Southwest Missouri

How exactly do you define “Southwest Missouri”? The definition is an arbitrary one for sure. The area I am considering as “Southwest Missouri” for this project is a 27 county area. Springfield is the “Hub” of the area, as it is the largest city in the region. The counties included are:

Barry -Cassville, Monett
Barton
Camden – Camdenton
Cedar
Christian – Nixa, Ozark
Dade
Dallas
Douglas
Greene – Central, Christian Schools of Springfield, Glendale, Greenwood, Hillcrest, Kickapoo, Logan-Rogersville, New Covenant Academy, Parkview, Republic, Springfield Catholic, Willard
Hickory – Skyline
Howell – Liberty (Mtn. View), West Plains
Jasper – Carl Junction, Carthage, College Heights, Joplin, McAuley Catholic, Thomas Jefferson, Webb City
Laclede – Lebanon
Lawrence – Aurora
McDonald
Newton – Neosho
Ozark
Phelps – Rolla, St. James
Polk – Bolivar, Humansville, Marion C. Early, Pleasant Hope
Pulaski – Crocker, Dixon, Laquey, Richland, Waynesville
St. Clair
Stone
Taney – Branson
Texas
Vernon
Webster – Marshfield
Wright