Springfield, Virginia and Springfield, Missouri share the same name, but they don’t share much else.
18 October 2019
In this edition of VitaMins, we explore the differences using Club Vita's US longevity map.
The maps below highlight the differences in life expectancy across different census block groups in the two Springfields. The color scale goes from the longest lived bright green areas through to the shortest lived bright pink areas. As we can see from the maps below, Springfield, Virginia is mostly made up of green areas compared to Springfield, Missouri, which is largely made up of pink areas.
Springfield, Missouri, founded in 1835, is a large city (population 159k in 2010) situated on the famous Route 66. The city is known as the "Pulse of the Ozarks" and has a vibrant calendar of festivals and events. It is the metro hub of southwest Missouri with a local economy based on health care, manufacturing, retail and tourism.
Springfield, Virginia, founded only a little later in 1847, is a much smaller, but more densely populated town (population 30k in 2010), situated on the interchange of I-95, I-395 and the Capital Beltway. There is a commercial hub on the interchange, otherwise the town is largely residential, with many residents commuting to nearby Washington DC.
| Springfield Virginia | Springfield Missouri |
| Founded: 1847 | Founded: 1835 |
| Population: 30,484 (2010) | Population: 159,498 (2010) |
| Population density: 3,870 per square mile | Population density: 1,952 per square mile |
| 33% of households have children under 18 | 23% of households have children under 18 |
| Median household income: $93k | Median household income: $33k |
| Median house price: $446k | Median house price: $175k |
| Virginia has the 26th highest life expectancy in the US | Missouri has the 39th highest life expectancy in the US |
Sources: 2010 US census, The Human Mortality Database and http://www.city-data.com/
It’s also worth noting that, even though Springfield Virginia has a generally ‘greener’ map, there are still some pink areas of town. Similarly, there is also a green block in Springfield Missouri. Diversity is all around us.
Why not check out your local area using Club Vita’s US longevity map: https://maps.clubvita.us/