Living in St. Joseph, MO
Small city in Missouri
St. Joseph is a small city in Missouri, home to about 72,000 people, with 168,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, a car is essential. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly houses.
Is St. Joseph a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $211k and rents for $1,360 a month
- Low taxes: about $1,262 state income tax per resident, 0.83% property tax
- Dog-friendly: 3 dog parks within 9 mi
- Mild summers: highs around 86°F
👎 Cons
- Fewer graduates: 23% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Smaller job market: about 168,000 people live within 31 mi
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how St. Joseph ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in St. Joseph: common questions
What is the cost of living in St. Joseph?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $211k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,360 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 86, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in St. Joseph?
Missouri collects about $1,262 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.83% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is St. Joseph safe?
Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.5× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in St. Joseph?
St. Joseph has cold winters: winter days average around 40°F and summer days around 86°F, with roughly 21″ of snow a year.
Does St. Joseph get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding, tornadoes and cold waves: 13 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.4 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to St. Joseph?
The nearest major airport is MCI, about 32 mi away.
How St. Joseph scores
Each bar compares St. Joseph 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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Is St. Joseph right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.