15 Reasons To Drop Everything And Move To This One Missouri City

Rand McNally named Jefferson City the most beautiful small town in the United States, and it’s not hard to see why. The city has a lovely main street, terrific views of the Missouri River, and impressive historic architecture. In addition, the city is located in the center of the state surrounded by beautiful Missouri wine country.

It is the capital of the state and although relatively small with just 43,000 residents, it is actually the 15th largest city in the state. The Missouri state government is the largest employer in town and the unemployment rate is a respectable 4.7%. With a relatively low cost of living, high graduation rates, lots of local amenities and decent weather, Jefferson City is a great place to live overall.

*All statistics come from areavibes.com and bestplaces.net.

1. Beauty

Rand McNally named Jefferson City the most beautiful small town in America.

2. Architecture

Lohman Opera House

Governor's mansion.

The Truman Building.

3. Charming Downtown

High Street.

Main Street.

4. Museums and historical sites.

Learn about Missouri history at the Missouri State Museum, the Jefferson Landing Historic Site and the Museum of Missouri Military History.

5. Parks

Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry preserves around 1,400 acres of parkland, consisting of 10 major parks and eight neighborhood parks.

6. Shopping

Besides the Capital Mall, Jefferson City also offers local shops including antiques, boutiques, art galleries, and much more.

7. Low cost of living

Jefferson City’s cost of living is lower than Missouri’s average and 6.4% lower than the U.S. average.

8. Education

Jefferson City has 19 public schools and 10 private schools with a 14 to 1 student-teacher ratio. In addition, they have high graduation rates with 84.2% of people in Jefferson City having completed high school.

9. Low violent crime rate

Like many cities, Jefferson City has its struggles with crime. However, when it comes to violent crimes, Jefferson City has a crime rate that is 31% lower than the Missouri average, and 16% lower than the national average.

10. Sunny weather

Although the weather can change rapidly and is unpredictable, Jefferson city boasts an average summer temperature of a comfortable 76 degrees.

11. Outdoor recreation

Lake of the Ozarks State Park

Graham Cave State Park

Nearby water and state parks provide fun outdoor recreation. Two of the closest include the Lake of the Ozarks State Park located 40 miles south, and Graham Cave State Park, which is less than an hour northeast.

12. Job opportunities

The unemployment rate in Jefferson City is 4.70 percent, which is lower than the U.S. average of 6.30%, and the city’s biggest employer is the State of Missouri.

13. Location

Jefferson City is located in the center of the state, making access to other cities and towns convenient. For example, St. Louis is just 2 hours away, Kansas City is a little over two hours, and Branson is less than three hours away.

14. Hometown atmosphere

Jefferson City offers the best of small town living but still provides many of the amenities of a larger town.

15. Festivals and events

Events in Jefferson City include seasonal functions like Oktoberfest, Salute to America "A Capitol Celebration" on the 4th of July, Christmas celebrations and so much more going on throughout the year.

Here are some more great shots of Jefferson City...

St. Peter Catholic Church and School

Fountain near the Capitol Building.

Methodist Church

The Capitol Building at night.

View of the Capitol Building from Main Street.

There are so many reasons to love Jefferson City.  Even if a move there is not in the cards, it is definitely at least worth a visit.  What do you think?