Best Life Index › States › Missouri › Cities › St. Joseph

Missouri city profile

What Is It Like to Live in St. Joseph?

What it costs to live in St. Joseph, and how it compares with other Missouri cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

48

35th best value in Missouri

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Missouri cities.

Overall livability

29

51st overall in Missouri

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

St. Joseph is home to about 73,138 people. A typical home runs $120,300 and a household earns around $50,500, a price-to-income ratio of 2.4. Among Missouri's largest cities, it ranks 35th for value and 51st overall.

St. Joseph at a glance

Median home price

$120,300

12th in MO of 58

Median rent

$816/mo

Median household income

$50,500

Home price to income

2.4x

Unemployment

4.9%

40th in MO of 58

School rating

3/10

46th in MO of 58

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in MO of 58

Walk score

7/100

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‹ See all top Missouri cities ranked  ยท  Missouri state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Missouri only. Updated 2026.