We moved to SW Missouri a little more than a year ago from California via a 7-year stop off first in Arizona. Long story short, Missouri has both states beat ... by a long shot. We love the area. We love the people. We love the relaxed attitude about recognizing personal freedoms. We love the lower gas prices and taxes. We love the gun-freedom. We love the emphasis during Christmas on Jesus Christ. Truth be told, the only thing we have found we don't like here is that Missouri is one of the states that has a personal property tax. I just can't get over the assault on my sense of private property. But, that's just me.
Like the previous commenter said, Missouri has several types of environment. Here in the Branson area it could hardly be compared to the big cities of St. Louis or Kansas City. Even going to the next-biggest city, Springfield, is like visiting a different state as far as we're concerned.
Many of the people here are what many would consider hillbillies, or rednecks. There is such a thing as "Missouri time" for hiring folks to get things done. But, in learning to adjust and fit in we have to realize that many of these folks have lived here for generations, and they have figured out the best way to do things considering the terrain and climate.
Driving around here is a completely different experience. Most of the country roads are narrow and have no shoulders. You go off the edge of the pavement and you're in a ditch or ravine. Period.
I don't know about the rest of Missouri, but around here we have two seasons. Tick and chigger season, and no ticks or chiggers season. Probably folks who live in town don't have to deal with it. But, it's a fact of life for us on our property, sometimes requiring three or more changes of clothes a day and a lot of time spent checking ourselves out in front of a mirror.
My final thought to share is that I say all the time that the worst day here beats the best days we have ever spent in California or Arizona.