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Missouri

R+19  ·  Moderate tax burden  ·  COL index 86

B

4.7%

Income Tax

581

Violent Crime / 100K

75.3

Life Expectancy

$240K

Median Home

$1,050

Childcare / Mo

State Profile

46/100
255075100TAXES65SAFETY31HEALTH14SCHOOLS35AFFORDABLE88LONGEVITY44

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Taxes

Income Tax

4.7% top

Property Tax

~$2,112/yr on median home

0.88% / yr

Sales Tax

8.33% avg

Social Security

Taxed

Pension / IRA

Partial

Estate Tax

None

Inheritance Tax

None

Capital Gains

Taxed as income

Housing & Cost of Living

Cost of Living Index

National avg = 100

86

Median Home Price

$240,000

Median Rent (2BR)

$1,100/mo

Home Insurance

Near national avg (~$1,900/yr)

$2,200/yr

Flood Insurance

$700/yr

Homestead Exemption

Home equity protected from creditors

Unlimited

Asset Protection

Strong

Crime & Safety

Violent Crime Rate

Well above national avg

581 / 100K

Property Crime Rate

Near national avg

2,695 / 100K

Traffic Fatality Rate

14.7 / 100K

Healthcare

State Healthcare Rank

Bottom tier

#43 of 50

Life Expectancy

75.3 yrs

Medicaid Expansion

Expanded

Uninsured Rate

8.2%

Education

K-12 Quality Rank

#33 of 50

School Choice / Vouchers

Not Available

Childcare

Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)

$1,050/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

Avg Monthly Energy Bill

$130/mo

Avg Monthly Groceries

2-person household, moderate spending

$430/mo

Road Quality Rank

#23 of 50

Airports & Travel

Nonstop Destinations

From state's primary airport

95+ routes

Major Hub Airport

Top-25 US airport by passengers

Yes

Culture & Lifestyle

Urban Population

Mix of urban and rural

70% urban

Restaurant Density

430/100K

Religious Congregations

240/100K

Pro Sports Teams

NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS

5 teams

Major Venues

Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)

6 venues

Craft Breweries

2.7/100K residents — Solid scene

165 breweries

Craft Distilleries

Strong spirits scene

50 distilleries

Live Music

Kansas City jazz and BBQ; St. Louis heritage (Chuck Berry); Boulevard Brewing nationally known

Strong

Transportation

Car Insurance (Avg Annual)

$1,770

Traffic Fatality Rate

14.7 / 100K

Broadband Access

82% of households

Social & Legal

Abortion Access

Near-total ban; trigger law took effect after Dobbs

Banned

LGBTQ+ Protections

Hostile

Marijuana

Recreational

Minimum Wage

$12.3/hr

Right to Work

Yes

Sports Betting

Legal

Casino Gambling

Commercial casinos

Online Gambling

Illegal

State Lottery

13 riverboat casinos. Sports betting passed via ballot measure in 2022, launched 2023.

Yes

Age of Consent

17

Sex Education

No state sex ed mandate

Abstinence-only

Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs

Rebel Ridge Resort · Lake Lucerne Sun Club · Mid America Nudist Club

Clubs only

Environment & Climate

Air Quality (Annual AQI)

Near national avg

38

Natural Disaster Risk

High

Primary Hazards

tornadofloodice-storm

Politics & Gun Laws

2024 Presidential Vote

R+19

Gun Laws

Gun ControlF
2A LibertyA+

Carry Permit

No permit required

Purchase Permit Required

No

Gambling

Legal

Hunting & Outdoors

Public Land8% of state
Resident Deer License$19
Deer Archery SeasonSep 15 – Nov 15
CrossbowFull season

Missouri has one of the lowest resident deer license costs in the country ($19). Strong trophy deer hunting in the river bottoms and agricultural edges.

Missouri Department of Conservation — Official Season Dates ↗

Finding nearby venues...

From r/hunting

Hunters go 5 for 5 in Missouri's Inaugural Elk Season

This is much less about the hunt that actually happened, and much more about the fact that MO has restored elk to a population that is hunta...

reddit.com ↗

Our first elk down!! We grew up hunting in missouri ...

Our first elk down!! We grew up hunting in missouri dreaming of hunting out west. Buddy and myself hiked 49 miles around wilderness areas in...

reddit.com ↗

Can I hunt small game during Missouri's archery portion ...

Can I hunt small game during Missouri's archery portion with a 22 or shotgun with shot no larger than No. 4 or is it literally archery for ....

reddit.com ↗

Provide me with evidence and data to justify not managing ...

During the special CWD hunting season, all deer are tested. ... r/Hunting - Hunters go 5 for 5 in Missouri's Inaugural Elk Season - Congrats...

reddit.com ↗

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Jobs & Economy

Job Market

+1% job growth · 3.2% unemployment

Moderate

Top Industries

HealthcareFinanceManufacturing

Tech Jobs

#24 of 50

Healthcare Jobs

#12 of 50

Remote Work

18% of workers

Median Household Income

$65,920

Business Climate

Corporate Income Tax

4%

LLC Formation Fee

$50 one-time

LLC Annual Fee

None

Business Climate Rank

#11 of 50

Daily Life

Gas Price (Regular)

Well below avg (-0.36 vs national avg)

