Get out of the river bottom and look west of highway 79 and east of highway 61 to stay out of the tillable plains.

I didn't write anything about cheap property that way, just cheaper for the area.  In general the lowest cost property is found in large tracts of brush, and a little lower if it's hilly and rocky.

The trouble with the last part in an area where folks are moving in is that those properties can be subdivided into 3 to 5 acre home sites that sell from $20k to $55k per acre (depending on location).

I'll bet I can find tillable property up that direction for no more than $5k to $6k per acre.  If the cost needs to be less, move 30 mile's farther southwest.  If it needs to be higher to support the requirement for airport access, look south of 61 in St. Charles county or anywhere closer to Lambert for that matter.

Someone that wants much lower price can hunt in Jefferson or Washington counties, or Montgomery or Warren county.

Part of my point is that we don't really know the requirements, except for 80 acres and an airport tolerably close for several exotic vacations every year, so maybe a $10k per acre property is perfect.

My closest neighbor (about 100 yards away) has it and is constantly having trouble. They told him that he's the last one on the line, due to distance from the switch, and they can't do any better.

einnor1040 Posted: 2/3/2022 7:42:05 AM CST

Anyone have any info on western Iron County? Specifically around the Viburnum area. Found a house and some property that interests me. Looking for a retirement home so jobs and schools don't matter.
------------------------------------------
smullen Posted 2/3/2022 8:06:13 AM CST

I have a buddy that I think lives close to there, in Irondale...

Its a fairly nice area geographically..
Doesn't have high crime or a bad reputation to my knowledge.

Not alot around there retail wise, you'd probably drive to Park hills, Potosi, Farmington or Bonnetere for shopping and more restaurants...

The biggest negative will be the secret meth heads... Sadly, it seems like many small town have them.

Another reason I like to live outside of town

Less rules, regs and you can do/build whatever you want and no one will say shit or give you any static...

If you can, I'd drive around the area alot before you buy anything...

I'm about 45 mins SE of there just below Fredericktown, but above Cherokee Pass not far off 67...
But, im out far enough I can shoot in my back yard..
-------------------------------------------
Bladeswitcher Posted: 2/3/2022 8:20:04 AM CST

What do you want to know?

Beautiful area, but there's not much there (which may be what you're looking for). The western part of the county is mostly Mark Twain National Forest. You can probably count the paved roads in that part of the county on one hand. It's rough country, and a lot of rough people live there. Again, that may be just what you're looking for. If you want any sort of amenities or services, you're going to be driving. This is the kind of place you move to to get lost.

If you want to get some sense of what's beyond the blacktop, take a look at these photos from the 100-Acre Wood Rally race, which is held just west of the area you're talking about. This mostly takes place in the neighboring counties but the land and roads look just the same in western Iron county. And, yes, these are public roads:
(100 acre Wood Rally)
https://www.google.com/search?q=100+acre+wood+rally&client=firefox-b-1-d&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj6xLy53OP1AhV3JTQIHeIIAMYQ_AUoAHoECAEQCg&biw=1348&bih=693&dpr=1.82
-----------------------------------------------------
einnor1040 Posted: 2/3/2022 8:20:29 AM CST

The place I'm looking at is about 15 miles east of Viburnum. Away from everything. Is cell service and internet available in that area?
-------------------------------------------------------
Bladeswitcher Posted: 2/3/2022 8:28:57 AM CST

You might get lucky and get one or two bars on your phone if you're on a ridge.

Internet? . . .

ETA: Have you looked at Google Earth? That will tell you a lot about what to expect. I'm guessing right about
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7055001,-91.0416692,912m/data=!3m1!1e3
----------------------------------------------------
Bladeswitcher Posted: 2/3/2022 9:32:49 AM CST

There's some great scenery of the area in this video. Most of this was shot within about 40 miles (west and south) of where the OP is looking:
https://youtu.be/S149HBGqPko
----------------------------------------------------
GMG3TROUTT Posted: 2/3/2022 10:06:39 AM CST

The area up there is beautiful. For cell and internet we use T Mobile and other the cell coverage being spotty sometimes when you get down into low areas it's great. I pulled up a coverage map for Viburnum and it's there but it's spotty the further out you get from town, but that's due to terrain. The zip code is 65566. You should be able to find the place you're looking at on the coverage map.
https://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/coverage-map
------------------------------------------------------
AeroE Posted: 2/3/2022 11:06:01 AM CST

You'll feel at home if you're in eastern Tennessee now.

