Rich in history, culture and diversity.
Life is good in Joplin!

With a population of more than 47,000, Joplin still has a “hometown” feel of safe, pleasant, residential areas, friendly people and neighborhood schools. Thanks to a market area of nearly 500,000 people though, Joplin offers a wide variety of shopping, medical care, services and job opportunities typically found in much larger cities. Yes, the secret's out: the Joplin area is a wonderful place to work and live!

The cost of living in Joplin is highly competitive. In fact, the American Chamber of Commerce Research Association Cost of Living Index repeatedly places Joplin's cost of living at nearly twelve percent below the national average, assuring Joplin's role as a community with the lowest cost of living metropolitan area in Missouri and on of the lowest cost metro areas in the country.

When potential new businesses look at our area they see a market area population of nearly 500,000, with more than $2 billion in retail sales. Those factors, along with low taxes and a rapidly growing population have helped spur unprecedented retail and restaurant growth in past five years. Other companies take notice of our diverse economic base that includes medical, retail, transportation and manufacturing opportunities and they see a cooperative community ready to join in partnership for mutual growth.

The City of Joplin seeks out and supports this growth through an Enterprise Zone that allows for 100% abatement on new construction. It also grants extensive tax credits for new employment. The City also has revenue bond capacity and often makes grants to projects fitting specific targeted business sectors. The State of Missouri also offers a number of incentives that are appealing to new employers coming into the area, including the new Quality Jobs act which was, in large part, written by Joplin's state legislators and the Joplin Chamber.

This generally pro-business attitude in the general population is reflected on the City Council. The majority of Council members are business people and that 'business majority' has existed for more than twenty years. Our county government is also pro-business.

There's a saying that goes “life is what you make it.” In Joplin, we make it great!

AREA ATTRACTIONS AND FESTIVALS
Discover Joplin

To truly experience Joplin you must attend one of the City's many festivals and celebrations. It is there that the community comes together to relax and share resources for living and enjoying life in, the Four States. Enjoy music and games at the "Boomtown Days", where you can have an ice cream sundae served by a member of the City Council or participate in the 5k/10k fun run. The sanctioned BBQ cook-off is one of the best around, filling the air with the sweet aroma of BBQ. Other activities to enjoy are the car and motorcycle show, the flower and garden displays, and crafts and artisan booths. This festival is sponsored by the City of Joplin, The Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce, Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau, Main Street Joplin and area businesses.

The Independence Day celebration at Landreth Park encourages participants to bring their blanket and picnic basket and enjoy the fun and festivities by attending the fireworks display as well as the evening community concert.

Other annual events include the Heartland Doll Show and Sale, the Northpark Mall's Halloween extravaganza, the Christmas parade through historic downtown Joplin and the Living Christmas Tree produced by Ozark Christian College. The popular AirFest delights crowds with nationally known air pilots and entertainers.

Keep your eyes open at any of these events because you will most likely meet Joplin's mascot, Boomer. He is a testament to the mining heritage of the area and has entertained children and adults alike with his antics. Boomer digs Joplin!

Lifting Kids Up is a hot air balloon extravaganza sponsored by the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Jasper & Newton Counties. This event brings 15-20 hot air balloons to the Joplin skies the last weekend of August at the MSSU athletic field and features morning and evening launches, even a majestic balloon glow.

Take a trip down memory lane with a drive along historic Route 66 which once linked Chicago to Los Angeles and passes through the center of Joplin. History accompanies beautiful scenery as visitors travel the miles through Joplin and the surrounding area.

A trip to Joplin is not complete without a visit to the Joplin Museum Complex. Located within Shifferdecker Park, the Complex is comprised of the Dorothea B. Hoover Historical Museum and the Everett J. Richie Tri-State Mineral Museum. It holds mineral and historical displays of the area's rich mining days and includes models of mining equipment used here in Joplin's earliest days. More than a million dollars worth of ore and iron deposits are housed in the facility along with a fascinating display of our history.

You will find a diverse selection of performances at area colleges and universities, as well as concerts provided by the Joplin Sweet Adelines and various barbershop quartets. ProMusica sponsors performances by internationally known classical trios and symphonies, which come to Joplin for public concerts and to teach masters classes in the schools.

The Joplin Little Theatre, the oldest continuous community theatre west of the Mississippi, and the Stained Glass Theatre West are host to theatrical performances where local residents volunteer to learn lines, practice dance steps and create scenery to entertain the community.

