Carthage, MO Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Carthage, MO Summary

Cost of living in Carthage 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 Carthage 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 Carthage is 81, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Carthage ranks as the #9 cheapest in Missouri out of 142.

  • Carthage ranks as the #158 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Carthage is $234,283.

  • The median income in Carthage is $50,849.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
81
Carthage's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Carthage, MO?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Carthage has an overall cost of living index of 81, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Missouri, Carthage has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Missouri's index of 88.

The standard of living in Carthage ranks as #9 most affordable out of the 142 places we measured in Missouri. By definition, that implies Carthage ranks as the #133 most expensive place in the Show Me State.

For more reading on life in Carthage, check out:

9 out of 142
In Missouri
158 out of 6,489
In America

Carthage Cost Of Living Vs. Missouri

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

  • The Services index in Carthage is 92.

  • The Groceries index in Carthage is 94.

  • The Health index in Carthage is 91.

  • The Housing index in Carthage is 57.

  • The Transportation index in Carthage is 91.

  • The Utilities index in Carthage is 107.

Living Expense Carthage Missouri National Average
Overall 81 88 100
Services 92 93 100
Groceries 94 96 100
Health 91 91 100
Housing 57 78 100
Transportation 91 90 100
Utilities 107 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around Missouri, check out:
Carthage Cost of Living Vs. MO

Carthage, MO Housing Cost Breakdown

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 Carthage is $234,283.

  • The Median Rent in Carthage is $897.

  • The Median Income in Carthage is $50,849.

  • The Home Value To Income in Carthage is 4.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Carthage is 0.21x.

Statistic Carthage Missouri United States
Median Home Value $234,283 $257,929 $303,400
Median Rent $897 $996 $1,348
Median Income $50,849 $68,920 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.6x 3.7x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.17x 0.21x
$234,283
Median Home Value
$897
Median Rent
$50,849
Median Income

Carthage, MO Costs By Category

Detailed Carthage Services Costs Vs. Missouri

Item Carthage Missouri
Shampoo $1.04 $1.28
Movie $13.01 $12.13
Bowling $10.0 $18
Haircut $21.83 $24.26
Beauty Salon $40.0 $45.56

Detailed Carthage Groceries Costs Vs. Missouri

Item Carthage Missouri
Ground Beef $5.78 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.38 $1.57
Milk $4.48 $4.67
Potatoes $4.78 $4.93
Pizza $10.46 $12.09
Beer $9.4 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.77 $3.7

Detailed Carthage Health Costs Vs. Missouri

Item Carthage Missouri
Optometrist $98.94 $125.68
Doctor $140.26 $135.78
Dentist $93.33 $113.29

Detailed Carthage Transportation Costs Vs. Missouri

Item Carthage Missouri
Gasoline $3.11 $3.46
Tire Balancing $59.12 $59.92

Detailed Carthage Utilities Costs Vs. Missouri

Item Carthage Missouri
All Electricity $218.93 $193.99
Phone $196.63 $192.25

Carthage SnackAbility

3
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
5
Affordability
8
Diversity
8.5
Safety
4
Amenities
8
Education
5
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Carthage

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Carthage. 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 Carthage.

  • Neosho, MO has a cost of living index of 85, 1.0x Carthage.

  • Monett, MO has a cost of living index of 86, 1.1x Carthage.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Carthage
Joplin, MO 52,218 88 1.1x
Neosho, MO 12,857 85 1.0x
Monett, MO 9,734 86 1.1x
Carl Junction, MO 8,257 95 1.2x
Aurora, MO 7,331 78 1.0x
Grove, OK 7,101 92 1.1x

Articles About Missouri

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