Living in Jefferson City, MO
Small city in Missouri
Jefferson City is a small city in Missouri, home to about 43,000 people, with 215,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.
Is Jefferson City a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $266k and rents for $1,270 a month
- Low taxes: about $1,262 state income tax per resident, 0.85% property tax
- Safe: violent crime is 0.7× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Dog-friendly: 2 dog parks within 9 mi
👎 Cons
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Smaller job market: about 215,000 people live within 31 mi
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Jefferson City ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Jefferson City: common questions
What is the cost of living in Jefferson City?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $266k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,270 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 88, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Jefferson City?
Missouri collects about $1,262 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.85% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Jefferson City safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.7× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Jefferson City?
Jefferson City has cool winters: winter days average around 43°F and summer days around 86°F, with roughly 9″ of snow a year.
Does Jefferson City get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding, tornadoes and heat waves: 10 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.68 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Jefferson City?
The nearest major airport is STL, about 98 mi away.
How Jefferson City scores
Each bar compares Jefferson City with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is Jefferson City right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.