Miller is a friendly town of around 800 people in the heart of Southwest Missouri.
Set among rolling hills, the area is very pretty. It's a transitional area between Ozark and prairie landscapes, so you'll see a little bit of both.
With easy access and a 35 minute commute to the western edge of Springfield, Miller is a good choice for people who want to live in a quiet atmosphere without being too far from city amenities.
Getting Around:
Miller is in the northern part of Lawrence County, about 11 miles from Interstate 44. Access to the town is very good with an exit from I-44 at Mt. Vernon and an easy drive north on State Highway 39.
The Lay of the Land:
The town itself is on gently sloped ground. Out to the east, you'll find some pretty serious hills, great fun to drive. In the other three directions, the terrain is still rolling, but not steep. You can find a wooded, hilly spot to tuck a homestead, good pasture for cattle, flat land for crops, or just a place with a pretty view to build a new home.
Miller is also less than 30 miles from 25,000 acre Stockton Lake, one of Missouri's loveliest lakes. Stockton Lake is uncrowded and you can catch some walleye, camp, swim, sail and enjoy the state park.
Real Estate:
Real estate prices are very reasonable. A couple of recent sales examples in Miller include:
- A 3 bedroom 1.5 bath older ranch in good shape but not updated sold for just over $50,000.
- A 42-acre mostly wooded plot with an old farmhouse needing a lot of work was sold in the $120s.
Sales of acreage have widely varying prices depending on usability, improvements, etc.
If you're interested in Miller real estate, just give me a call at 417-316-1326 or drop me a line at judithr@jtreppert.com. I'll be glad to help you.
What's In Town?
The largest local store is Hunt's Hardware...nice folks. They have most everything you might need. If there's something missing, they're happy to order it. They don't carry lumber, so you'll need to go down to Barton's in Mt. Vernon for that. Hunt's also houses Cooper's Gun Shop for your hunting & outdoor supplies.
Mingles Café and Maggie Mae's Tea Room serve up tasty full meals. Suzy Q's is a good place to stop for a malt and a burger. For those who must have their pizza fix, the local convenience store does deliver pizza on weekends!
The Miller School District draws its students from a broad area of Lawrence County, with a total of about 550 students in grades K-12 attending school in town. Lots of great progress going on here, including a new elementary school being built, with construction expected to be complete in the first half of 2009.
DSL internet service is available through the Miller Telephone Company, a definite plus!
Sun Security Bank, a southern Missouri regional bank, has a branch in Miller.
A variety of other enterprises include beauty parlors, propane service, a library, post office, well drilling service, trailer manufacturing, gas station and convenience store.
You'll also find a variety of churches in Miller. I will not name any lest I miss one, but church activities are a big part of life in the area.
What's Not in Town?
The closest grocery stores are in Mt. Vernon. They have a Summer Fresh, which is a local chain, and a discount ALPS grocery. If you need something truly exotic you may have to order it, but the basics are definitely covered.
Wal-Mart shoppers will find stores in Monett and Aurora, both just over 20 miles away. Monett also has a Lowes. The closest malls are in Springfield and Joplin.
There are no doctors, clinics or hospitals in Miller. For medical services, you'll need to go to Mt. Vernon. The closest hospital is St. John's Hospital in Aurora.
Jobs are few right in town. You may need to commute to Springfield, Mt. Vernon or another town to work. Local jobs are concentrated in agriculture, transportation, health care, small-scale manufacturing, and service/retail.
The Final Summary
Overall, it's a quiet, pretty country town, with friendly people and good real estate prices. It's far enough out to be true country, but within an hour of a good-sized city. I like it!
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