Seven and a half years ago, my husband and I relocated to Nixa after spending our entire lives in Fort Collins, Colorado. If you’re like most people I’ve met here, you’re probably asking yourself, “Why did you leave Colorado and those beautiful mountains?” There are plenty of reasons Nixa is a fantastic place to call home. Today, I’ll be touching on a few of them.

Known as the “crossroads,” Nixa is conveniently located between Springfield and Branson. With a population of 12,124 in 2000 (U.S. Census Bureau), the city grew at an astonishing 157.57 percent in ten short years. Nixa is the fasted growing city in Christian county, and is projected to have a population of over 20,000 by the 2010 census.

The residents of Nixa have an incredibly strong sense of community. You hear “keep it local” a lot in the community. Most of the locals make an effort to do business with Nixa shops as much as they can in order to help support their neighbors. Some even go so far as choosing their doctors and dentists locally too. Of course it’s nice not to have to drive to Springfield (though the commute time isn’t that long), but many make an extra effort to keep their dollars in the Nixa community. With Nixa’s pro- business mentality, the number of opportunities to stay in the city for daily needs continues to grow, along with the number of people that choose to call Nixa home.

There are a lot of opportunities for everyday citizens to be involved in community plans and decisions. The Chamber of Commerce has a long list of committees that you can participate in, covering everything from economic development to community events and supporting local athletes. Local decision makers strive to include the citizens of Nixa in planning the direction the community will take and provide a number of opportunities to share their opinion so that they can help make a difference. With a very active Chamber of Commerce and the commitment of local city officials to include the public in community planning, it really is possible for one voice to make a difference.

As the number of local businesses continues to grow, so does the variety of recreational opportunities. The Nixa community center provides a large variety of recreational activities with a great outdoor swimming pool, playground, Frisbee golf course, soccer fields, gymnasium, childcare, indoor track and fitness center, as well as a long list of Parks and Recreation classes. Nixa is also conveniently located very close to several access points along the James and Finley rivers for those who enjoy fishing, float trips and nature. For those seeking more recreation, TableRockLake, SilverDollar City and the Branson area, are just a short drive away.

Of course no article about Nixa would be complete without mentioning the AAA rated schools. “The district is widely considered one of the best in Missouri, receiving the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Distinction in Performance award for the each of the last five years and [district] Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) scores surpassed state averages in all 10 assessments” (wikipedia 2008). With nearly half of the district’s teachers holding a master’s degree, and averaging over 12 years teaching experience, the school district is committed to providing children with a quality education. With a new high school and several new elementary schools, the district continues to grow and strives to provide Nixa children with a high quality education.

Many residents enjoy the small town community spirit of Nixa and have access to a large variety of employment options because of Nixa’s location between Springfield and Branson. The Springfield area has often been referred to as the driving force of the state’s economy. The diversity of major area employers helps shelter the region from poor economic times, such as what we are experiencing currently. The Springfield Business and Development Corporation maintains a website dedicated to providing economic information about the City of Springfield and surrounding areas. As reported on their “Springfield Data Profile,” the Springfield region plays a significant role in the state’s economy. The city ranked within the Top 50 Metro areas in the United States for fastest growing economic output (GMP) and was number one in the state of Missouri. Additionally, employment growth in 2004 accounted for 1/3 of the total employment growth in the state. (Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, 2008). Another motivating factor in people’s decisions to relocate to the area is the cost of living. Springfield has ranked consistently 10 percent below the national average for cost of living. (Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, 2008).

There are many reasons Nixa is a choice community to call home. If you would like more information about the Nixa area, you may contact the Nixa Chamber of Commerce at (417) 725-1545 or www.nixachamber.com.

Sources:
Nixa Chamber of Commerce
Nixa Parks and Recreation
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000
www.Nixa.com
Wikipedia
Springfield Chamber of Commerce