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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Missouri is a genuine bargain: 4 of the 4 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Springfield leads at an index of 71 with rent at just $1,209/month — 36% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Missouri is a genuine bargain: 4 of the 4 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Springfield leads at an index of 71 with rent at just $1,209/month — 36% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
At $1,209/month for rent and a cost index of 71, Springfield is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. Income is $45,984. It's fine. Not great, not bad.
The transportation sub-index is derived from overall cost of living with regional BLS price adjustments. A score of 94 (the top-10 average here) means transportation costs are about 6% below the national median. Springfield leads at 93, followed by St Louis (94) and Independence (94). Note: a low transportation index doesn't guarantee a low overall cost — check the full cost breakdown table below.
We ran the numbers three times. The result held every time: 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.
The same data, viewed through a different lens: Across Missouri, the average cost of living index is 77 — 34 points below the national median. Known for two major metros with small-city price tags, the state offers 4 tracked cities with median rents averaging $1,317/month. That's $578 less than the national average of $1,895. This is one of those rare cities where the math works from every angle.
Bottom line: Springfield leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers. There's an argument to be made — and I think the data supports it — that the cities getting all the attention right now are exactly the wrong places to move. The spotlight drives migration, migration drives demand, demand drives costs, and eventually the value proposition disappears. Meanwhile, cities like this one keep quietly being affordable, and the people who find them early are the ones who benefit most.
#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
112,544 residents · Missouri
Springfield comes in at #1. Rent is $1,209 a month. Household income is $45,984. The cost of living index is 71. That's about what we'd expect given the state context.
281,754 residents · Missouri
Why St Louis ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 77 on the cost index, residents save roughly 34% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,326/month while the median household pulls in $55,279/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 77, though Healthcare (95) lags behind. Home prices average $179,917 — $287,453 below the national median. Quietly competitive.
120,922 residents · Missouri
The #3 spot goes to Independence, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,313/month — saving renters $6,984 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 77, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 95. A 26% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
152,933 residents · Missouri
The #4 spot goes to Kansas, and the breakdown explains why. And with some exceptions, renters here pay $1,418/month — saving renters $5,724 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 83, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 97. A 25% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
| Rank | City | Transportation Index | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springfield | 93 | 71 | $1,209 | Details |
| 2 | St Louis | 94 | 77 | $1,326 | Details |
| 3 | Independence | 94 | 77 | $1,313 | Details |
| 4 | Kansas | 96 | 83 | $1,418 | Details |
Cities are ranked by their transportation cost sub-index within Missouri. Each sub-index is derived from the overall cost of living with regional adjustment factors. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Springfield ranks #1 in Missouri for this analysis with a cost index of 71 and median income of $45,984.
Springfield, MO has the lowest transportation index at 93, compared to the national average of 100.
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.