Missouri
Report: Missouri ranks #7 for cost of living, Cape Girardeau most-expensive among metros
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMOV) — The second quarter data tracking a U.S. cost of living index found that Missouri is the 7th most affordable state.
The index tracks data on the average costs of groceries, housing, utilities, transportation, health and other factors. Generally, the nation’s most expensive areas were Hawaii, Alaska, the Northeast, and the West Coast. The Midwest and Southern states tended to be more affordable.
“The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center derives the cost of living index for each state by averaging the indices of participating cities and metropolitan areas in that state,” the MERIC website describes.
Of those metropolitan areas, not St. Louis or Kansas City, but Cape Girardeau was identified as the most expensive in terms of the cost of living. Kansas City was second most expensive – and St. Louis actually came is as more affordable than the statewide figure.
The most affordable metro in Missouri is Joplin – followed by Springfield.
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