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Compare towns

St. Joseph vs Springfield

196 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+11.7 pts in Springfield) and homeowners (+18.9 pts renters in Springfield).

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St. Joseph, MOA history townMissouri · 71,236 people
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Springfield, MOA history townMissouri · 169,954 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $360 more a month in Springfield

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

St. Joseph$1,090/mo
Typical home $184K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $898/mo · Housing →
Springfield$1,440/mo
Typical home $246K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $964/mo · Housing →

The difference: $360 a month, about $4,300 a year, between Springfield and St. Joseph.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Springfield places higher on 13 of 23 MO lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Missouri ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
St. JosephSpringfield
Snow a year21″14″
January low17°F24°F
July high87°F90°F
Growing season (days)182d199d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)27th27th
Outdoors & history
St. JosephSpringfield
Conserved land4.2%2.3%
Settled18431838
National Register places6070
Famous people born here52—
Community
St. JosephSpringfield
Library hours a week64 hrs75 hrs
Colleges in town17
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

196 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

St. Joseph ↔ Springfield196 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

St. JosephSpringfield
People
Population 71,236Lowest 169,954Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.6%Lowest MO: +2.8% +6.1%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 38.1±0.5Highest about the MO average 33.7±0.6Lowest 14% below MO
Kids under 18 22.1%±0.8Highest MO: 22.3% 17.7%±0.7Lowest MO: 22.3%
Age 65+ 16.8%±0.8Highest MO: 17.9% 16.2%±0.6Lowest MO: 17.9%
St. Joseph and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23%Lowest MO: 32.4% 31.4%Highest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.3%±0.7Lowest MO: 5.7% 12.1%±0.7Highest MO: 5.7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $57,956±$3kHighest 18% below MO $49,311±$1kLowest 30% below MO
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $154,200±$5kLowest 33% below MO $177,700±$7kHighest 23% below MO
Rentmedian gross, monthly $898±$31Lowest 13% below MO $964±$13Highest 7% below MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,225Lowest 37% below MO $1,326Highest 32% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 51.7%±5.2Highest MO: 45.6% 48.7%±2.5Lowest MO: 45.6%
St. Joseph and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 17.7%Lowest MO: 12.6% 18.4%Highest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 62.8%Highest MO: 68.1% 43.9%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1962Lowest 16 yrs older than MO 1975Highest 3 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 17 minLowest 28% below MO 18 minHighest 25% below MO
Work from home 7.1%±1.2Lowest MO: 13% 10.4%±1Highest MO: 13%
Work in townworking residents 67.5%Lowest 71.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 3.8 miLowest 4.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.40Lowest 2.17Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Kansas City (7%)Republic (2%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SpringfieldFew work in St. Joseph
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 4.2%Highest 2.3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 41.1 miHighest 35.1 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 35Lowest 52Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 68.3Lowest 72.0Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #179 of 226 in MO#161 of 226 in MO
School district DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICE · DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONSOZARKS TECHNICAL COMM COLLEGE · DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICE
High school in town Central HighKickapoo High
Students per teacherat that high school 16.4Lowest 19.3Highest
Missouri average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

St. Joseph neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to St. Joseph’s Town Square.

Springfield neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Springfield’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering St. Joseph

Towns like St. Joseph

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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