Parsons, KS Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Parsons, KS Summary

Cost of living in Parsons research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Parsons is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Kansas, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Parsons is 79, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Parsons is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Parsons ranks as the #4 cheapest in Kansas out of 64.

  • Parsons ranks as the #76 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Parsons is $77,650.

  • The median income in Parsons is $50,838.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
79
Parsons's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Parsons, KS?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Parsons has an overall cost of living index of 79, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Kansas, Parsons has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Kansas's index of 87.

The standard of living in Parsons ranks as #4 most affordable out of the 64 places we measured in Kansas. By definition, that implies Parsons ranks as the #60 most expensive place in the Sunflower State.

For more reading on life in Parsons, check out:

4 out of 64
In Kansas
76 out of 6,489
In America

Parsons Cost Of Living Vs. Kansas

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Parsons. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Parsons is 87.

  • The Groceries index in Parsons is 93.

  • The Health index in Parsons is 87.

  • The Housing index in Parsons is 47.

  • The Transportation index in Parsons is 87.

  • The Utilities index in Parsons is 106.

Living Expense Parsons Kansas National Average
Overall 79 87 100
Services 87 93 100
Groceries 93 98 100
Health 87 98 100
Housing 47 78 100
Transportation 87 88 100
Utilities 106 109 100
For more reading on cost of living around Kansas, check out:
Parsons Cost of Living Vs. KS

Parsons, KS Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Kansas, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Parsons is $77,650.

  • The Median Rent in Parsons is $743.

  • The Median Income in Parsons is $50,838.

  • The Home Value To Income in Parsons is 1.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Parsons is 0.18x.

Statistic Parsons Kansas United States
Median Home Value $77,650 $239,913 $303,400
Median Rent $743 $1,029 $1,348
Median Income $50,838 $72,639 $78,538
Home Value To Income 1.5x 3.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.17x 0.21x
$77,650
Median Home Value
$743
Median Rent
$50,838
Median Income

Parsons, KS Costs By Category

Detailed Parsons Services Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Parsons Kansas
Shampoo $1.08 $1.28
Movie $6.46 $12.13
Bowling $10.0 $18
Haircut $15.67 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.0 $45.56

Detailed Parsons Groceries Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Parsons Kansas
Ground Beef $6.33 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.36 $1.57
Milk $4.53 $4.67
Potatoes $4.87 $4.93
Pizza $12.4 $12.09
Beer $9.69 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.8 $3.7

Detailed Parsons Health Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Parsons Kansas
Optometrist $83.0 $125.68
Doctor $105.0 $135.78
Dentist $90.33 $113.29

Detailed Parsons Transportation Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Parsons Kansas
Gasoline $3.12 $3.46
Tire Balancing $50.34 $59.92

Detailed Parsons Utilities Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Parsons Kansas
All Electricity $202.28 $193.99
Phone $201.39 $192.25

Parsons SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
4
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
8
Safety
3
Amenities
8
Education
6
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Parsons

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Parsons. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Joplin, MO has a cost of living index of 88, 1.1x Parsons.

  • Miami, OK has a cost of living index of 83, 1.1x Parsons.

  • Independence, KS has a cost of living index of 80, 1.0x Parsons.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Parsons
Joplin, MO 52,218 88 1.1x
Miami, OK 12,960 83 1.1x
Independence, KS 8,469 80 1.0x
Carl Junction, MO 8,257 95 1.2x
Iola, KS 5,368 80 1.0x
Vinita, OK 5,229 83 1.1x

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