YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
A new report shows the Springfield metro area's cost of living improved in the first quarter year over year.
Springfield was second among participating Missouri metro areas, behind Joplin, but ahead of Missouri as a whole, according to a news release from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, which collected data from a survey by The Council for Community and Economic Research.
Springfield's index score is 85.1, which is down from 87.1 in the same quarter of 2022. A score of 100 represents the national average – the lower the score, the lower the costs. The score reflects prices in areas such as groceries, housing, utilities, transportation and health care.
Springfield scored the best in housing, at 72.5, followed by transportation, at 89.2, miscellaneous, at 90, utilities, at 91.9, groceries, at 93.4, and health care, at 95.3, according to the release.
Comparatively, Missouri's index score was 88.4 in the first quarter. No. 1 Joplin had an index score of 84.5, with St. Louis at 88.6, Columbia at 91.1 and Kansas City at 92.9.
Nationwide, Missouri ranked No. 4 in cost of living, according to the release. No. 1 is Mississippi, followed by Oklahoma and Kansas.
Plans for the Finley Ridge apartment complex in the growing community of Ozark call for four buildings, four stories apiece, with 48 units each for a total of 192, as well as a 1,500-square-foot shared community and fitness room.
