Jefferson City vs Springfield
Jefferson City, Missouri versus Springfield, Missouri: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Jefferson City and Springfield score about the same overall (49 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Jefferson City | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $64k | $43k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $43k |
| Home Value | $189k | $146k |
| Monthly Rent | $740 | $878 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.92% | 0.84% |
| Income Tax | 4.80% | 4.80% |
| Sales Tax | 8.39% | 8.39% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.32% | 10.40% |
| Unemployment | 2.9% | 4.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 33°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.7 in | 46.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.9 in | 13.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 243 days | 252 days |
| Summer Humidity | 67°F | 67°F |
| Comfortable Days | 67 days | 73 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 80.2 | 44.2 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 44.9 | 63.1 |
| Violent Crime | 1363/100k | 3362/100k |
| Property Crime | 1858/100k | 4926/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 42,644 | 168,873 |
| Median Age | 38.5 | 33.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.42 | 0.25 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.06 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | R+35 | R+21 |
| White (%) | 72.1% | 84.1% |
| Black (%) | 18.2% | 4.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.3% | 4.6% |
| Asian (%) | 2.6% | 1.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 16 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 9.6/20 | 9.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 98 mi | 159 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 82.5% | 78.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 21.10 | 24.87 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Jefferson City or Springfield more affordable?
- Springfield has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Jefferson City's $44k and Springfield's $43k. Median rent is $740 in Jefferson City versus $878 in Springfield.
- Is Jefferson City or Springfield safer?
- Jefferson City has the lower violent crime rate. Jefferson City reports 1363/100k and Springfield reports 3362/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Jefferson City or Springfield?
- The median home value is $189k in Jefferson City and $146k in Springfield, so homes are more affordable in Springfield.