbia, MO73 · RisingIndependence, MO69 · RisingJoplin, MO71 · RisingSt. Peters, MO71 · Rising

Run the numbers for Springfield

ToolCan I afford Springfield?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Springfield rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Springfield to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolSpringfield cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
39° / 22°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
88° / 67°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
211
~58% of year
Annual precip
42″ rain
16″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Very high
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
High
Flood
High

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Springfield listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Springfield area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
70%
Humid climate
Median household income
$65,900
Missouri state median
Top industries (state-level)
HealthcareManufacturingFinance

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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