Report: Springfield's cost of living among lowest in US

Springfield's cost of living in the third quarter was among the lowest nationwide, according to Council for Community & Economic Research survey results presented in a Missouri Economic Research and Information Center report.

Springfield had an 87.2 index score on a 100-point scale – the lower the score, the lower the costs, according to the report.

Springfield individually scored 69.8 in housing; 86.2 in utilities; 89.4 in transportation; 94.1 in miscellaneous; 98.6 in health; and 99.9 in groceries, according to the report.

Comparatively, Missouri's index was 88.9, ranking the state fifth behind Mississippi, at 84.8; Oklahoma, at 86.8; Arkansas, at 87.8; and Kansas, at 87.9.

By cost-of-living index, Missouri's participating cities in the survey are:
• Joplin, 81.6;
• Springfield, 87.2;
• St. Louis, 88.1;
• Jefferson City, 89.3;
• Columbia, 91.9; and
• Kansas City, 95.4.