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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 4 of 4 cities in Missouri beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Springfield stands out at 71 on the index, with rent of $1,209/month and household income of $45,984. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
The numbers are clear: 4 of 4 cities in Missouri beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Springfield stands out at 71 on the index, with rent of $1,209/month and household income of $45,984. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
Rent data is sourced from Zillow's Observed Rent Index (ZORI), which tracks the median rent across all active listings — not just new leases. This gives a more representative and stable signal than asking prices alone. Springfield: $1,209/mo, Independence: $1,313/mo, St Louis: $1,326/mo. The cheapest city here is $686 under the national median — that's $8,232/year in savings on rent alone.
The #1 spot goes to Springfield, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,209/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — — saving renters $8,232 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 71, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 94. The 32% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended. Honestly, this is the kind of city that makes you wonder why more people aren't paying attention. The numbers are right there — rent that doesn't eat your paycheck, costs that actually leave room for a life. And yet it barely shows up in the national conversation about affordable places to live. Maybe that's a good thing. Maybe that's what keeps it affordable.
It checks most boxes — but the healthcare costs are the asterisk. In Springfield, the healthcare index sits at 94 — not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing about.
If you've ever wondered why some 'cheap' cities don't feel cheap, this explains it: Springfield rent up 3% over the past year. Rent in #1-ranked Springfield has increased from $1,177 to $1,209/mo over the past 12 months — a 3% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time. That's a difference you notice every single month. A real contender.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: Springfield — cost index 71, rent $1,209/mo, income $45,984
Springfield rent up 3% over the past year
4 of 4 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springfield | 71 | $1,209 | Details |
| 2 | Independence | 77 | $1,313 | Details |
| 3 | St Louis | 77 | $1,326 | Details |
| 4 | Kansas | 83 | $1,418 | Details |
112,544 residents · Missouri
Springfield is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $1,209/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 71. Income sits at $45,984. It lines up with what you'd expect (that's pre-tax, of course).
120,922 residents · Missouri
Independence earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 77 cost index sits 34 points below the national baseline, and the $59,480 — for better or worse — median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $203,383 — $263,987 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 77, while Healthcare trails at 95.
281,754 residents · Missouri
St Louis earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 77 cost index sits 34 points below the national baseline, and the $55,279 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $179,917 — $287,453 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 77, while Healthcare trails at 95.
152,933 residents · Missouri
Kansas is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $1,418/month — though some people might weigh that differently — , which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 83. Income sits at $67,449. That's more or less in line with the region.
Springfield ranks #1 in Missouri for this analysis with a cost index of 71 and median income of $45,984.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Springfield (ranked #1) has a cost index of 71 and rent of $1,209/mo, while Kansas (ranked #4) has a cost index of 83 and rent of $1,418/mo — a 12-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Springfield is $1,209/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $686 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Springfield is $238,992, which is 5.2× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
Missouri has a 4.8% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.335%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.88%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.