City Profile

Jefferson City, Missouri

USA · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

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Overall Score

Jefferson City, serving as the capital of Missouri, is a historically rich municipality nestled along the banks of the Missouri River. Founded in the 1820s and named after Thomas Jefferson, the city blends striking 19th-century architecture, highlighted by the iconic Missouri State Capitol dome, with modern civic and commercial development. Residents and newcomers are drawn to the area for its stable government sector employment, tight-knit community atmosphere, and a slower-paced Midwestern lifestyle that still offers convenient access to larger metropolitan areas like St. Louis and Kansas City.

About Missouri

Missouri, known as the "Show-Me State," offers a diverse landscape from the Ozark Mountains to the Missouri River, characterized by a continental climate with hot, humid summers and cold winters, experiencing all four seasons. Its economy is highly diversified, with major industries including agriculture, manufacturing (especially transportation equipment and food processing), financial services, and a growing presence in high-tech fields like agtech and cybersecurity. Living in Missouri is generally affordable, consistently ranking among the states with the lowest cost of living, with housing costs significantly below the national average. The lifestyle offers a blend of urban amenities in cities like St. Louis and Kansas City, known for their arts, music, and professional sports, alongside abundant outdoor recreation opportunities.

43,222

Population

$54K

Avg Salary

Cost Index

63.6

Quality Score

How this 64/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them

Component	Readings used	Points	Weight	Contributes
Safety	Safety score: 70 / 100	70.0	30%	21.0
Affordability	Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 88.0	58.8	25%	14.7
Economy & jobs	Median household income: $58,500 Income needed to live here: $45,000 Unemployment rate: 3.2%	73.8	20%	14.8
Growth	Population growth rate: 0.5% Job growth rate: 1.4%	42.8	15%	6.4
Business climate assessment	Business climate assessment: 67 / 100	67.0	10%	6.7
Overall score				63.6

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Tier 1 (fast) (q=52, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 16 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business

Livability

Affordability

Growth

Expenses

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Jefferson City remains noticeably below the national average, making it an attractive destination for families, young professionals, and retirees alike. Housing costs, in particular, are exceptionally reasonable compared to coastal markets and even larger cities within Missouri, allowing residents to secure more space for their investment. Everyday goods, utilities, and transportation expenses also track below national baselines, contributing to an overall high degree of financial breathing room for the local workforce.

Average Rent

$950/mo

Groceries

$380/mo

Transport

$110/mo

Utilities

$165/mo

Healthcare

$220/mo

Gym membership (monthly)

$40.00

Cinema ticket

$11.00

Restaurant meal (mid-range)

$18.00

Monthly groceries

$380.00

Doctor visit (without insurance)

$130.00

Income

Salary Insights

As the seat of state government, Jefferson City's economy is heavily anchored by public administration, public safety, and state agencies, which provide a remarkably stable employment foundation. Beyond government work, the region features robust healthcare systems, educational institutions, and manufacturing operations that diversify the local labor market. While large-scale corporate tech is limited, the steady influx of state-level administrative roles and healthcare services ensures reliable job security and modest, steady economic growth.

The average salary in Jefferson City is $54,000 per year. You would need approximately $45,000 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Retail Trade +1.00% Manufacturing +1.50% Healthcare +2.20% Educational Services +1.10% Public Administration +0.80%

Weather

Climate

🌡️

57°F

Avg Temp

☀️

86°F

Summer High

❄️

24°F

Winter Low

🌧️

38.10"

Annual Rain

💧

68.00%

Humidity

🌤️

271

Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

Transportation in Jefferson City is overwhelmingly car-dependent, with most residents relying on personal vehicles to commute and run daily errands. While public transit options like JETrans provide fixed-route bus services, coverage and frequency are limited compared to larger urban centers. Traffic congestion is generally minimal, allowing for short, manageable commute times across town.

17 min

Avg Commute

35.00/10

Transit Score

42.00/10

Walkability

High

Car Dependency

At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages

Median home prices and overall cost of living remain significantly below the national average per US Census and Zillow data.

Exceptionally short average commute times compared to major metropolitan areas.

Strong job stability anchored by state government administration and major regional healthcare networks.

Abundant access to outdoor recreation, including proximity to the Katy Trail and local parks.

Low crime rates and safe, family-friendly neighborhoods across Cole County.

Drawbacks

Limited public transportation infrastructure creates a high reliance on personal vehicles.

Nightlife and entertainment options are more subdued compared to nearby St. Louis or Kansas City.

Limited presence of major high-tech or corporate headquarter sectors outside of government work.

Humid continental summer climate brings extended periods of high heat and humidity.

Retail and dining variety can feel restricted for residents accustomed to larger urban markets.

Head to Head

Compare Jefferson City

Jefferson City VS Cincinnati Jefferson City VS Binghamton Jefferson City VS St. Louis Jefferson City VS Toledo

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Nearby Cities

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Springfield

Community Q&A

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Urblytica benchmarks its Cost of Living Index against a United States national average baseline of 100. A score of 115 means a city is approximately 15% more expensive than the national average, while a score of 85 indicates it is 15% more affordable. This composite calculation is weighted across six primary expenditure categories: housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods.

Urblytica aggregates housing data from multiple authoritative sources, including Multiple Listing Service (MLS) feeds, municipal property tax registries, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and verified historical deed transactions. This multi-tier aggregation ensures precision in tracking median home values and rental rates.

A municipality must meet minimum data-density thresholds—including consistent reporting population samples from the U.S. Census and active residential or commercial real estate transaction feeds—to ensure statistical significance before a complete scoring profile is published.

When primary agencies (such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics or U.S. Census Bureau) issue historical data revisions or benchmark corrections, Urblytica's data pipeline automatically re-indexes affected historical archives to maintain longitudinal trend accuracy.

U.S. affordability calculations incorporate federal income tax brackets, state-specific income tax rates, and local municipal tax variations to evaluate the true net tax drag on median household earnings across different states and cities.

Local county and municipal property tax millage rates are factored directly into the housing component of the cost-of-living index to reflect recurring annual tax burdens for homeowners.

The platform aggregates state sales taxes alongside county and city surtaxes to measure consumer basket purchasing power parity accurately across different retail jurisdictions.

Utility calculations apply regional seasonal consumption weightings, incorporating high summer air conditioning loads in southern states and heavy winter heating demands in northern states.