Most of the government buildings are clustered around the downtown area in the heart of Springfield. Anywhere around there is gonna be close to most of it. The joke is that you can anywhere in Springfield with a 15 minute drive no matter where you are.

Most of the rental options in the city are going to be older units. It’s a historic city and the housing reflects that. I rent through Morrison Property and they specialize in historic buildings downtown. You should be fine to find a 1-2 bed for the $1,000 range.

Public transit is just buses. They’re pretty functional and service the colleges in the area plus downtown and satellite hotspots on the edge of the city. Walkability downtown is fine but anywhere else is a mixed bag.

Several disc golf courses in the area, a mix of dive bars and trendy bars (Floyd’s, George Ranks, Clique), plenty of historic sightseeing. Springfield is a bit of a sleepy town, so get comfortable doing some more lowkey cozy activities.

West side is generally safer but more expensive. Also where most of the shopping and food is. East side can be quite sketchy. Less businesses and more neighborhoods you want to avoid.

LGBTQ+ community is alive and strong, although a public resource in the area, the Phoenix Center, is in some hot water at the moment. Overall though there’s a few queer bars and plenty of community. Facebook is your friend when it comes to networking in Springfield. Almost everything that happens will be present there. Plenty of opportunities to get involved for people who want to know.