I would look at Clinton Missouri. My wife worked at the hospital there and gives it good marks. Taxes are typically lower in Missouri. Housing is reasonably priced. Truman Lake has aged but is still a great fishing spot. Some of the Kansas lakes mentioned are not far away and Stockton and Pomdeterre are just to the South. Bennett springs trout park is an easy drive. There is a four lane highway to Kansas City and Springfield is about as easy to get to. You can jump over to I-49 just to the West to get to Tulsa.
The people are Ozarky but friendly and not living in another century. If I was younger I would probably go for the real Ozarks South of the lake but I have made too many trips to the emergency room in the last few years to find the isolated life appealing.