The Spiva Center for the Arts is a regional gallery which features a wide variety of art produced by area artists as well as nationally known artists and traveling exhibits. Instructional art classes are offered for area children and adults.

The Joplin Public Library houses an extensive collection of more than 10,000 items in print and electronic format. The Post Memorial Arts Reference Library is a privately-endowed art history library that features European art and antiques.

The local universities and colleges offer many regular events, concerts and performances. The surrounding communities offer excellent experiences in history such as the nearby George Washington Carver National Monument, the Precious Moments Chapel and Fountain of Angels, the Battle of Carthage Historical site and the Webb City Praying Hands monument.

GROWING COMMUNITY
An Overview of Economic Growth

Joplin stands strong with a business foundation that is comprised of a skilled labor force, easy transportation access, reasonable operating costs and local government that is pro-business. These assets are what assure a strong economic development plan gets successful results.

With a daytime population of nearly 235,000 people, Joplin is a magnet for the surrounding area. About 62% of the available labor pool in the area has at least some college experience and almost 93% of potential employees have a high school diploma. Many have technical skill training beyond high school. Open to new possibilities, nearly 90% of workers say they are willing to work outside of their primary field of employment for the right opportunities.

To match the skills and talents of the workforce and to determine a targeted approach to future growth, the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce recently commissioned a study by Taimerica Management Company. The study results identified four business sectors to target as a way of expanding the area's already diversified economic base. These sectors are: distributions centers, administrative office operations, commercial machinery repair and custom computer programming. These sectors join Joplin's commitment to its existing firms in food processing, fabricated metals and transportation equipment, plastics and packaging technologies and retail.

What makes Joplin so attractive for new businesses as well as our existing firms? According to Taimerica's survey of sixty-five area companies, key factors include major transportation access; a skilled, available and willing workforce; low operating costs and taxes and a quality of living that comes from being a hub city in a market of nearly 500,000.

While looking toward the future, Joplin continues to honor its history. In early 2005, City Hall relocated to the newly restored Newman Building. Built in 1910, the Newman Building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. The new City Hall is also home to an original mural by Americana artist Thomas Hart Benton. Benton, a Joplin area native, made the mural to celebrate the city's centennial in 1973. Completely restored, the mural is a focal point of the lobby in the Newman building.

An ambitious Downtown revitalization plan is underway, in response to results of a 2003 Citizens' Survey that indicated 74% of the citizens said we need to revitalize downtown. The Sunshine Lamp District between 1st and 10th streets will see extensive restoration in the coming two years. The sunshine lamp was the name given to the attachments to the miner's caps that burned lard oil and kerosene. This downtown district will pay homage to Joplin's history as a leader in the mining industry in the 19th and early 20th centuries. .

The Downtown area is becoming a Lifestyle Center that highlights the charm and uniqueness of downtown. Streetscaping, historical streetlights, benches and trash receptacles and brick pavers along sidewalk edges are all intended improvements to downtown Main Street. A blend of niche commercial offerings, restaurants, entertainment venues, professional office space and residences are all a part of the plan.

Grants to refurbish building facades are available from the City of Joplin. These grants will pay for up to 50% of façade restoration costs. In addition, the Joplin Capital Corporation, an affiliate of the Chamber, will make loans for interior renovation.

Downtown Joplin is not the only growth exploding onto the city scene. Constructed last year, North Park Crossing and the Academy Sports Equipment center were two developments that totaled nearly $60 million. These two centers anchor increased retail and restaurant development in their areas. Both were done with the assistance of the City of Joplin. In all, construction in Joplin was more than $120 million last year

Inspiring innovation and job creation is the focus of the new Joseph Newman Business and Technology Innovation Center. Designed as a business incubator for technology-based businesses such as software development, research labs and product development, the Newman Center supports the entrepreneurial spirit while creating new jobs, emphasizing the development of new products and services and expanding the local tax base. The restoration of this historic building is part of the overall downtown revitalization plan. The Center is a joint project of the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber Foundation and MASTAlliance.

It's not just new business contributing to Joplin's successful growth; long term business residents are experiencing a growth opportunities as well. Major employers in Joplin include Freeman Health System; St. John's Regional Medical Center; Contract Freighters, Inc.; EaglePicher Technologies, LLC; General Mills Bakeries & Foodservice; FAG Bearing Corporation; Aegis Communications and Able Manufacturing & Assembly, LLC.

It's easy to see how Joplin's pleasing environment, diverse business opportunities and resources, affordable housing, a quality school district, varied entertainment options, a committed city government and a capable labor force all combine to make our community a good place to live, work and play.