I don't expect cell service in rural Missouri unless I am in town, and maybe not then.  Rural internet service is spotty and slow.
--------------------------------------------------------
einnor1040 Posted: 2/3/2022 11:22:48 AM CST

According to that T mobile service map it has 4g service and internet is available thru Viasat.  If true, this is looking very good.

I know when we are around Eminence everyone is using AT&T cell service or some local company that uses the AT&T network.

Verizon is a no go.
----------------------------------------------------
JAD762 Posted: 2/3/2022 7:34:29 PM CST

It's a nice retirement area, I'd kind of want to retire in the area myself. I don't know about your age/health but you might want to check doctor/hospital availability.

I rarely have a problem with cell coverage, but others do. Like others have said, you're not getting awesome high speed Internet. Methbillys are a thing, but you just need to stay vigilant & you'll be fine.
------------------------------------------------------
GUNGUY148 Posted: 2/4/2022 6:00:59 AM CST

Beautiful area, not many people, much gov land, much land owned by the mines so there's plenty of trees.

Hwy 32 from Bixby to hwy A is a glorious stretch of pavement is you like curves. If you get car sickness the entire area will suck.

Bixby store has the best chicken strips I've ever ate.

Verizon has some service in that area, I've seen full bars and 4g in spots. Lots of dead area too though.
------------------------------------------------------
thorshammerblow Posted: 2/4/2022 6:52:59 AM CST

I looked at several plots of land in Iron county and for each one of them the mineral rights did not come with them.  The realtor I talked to said most properties outside of towns did not come with the rights.  So just check to be sure about that.

It is beautiful there, but that was a deal breaker for me-so I bought in Shannon County instead.
---------------------------------------------------
Bladeswitcher Posted: 2/4/2022 8:24:37 AM CST

You didn't say what you enjoy doing, but . . .

if you enjoy paddling/river recreation, you've come to the right place. You'd be within an hours drive of most of the best float streams in Missouri. If you're not familiar, the Ozark float trip is one of the biggest draws in the area. The rivers run clear and cool at about 2-3 miles per hour so you don't need to paddle much except for steering and negotiating obstacles. It's not really paddling, it's floating. Not whitewater, either. Just a relaxing day on the river. Perfect really . . . You don't need to own a canoe. THere are plenty of folks who will rent you a canoe and pick you up at your take out: https://missourifloating.com/
The many Ozark streams also provide lots of great fishing for smallmouth bass and trout. In fact, most of the trout fishing streams are close to where you're looking: trout fishing in Missouri

Hunting opportunities will be all around you in the National Forest, as well as several large state-managed Conservation areas.

It's also great country for horseback riding. There are some outfitters who cater to trail riding . . . Groups of folks on horseback who ride for miles and miles in the woods. The best known destination for this is in Emminence, which is just a little south of where you're looking: https://crosscountrytrailrides.com/

If off-roading is your thing, check out Flat Nasty off road park near Jadwin: https://www.facebook.com/flatnastyoffroadpark/

If music is more your thing, check out the fall concert series at Wildwood Springs Lodge. There's also regular bluegrass concerts at Meramec Music Theater. Both are in Steelville. There are also several bluegrass festivals in the area each year.

Fancy some wine? You'll have to drive a couple of hours, but there are some really good wineries all around you. Head north to Herman and Augusta to discover Missouri's incredible history of winemaking. Go west and north to check out St. James Winery and Peaceful Bend (both of those are less than an hour away). Head to the southeast for a bunch of wineries around St. Genevieve Missouri wine. Lots of opportunities for cool day trips.
---------------------------------------------------
einnor1040 Posted: 2/4/2022 12:12:25 PM CST

The wife and I grew up in Stoddard county in the bootheel.
I have floated the current river many times. I love the area. That is why we want to retire there. I love what the area has to offer.

we already have a trip planned in June to float and look at property.
---------------------------------------------------
@einnor1040 Please continue in this thread, so we can keep all of this info.

Small towns around Jefferson City have been getting fiber recently through Callabyte and Socket.

I had gigabit fiber installed at my house south of JC in early 2021 with static IP.  It’s $80 a month.