Cost of living in West Plains 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 West Plains 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 West Plains is 81, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in West Plains is 0.8x lower than the national average.
West Plains ranks as the #9 cheapest in Missouri out of 142.
West Plains ranks as the #158 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in West Plains is $224,400.
The median income in West Plains is $39,897.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, West Plains has an overall cost of living index of 81, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Missouri, West Plains has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Missouri's index of 88.
The standard of living in West Plains ranks as #9 most affordable out of the 142 places we measured in Missouri. By definition, that implies West Plains ranks as the #133 most expensive place in the Show Me State.
For more reading on life in West Plains, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in West Plains. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in West Plains is 88.
The Groceries index in West Plains is 92.
The Health index in West Plains is 97.
The Housing index in West Plains is 58.
The Transportation index in West Plains is 92.
The Utilities index in West Plains is 81.
| Living Expense | West Plains | Missouri | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 81 | 88 | 100 | |
| Services | 88 | 93 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 92 | 96 | 100 | |
| Health | 97 | 91 | 100 | |
| Housing | 58 | 78 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 92 | 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 West Plains is $224,400.
The Median Rent in West Plains is $762.
The Median Income in West Plains is $39,897.
The Home Value To Income in West Plains is 5.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in West Plains is 0.23x.
| Statistic | West Plains | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $224,400 | $257,929 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $762 | $996 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $39,897 | $68,920 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.6x | 3.7x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.23x | 0.17x | 0.21x |
| Item | West Plains | Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.43 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.45 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $20.06 | $18 |
| Haircut | $20.9 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $43.4 | $45.56 |
| Item | West Plains | Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.93 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.37 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.65 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.78 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.93 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.53 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.69 | $3.7 |
| Item | West Plains | Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $87.72 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $89.65 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $114.22 | $113.29 |
| Item | West Plains | Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.49 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $45.32 | $59.92 |
| Item | West Plains | Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $193.72 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $200.43 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around West Plains. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Mountain Home, AR has a cost of living index of 85, 1.0x West Plains.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. West Plains |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Home, AR | 13,021 | 85 | 1.0x |