Report: Cost of living increases in Springfield

A new report shows cost-of-living expenses in the Springfield metro area rose in the first quarter.

Springfield had an overall score of 92.8 on a 100-point index in Council for Community & Economic Research survey results presented by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, according to a news release. That's up from 88.4 in the fourth quarter, according to past reporting.

Missouri's index score is 90.4. A score of 100 represents the national average – the lower the score, the lower the costs.

The Springfield metro area’s lowest score was in housing expenses, at 76.8, according to the release. Other individual metrics are 85.7 in utilities, 91.6 in transportation, 102.2 in miscellaneous, 102.7 in groceries and 104.6 in health care costs.

Missouri had the ninth-lowest cost-of-living expenses nationwide during the first quarter, according to the report. Mississippi was No. 1 with an index score of 84.6.