In the 1st quarter of 2001, Missouri had the 4th lowest cost of living in the United States (of the 46 states and the District of Columbia surveyed by ACCRA). In general, the most expensive areas to live are Alaska, New England, California, and Nevada. The least expensive areas continue to be the Midwest and Southern States.
Missouri dropped one spot in the rankings since the 4th quarter of 2000, when the state had the 3rd lowest cost of living. While Missouri's ranking dropped, Missouri's COL index actually decreased to 92.6 from the previous quarter's 92.7. This is due mostly to declines in Health Care and Miscellaneous Goods and Services cost categories.
Missouri's larger metropolitan areas had COL indices that were close to the national average in the 1st quarter, but no city had an index over 100. In general, however, the metropolitan areas are the most expensive areas in Missouri to reside.
Chambers of Commerce in cities across the nation participate in ACCRA's survey on a volunteer basis. No cities in HI, ME, NJ and RI participate.
| 1st Quarter 2001 Cost of Living Figures | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Rank | Composite Index | Grocery Items | Health Care | Housing | Misc. Goods and Services | Transportation | Utilities |
| AK | 47 | 125.3 | 129.2 | 157.5 | 122.1 | 120.1 | 124.5 | 131.5 |
| AL | 8 | 93.7 | 94.7 | 89.5 | 86.4 | 100.0 | 95.1 | 92.1 |
| AR | 2 | 90.9 | 92.7 | 89.2 | 84.3 | 95.4 | 91.5 | 92.2 |
| AZ | 34 | 104.0 | 106.2 | 111.7 | 107.5 | 98.6 | 106.7 | 101.0 |
| CA | 45 | 121.5 | 114.8 | 131.3 | 145.9 | 107.0 | 113.5 | 113.1 |
| CO | 35 | 104.2 | 109.0 | 112.0 | 112.1 | 96.2 | 103.3 | 96.0 |
| CT | 43 | 115.7 | 111.1 | 108.2 | 124.3 | 110.3 | 106.7 | 133.5 |
| DC | 42 | 112.9 | 113.2 | 118.6 | 124.9 | 107.9 | 114.2 | 86.1 |
| DE | 36 | 105.4 | 107.1 | 106.2 | 107.7 | 100.5 | 98.9 | 121.4 |
| FL | 26 | 100.5 | 102.4 | 103.2 | 97.1 | 101.9 | 103.9 | 97.6 |
| GA | 12 | 96.3 | 97.8 | 93.8 | 93.1 | 100.7 | 93.5 | 91.4 |
| IA | 18 | 97.5 | 91.6 | 98.0 | 91.5 | 98.3 | 98.6 | 125.1 |
| ID | 20 | 97.7 | 96.9 | 103.8 | 96.8 | 102.2 | 99.7 | 78.0 |
| IL | 29 | 100.9 | 98.8 | 99.1 | 97.7 | 101.3 | 106.0 | 108.9 |
| IN | 13 | 96.3 | 93.4 | 95.8 | 97.0 | 95.4 | 98.9 | 100.5 |
| KS | 15 | 96.6 | 93.5 | 91.3 | 98.0 | 96.7 | 96.4 | 101.0 |
| KT | 14 | 96.5 | 99.7 | 91.0 | 95.4 | 98.4 | 94.5 | 92.2 |
| LA | 23 | 99.6 | 98.2 | 94.8 | 99.1 | 99.9 | 102.2 | 103.0 |
| MA | 44 | 119.3 | 106.7 | 126.6 | 137.4 | 111.3 | 111.2 | 119.8 |
| MD | 10 | 95.5 | 92.0 | 94.5 | 90.5 | 94.9 | 99.7 | 117.4 |
| MI | 31 | 101.7 | 106.4 | 97.9 | 111.1 | 97.6 | 101.3 | 79.5 |
