Cost of living in Branson 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 Branson is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Missouri, 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 Branson is 91, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Branson is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Branson ranks as the #73 cheapest in Missouri out of 142.
Branson ranks as the #1,347 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Branson is $246,076.
The median income in Branson is $54,961.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Branson has an overall cost of living index of 91, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Missouri, Branson has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Missouri's index of 88.
The standard of living in Branson ranks as #73 most affordable out of the 142 places we measured in Missouri. By definition, that implies Branson ranks as the #69 most expensive place in the Show Me State.
For more reading on life in Branson, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Branson. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Branson is 91.
The Groceries index in Branson is 94.
The Health index in Branson is 94.
The Housing index in Branson is 91.
The Transportation index in Branson is 91.
The Utilities index in Branson is 81.
| Living Expense | Branson | Missouri | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 91 | 88 | 100 | |
| Services | 91 | 93 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 94 | 96 | 100 | |
| Health | 94 | 91 | 100 | |
| Housing | 91 | 78 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 91 | 90 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 81 | 99 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Missouri, 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 Branson is $246,076.
The Median Rent in Branson is $999.
The Median Income in Branson is $54,961.
The Home Value To Income in Branson is 4.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Branson is 0.22x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Branson. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Nixa, MO has a cost of living index of 89, 1.0x Branson.
Ozark, MO has a cost of living index of 88, 1.0x Branson.
Republic, MO has a cost of living index of 86, 0.9x Branson.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Branson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nixa, MO | 24,131 | 89 | 1.0x |
| Ozark, MO | 21,953 | 88 | 1.0x |
| Republic, MO | 19,233 | 86 | 0.9x |
| Harrison, AR | 13,217 | 86 | 0.9x |
| Monett, MO | 9,734 | 86 | 0.9x |
| Aurora, MO | 7,331 | 78 | 0.9x |
| Willard, MO | 6,418 | 88 | 1.0x |
| Battlefield, MO | 6,095 | 89 | 1.0x |
| Berryville, AR | 5,715 | 86 | 0.9x |