Report: Springfield, state perform well on cost-of-living analysis

RELATED

Greene County wage growth outpaces most of nation in Q2

Springfield and the state at large placed near the top on a recent cost-of-living analysis released by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center.

Averaging the costs of groceries, housing, utilities, transportation, health care and other miscellaneous goods and services, Springfield ranked second among participating Missouri cities in the third quarter. Missouri placed fourth among U.S. states, according to the report.

Springfield’s third-quarter index came to 85.6, compared with Missouri’s 88.6 score and the U.S. average of 100. Only Joplin fared better among Missouri cities, with an average of 82.1.

Springfield’s categories of costs were:
    •    housing, 68.7;
    •    utilities, 87;
    •    miscellaneous, 90.3.
    •    transportation, 92.3;
    •    groceries, 98; and
    •    health care, 100.3.

Statewide, only health care costs scored better than Springfield. Missouri’s cost of living indexes in the third quarter were:
    •    housing, 72;
    •    miscellaneous, 92;
    •    transportation, 95.6;
    •    health care, 97.3;
    •    groceries, 99; and
    •    utilities, 99.1.

Mississippi topped the cost-of-living list, with an index of 86.4, followed by Oklahoma, at 87.1, and Arkansas, at 88.5.