Springfield, Missouri

This article is about the city. For the metropolitan area, see Springfield metropolitan area, Missouri.

Springfield, Missouri
City
Hammons Field and Downtown Springfield
Wonders of Wildlife
Park Central Square
Commercial Street
Missouri State University
Pythian Castle
Flag of Springfield, Missouri
Flag
Official logo of Springfield, Missouri
Logo
Nickname(s): 
The "Queen City of the Ozarks"
"Birthplace of Route 66"
Map
Interactive map of Springfield
Coordinates: 37°12′55″N 93°17′54″W / 37.21528°N 93.29833°W / 37.21528; -93.29833[1]
Country United States
StateMissouri Missouri
CountiesGreene, Christian
Founded1834
Incorporated1838
Government
 • TypeCouncil–manager
 • MayorKen McClure
Area
[2]
 • City
83.70 sq mi (216.78 km2)
 • Land83.11 sq mi (215.26 km2)
 • Water0.59 sq mi (1.52 km2)
 • Metro
3,021 sq mi (7,824 km2)
Elevation
[1]
1,299 ft (396 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • City
169,176
 • Estimate 
(2023)
170,188
 • RankUS: 152nd
 • Density2,035.49/sq mi (785.91/km2)
 • Urban
282,651 (US: 143rd)[3]
 • Urban density2,104.1/sq mi (812.4/km2)
 • Metro
475,432 (US: 111th)
DemonymSpringfieldian
Time zoneUTC−6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP codes
65801-65810, 65814, 65817, 65890, 65897-65899
Area code417
FIPS code29-70000
GNIS feature ID0735864[1]
Websitespringfieldmo.gov

Springfield is the third most populous city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County.[4] The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 census.[5] It is the principal city of the Springfield metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 487,061 in 2022[6] and includes the counties of Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk, and Webster,[7] The city sits on the Springfield Plateau of the Ozarks, which ranges from nearly-level to rolling hills. Springfield is the second-largest urban area in the Ozarks.

Springfield's nicknames include "Queen City of the Ozarks" and "The Birthplace of Route 66".[8][9] The city has been called the "Buckle of the Bible Belt" due to its association with evangelical Christianity.[10][11] The city is the headquarters for Bass Pro Shops[12] and the adjoining Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium.[13] It is also home to O'Reilly Auto Parts, which began as a family business with 13 employees in 1957. Springfield is close to Wilson's Creek National Battlefield and is along the national historic Trail of Tears.[14] In 2020, Springfield's largest ethnicities were 87.6% White, 4% Black, and 5% two or more races,[15] placing it among the least diverse cities in the United States.[16] The city is a regional center of medical care, with the two largest hospitals, CoxHealth and Mercy, being the largest employers in the city.[17] Springfield hosts several universities and colleges, including Missouri State University, Drury University, and Evangel University. Springfield is an important regional center for distribution, logistics, and manufacturing.[18]

  1. ^ a b c "Springfield". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  3. ^ United States Census Bureau (December 29, 2022). "2020 Census Qualifying Urban Areas and Final Criteria Clarifications". Federal Register.
  4. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  6. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Dallas County, Missouri; Polk County, Missouri; Webster County, Missouri; Christian County, Missouri; Greene County, Missouri". www.census.gov. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  7. ^ "OMB Bulletin No. 18-04: Update of Statistical Area Definitions and Guidance on Their Uses" (PDF). United States Office of Management and Budget. September 14, 2018. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  8. ^ Springfield sits at the crossroads of history! Archived October 2, 2006, at archive.today, Springfield, Missouri, Convention & Visitors Bureau. Accessed June 13, 2007. "Officially recognized as the birthplace of Route 66, it was in Springfield on April 30, 1926, that officials first proposed the name of the new Chicago-to-Los Angeles highway."
  9. ^ Billings, Hank (June 4, 2007). "Historian puts date on origin of 'Queen City". Springfield News-Leader. Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2007. "Does Springfield's title as Queen City of the Ozarks go back to 1876?"
  10. ^ Brunn, Stanley D.; Webster, Gerald R.; Archer, J. Clark (2011). "The Bible Belt in a Changing South". Southeastern Geographer. 51 (4): 513–549. doi:10.1353/sgo.2011.0040. JSTOR 26228980. S2CID 129626842. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  11. ^ Embree, David. "The Ozarks: Buckle of the Bible Belt or Haven for Religious Diversity". Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  12. ^ Baskas, Harriet (September 30, 2017). "Bass Pro Shops just opened a mega wildlife attraction, and CNBC got a look inside". CNBC. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  13. ^ Sammuli, Allex (September 19, 2017). ""World's largest wildlife attraction" opens in Springfield, Missouri". St. Louis Magazine. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  14. ^ "Missouri (U.S. National Park Service)". United States National Park Service. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  15. ^ "Quick Facts: Springfield, Missouri". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  16. ^ SBJ Staff (February 11, 2020). "Springfield ranks poorly on list of diverse cities". Springfield Business Journal. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  17. ^ Partnership (SREP), Springfield Regional Economic. "Schools & Universities". Springfield Regional Economic Partnership. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  18. ^ "The Springfield Region". Missouri Partnership. Retrieved January 4, 2024.