Joplin, MO Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Joplin, MO Summary

Cost of living in Joplin 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 Joplin 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 Joplin is 88, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Joplin is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Joplin ranks as the #54 cheapest in Missouri out of 142.

  • Joplin ranks as the #912 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Joplin is $201,245.

  • The median income in Joplin is $51,154.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
88
Joplin's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Joplin, MO?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Joplin has an overall cost of living index of 88, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Missouri, Joplin has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Missouri's index of 88.

The standard of living in Joplin ranks as #54 most affordable out of the 142 places we measured in Missouri. By definition, that implies Joplin ranks as the #88 most expensive place in the Show Me State.

For more reading on life in Joplin, check out:

54 out of 142
In Missouri
912 out of 6,489
In America

Joplin Cost Of Living Vs. Missouri

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

  • The Services index in Joplin is 92.

  • The Groceries index in Joplin is 94.

  • The Health index in Joplin is 89.

  • The Housing index in Joplin is 71.

  • The Transportation index in Joplin is 92.

  • The Utilities index in Joplin is 107.

Living Expense Joplin Missouri National Average
Overall 88 88 100
Services 92 93 100
Groceries 94 96 100
Health 89 91 100
Housing 71 78 100
Transportation 92 90 100
Utilities 107 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around Missouri, check out:
Joplin Cost of Living Vs. MO

Joplin, 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 Joplin is $201,245.

  • The Median Rent in Joplin is $889.

  • The Median Income in Joplin is $51,154.

  • The Home Value To Income in Joplin is 3.9x.

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

Statistic Joplin Missouri United States
Median Home Value $201,245 $257,929 $303,400
Median Rent $889 $996 $1,348
Median Income $51,154 $68,920 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.9x 3.7x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.17x 0.21x
$201,245
Median Home Value
$889
Median Rent
$51,154
Median Income

Joplin, MO Costs By Category

Detailed Joplin Services Costs Vs. Missouri

Item Joplin 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 Joplin Groceries Costs Vs. Missouri

Item Joplin 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 Joplin Health Costs Vs. Missouri

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

Detailed Joplin Transportation Costs Vs. Missouri

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

Detailed Joplin Utilities Costs Vs. Missouri

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

Joplin SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
6
Affordability
7
Diversity
8
Safety
3
Amenities
8.5
Education
7
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Joplin

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

  • Carthage, MO has a cost of living index of 81, 0.9x Joplin.

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

  • Carl Junction, MO has a cost of living index of 95, 1.1x Joplin.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Joplin
Carthage, MO 15,513 81 0.9x
Neosho, MO 12,857 85 1.0x
Carl Junction, MO 8,257 95 1.1x

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