$2.94/gal

Consumer Fireworks

Most consumer fireworks legal statewide

Legal

Weather & Natural Risks

Winter Severity

Avg January high: 37°F

Moderate

Summer Heat

Moderate summers

89°F avg July

Annual Rainfall

43" / yr

Tornado Risk

High

Hurricane Risk

Very Low

Wildfire Risk

Low

Flood Risk

Moderate

Natural Hazards

49MODERATE danger
New Madrid fault — major earthquake zoneBrown recluse zoneTornado alleyCopperhead + cottonmouth

Venomous Snakes

High

Spider Hazard

Brown Recluse Zone

Scorpions

Low

Hurricane Risk

Minimal

Tornado Risk

High

Wildfire Risk

Low

Earthquake Risk

High

Armadillo Leprosy Risk

Moderate

Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗

Veteran Benefits

Veteran-Friendly Score

6.2% of state population are veterans

76/100

Property Tax Exemption

Disabled vet property tax credit

Partial

Military Retirement Pay

Tax Exempt

Active Duty Pay

Tax Exempt

VA Facilities Access

Good

Notable Benefits

Military retirement fully exempt since 2016

Explore Missouri counties

Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county

Explore Counties

See your full cost of living in Missouri

Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.

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Compare Similar States

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Missouri vs Kansas

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MO vs AL

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COL 86 vs 87 · 4.7% vs 5% income tax

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MO vs AR

Missouri vs Arkansas

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COL 86 vs 87 · 4.7% vs 3.05% income tax

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Trending in Missouri

Missouri has 4 amendments on the August 2026 ballot. Here's what they would do - KCUR

KCUR · Jul 7

Missouri teachers push back on governor’s A-F school grading plan - WDBJ7

WDBJ7 · Jul 7

Taxes, assessors and initiative petitions: Your guide to the August Missouri primary - thebeaconnews.org

thebeaconnews.org · Jul 6

Did Missouri Young Republicans smear KC-area developer? Inside new lawsuit - Kansas City Star

Kansas City Star · Jul 7

Missouri teachers push back on governor’s A-F school grading plan - First Alert 4

First Alert 4 · Jul 6

What Residents Say

Moved to Missouri… did your paycheck end up higher or ...

I moved to Missouri this year and thought my checks would be pretty straightforward, but it’s a mixed bag. There’s state income tax here, and some ......

reddit.com ↗

Leaving Missouri, moving to Illinois, what do I need to do or ...

I moved from Illinois to Missouri and found it to be around the same, Missouri tax will get you one way or another....

reddit.com ↗

More expensive to live in missouri than kansas? : r/kansascity

I moved to Johnson county kansas in february 2019 to take care of my grandma and work. I live with her since she moved here and I recently learned that ......

reddit.com ↗

How Illinois and Kansas will benefit from Missouri income ...

Illinois (& Kansas) will be the big winner if Missouri eliminates its state income tax An underappreciated wrinkle in Missouri’s income tax elimination ......

reddit.com ↗

Living in IL vs. MO? : r/StLouis

Anyone here live in IL? Currently renting in downtown. We’re looking at homes on both sides of the river but haven’t really considered the taxes ......

reddit.com ↗

St. Louis Taxes - Cost of Living : r/StLouis

Missouri in general is a low-ish tax state though the St. Louis region levies a few taxes that probably bring it to average....

reddit.com ↗

Thinking of Move to AR from MO : r/Arkansas

MO gives no tax breaks; AR does. The cost of living is lower than NWA here, too. 135 Moved to Missouri... did your paycheck end up higher or ......

reddit.com ↗

Can someone explain why incomes are low but housing is ...

I fell in love with MO years ago and want to move. I am making just shy of 100k/yr working in Illinois. Comparable jobs in Missouri pay around 65-70k. All ......

reddit.com ↗

Living in Illinois but working in Missouri? : r/StLouis

MO will take less taxes than IL, so you will likely end up oweing IL when filing. How it used to work for me was say MO witheld $200, and IL ......

reddit.com ↗

I am moving to Missouri, I am looking for some advice

Cost of living is much lower in Missouri compared to the Pacific NW, and makes it that much more affordable. Missouri ranked #4 in the nation ......

reddit.com ↗

Stay Current

Get notified when Missouri tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.

Your Priorities

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Quick Profiles

Dial in your priorities

Annual Income

$150K

Affects effective income tax rate

$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0

Affects pension and SS tax burden

None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None

Annual Social Security benefit

None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K

Affects property tax burden

Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K

Compared to state median home price

Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care

Compared to state median 2BR rent

Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care

State unemployment and job growth

Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care

Direct flight destinations from state hubs

Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city

% urban population

Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care

Annual sunny days per state

Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care

Restaurants per 100K residents

Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral

State's political lean

LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral

State gun law grade (Giffords)

Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral

State abortion access policy

Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None

Congregations per 100K residents

AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care

Pro sports teams and major venues

Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral

State cannabis legality

Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition

Retiree Community

Neutral

% population 65+ (Census)

Young areaRetirement-heavy

Dating Market

Neutral

% adults never-married (Census)

Singles sceneFamily community

Safety / Low Crime

Don't care

Violent crime rate per 100K (FBI)

Don't careVery safe

School Quality

Don't care

K-12 rank (Education Week)

Don't careTop-ranked

Healthcare Access

Don't care

Healthcare system rank (Commonwealth Fund)

Don't careTop-ranked

Childcare Affordability

Don't care

Cost of living proxy for childcare affordability

Don't careMust be affordable