An up-and-coming region with roots in the past and an eye toward the future.Springfield is a highly developed medical community with a total of six hospitals: Cox North Hospital, Cox Medical Center South and Meyer Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Hospital; Mercy; Ozarks Community Hospital; and Lakeland Regional. More than 800 physicians practice in Springfield and represent all major specialties and sub-specialties.CoxHealth is a referral base for all of southwest Missouri.Springfield is a regional retail, educational and medical center for all of southwest Missouri and northern Arkansas, with more than 420,000 people in the metropolitan statistical area.Our community is located on Interstate 44 midway between St. Louis and Tulsa, and three hours south of Kansas City. It's served by four airlines with nonstop service to 11 cities.Springfield is within an hour and a half of more than 75 percent of the waterways in Missouri. Water-skiing, floating and fishing are just a few of the fun activities you may enjoy on the many lakes, rivers and streams.Branson, less than an hour away, is home to numerous country music theaters, family attractions and factory outlets. Do you love the arts? You'll find much to enjoy here, with the Springfield Symphony, Little Theatre, Springfield Regional Opera, Ballet, Art Museum and Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts, as well as concerts, plays and speakers at the local universities. Sports enthusiasts can enjoy the action of the Missouri State University Bears, Drury University Panthers and Evangel University Crusaders sports teams, as well as the Springfield Cardinals Double A minor league baseball team and the Springfield Lasers tennis team.The area offers dining and entertainment at a number of restaurants, offering a wide variety of cuisine to satisfy every palate. There are live music shows both in Springfield and nearby Branson, and movie theaters throughout the city.There are several opportunities for higher education located in Springfield, including Baptist Bible College, Drury University, Evangel University, Missouri State University and Ozarks Technical Community College. College of the Ozarks is located just south of Branson in Point Lookout.According to recent data from the Missouri Department of Economic Development, Springfield offers one of the lowest costs of living in Missouri.