| MN | 41 | 109.7 | 98.8 | 120.9 | 105.9 | 107.2 | 114.7 | 141.9 |
| MO | 4 | 92.6 | 94.8 | 94.9 | 88.6 | 97.7 | 91.8 | 81.1 |
| MS | 1 | 90.7 | 86.4 | 87.1 | 90.1 | 93.3 | 98.3 | 83.3 |
| MT | 22 | 99.4 | 105.7 | 100.1 | 97.7 | 100.4 | 98.7 | 88.8 |
| NC | 19 | 97.6 | 97.1 | 94.5 | 98.8 | 99.1 | 95.4 | 93.1 |
| ND | 17 | 97.3 | 100.7 | 90.9 | 92.2 | 99.1 | 99.5 | 102.0 |
| NE | 21 | 98.1 | 99.6 | 92.0 | 94.1 | 100.0 | 96.3 | 106.6 |
| NH | 38 | 105.6 | 101.8 | 105.3 | 94.0 | 106.2 | 102.8 | 155.5 |
| NM | 32 | 103.3 | 106.8 | 106.4 | 110.0 | 100.5 | 98.1 | 88.7 |
| NV | 39 | 107.0 | 114.2 | 122.0 | 108.7 | 101.6 | 109.1 | 96.6 |
| NY | 46 | 123.7 | 112.3 | 117.2 | 151.6 | 109.5 | 108.9 | 129.9 |
| OH | 30 | 100.9 | 104.2 | 96.8 | 95.3 | 99.8 | 101.9 | 119.5 |
| OK | 7 | 93.4 | 96.2 | 93.9 | 84.0 | 99.9 | 91.3 | 96.4 |
| OR | 37 | 105.6 | 104.6 | 121.2 | 109.9 | 104.9 | 105.4 | 85.2 |
| PA | 33 | 103.9 | 95.8 | 92.9 | 107.5 | 103.5 | 101.2 | 120.1 |
| SC | 16 | 97.1 | 100.8 | 96.0 | 97.2 | 98.5 | 91.6 | 90.7 |
| SD | 25 | 100.5 | 99.3 | 96.4 | 93.0 | 100.1 | 101.6 | 132.2 |
| TN | 5 | 92.9 | 96.7 | 85.7 | 89.2 | 96.6 | 93.8 | 86.4 |
| TX | 6 | 93.3 | 87.8 | 98.2 | 88.0 | 98.3 | 96.9 | 95.1 |
| UT | 9 | 94.7 | 110.5 | 91.5 | 87.0 | 96.5 | 97.2 | 81.7 |
| VA | 11 | 96.2 | 96.8 | 94.5 | 95.9 | 95.2 | 94.7 | 102.8 |
| VT | 40 | 108.2 | 102.2 | 101.5 | 87.7 | 107.6 | 101.5 | 206.5 |
| WA | 27 | 100.8 | 106.4 | 122.4 | 97.6 | 102.5 | 103.3 | 77.1 |
| WI | 28 | 100.8 | 97.7 | 103.5 | 100.4 | 98.4 | 103.2 | 113.7 |
| WV | 3 | 92.6 | 95.8 | 89.0 | 93.1 | 92.6 | 96.2 | 81.7 |
| WY | 24 | 100.4 | 107.0 | 99.3 | 102.4 | 98.4 | 90.3 | 101.4 |
| Cost of Living Indices for Selected Missouri Cities 1st Quarter 2001 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | Composite | Grocery Items | Housing | Utilities | Transportation | Health Care | Miscellaneous |
| Columbia | 98.6 | 96.2 | 97 | 93 | 100.6 | 96.5 | 102.1 |
| Joplin | 87.9 | 92.2 | 84 | 78.4 | 79.1 | 102.2 | 91.8 |
| Kansas City | 98.7 | 100.5 | 93.5 | 94 | 102.2 | 98 | 102.4 |
| Kennett | 88.7 | 87.8 | 85.6 | 62.3 | 90.1 | 88.3 | 97.7 |
| Nevada | 86.8 | 91.4 | 83.7 | 78.5 | 75.7 | 84.2 | 93.1 |
| Poplar Bluff | 90 | 100.8 | 85.2 | 62.4 | 88.2 | 80.7 | 97.6 |
| springfield | 92.1 | 100.4 | 89.7 | 79 | 92.1 | 99.7 | 92.1 |
| St. Joseph | 94.2 | 89.2 | 90 | 91.5 | 92.7 | 99.4 | 100.4 |
| St. Louis | 96.6 | 94.3 | 88.7 | 90.5 | 105.7 | 104.7 | 101.8 |
| STATE AVERAGE | 92.6 | 94.8 | 88.6 | 81.1 | 91.8 | 94.9 | 97.7 |
| US AVERAGE | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
