The birthplace of Route 66 is known as the Queen City of the Ozarks. The city surrounded by lakes and caves appeals to fishermen and spelunkers, as it does to country-music lovers, college students and ball fans. (Springfield’s Double-A affiliate belongs to Major League Baseball’s St. Louis Cardinals.) Engineering, health care and IT are among the top industries and together powered Springfield to a #17 finish in our Prosperity category: consider, for example, O’Reilly Auto Parts, which employs nearly 4,000 people. Where Springfield truly shines is in Programming (#15). It ranked #13 in Restaurants, with more than 1,000 to choose from. Wineries, craft breweries and microdistilleries are joining the indie food and beverage scene. Springfield performed well for Nightlife (#17), with everything from art walks to comedy clubs available to residents and visitors. Draws such as the Route 66 Car Museum and the certified haunted Pythian Castle helped earn it a #4 spot in Attractions and an overall Product ranking of #14. In 2019, the city announced the development of a comprehensive plan to set a sharp vision for its future—its first such initiative since 1998.