#1Marceline Township
Linn County · 2,589 peopleCost of living grade, homes cost 1.9 years of area income·Overall A− · #52 of 247 in MO
Marceline Township, #1 on this list · Photo: Mitchazenia · CC BY-SA 4.0Missouri rankings · Cost of living
Most affordable towns in Missouri
Marceline Township ranks first on cost of living among Missouri’s 247 towns of 2,500+; 97 of the 247 grade A− or better on cost of living nationally.
The Cost of living grade: home values, rent and property-tax bills against the income of the town’s metro area or county, and the share of households paying 30%+ of income for housing (Census ACS). How grades work
#1A+
Brookfield
Linn County · 4,083 peopleCost of living grade, homes cost 2.2 years of area income·Overall B · #87 of 247 in MO
#3Tipton
Moniteau County · 2,766 peopleCost of living grade, homes cost 2.6 years of area income·Overall C · #144 of 247 in MO
All 247 towns
Cost of living grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank (T = tied; 2 towns here); the overall grade and state rank are beside each.
247 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownGradeHome price · overall
14High Ridgeunincorporated, Jefferson County · 3,714 peopleA3.4 years of area income·Overall A− · #39 of 247
19Ste. GenevieveSte. Genevieve County · 5,065 peopleA3.8 years of area income·Overall B · #83 of 247
32Murphyunincorporated, Jefferson County · 8,285 peopleA2.3 years of area income·Overall B · #99 of 247
33Duck Creek TownshipStoddard County · 3,016 peopleA2.6 years of area income·Overall C+ · #129 of 247
38Independence TownshipDunklin County · 11,792 peopleA2.4 years of area income·Overall C− · #199 of 247
43Cotton Hill TownshipDunklin County · 4,700 peopleA1.9 years of area income·Overall D · #232 of 247
46Lemayunincorporated, St. Louis County · 16,228 peopleA2.1 years of area income·Overall B+ · #70 of 247
54Terre du Lacunincorporated, St. Francois County · 2,516 peopleA−3.5 years of area income·Overall B · #88 of 247
62Montgomery CityMontgomery County · 2,782 peopleA−3.7 years of area income·Overall C+ · #141 of 247
63Mount Pleasant TownshipBates County · 5,093 peopleA−1.8 years of area income·Overall C− · #175 of 247
64Liberty TownshipStoddard County · 14,741 peopleA−2.7 years of area income·Overall B− · #116 of 247
74Gray Summitunincorporated, Franklin County · 2,991 peopleA−3.1 years of area income·Overall B · #93 of 247
77Villa Ridgeunincorporated, Franklin County · 2,835 peopleA−3.6 years of area income·Overall C · #147 of 247
97Afftonunincorporated, St. Louis County · 19,052 peopleA−3.0 years of area income·Overall A · #25 of 247
102Grand River TownshipDeKalb County · 3,258 peopleB+3.2 years of area income·Overall B · #101 of 247
114Mehlvilleunincorporated, St. Louis County · 29,805 peopleB+3.2 years of area income·Overall A− · #40 of 247
124Breckenridge HillsSt. Louis County · 4,350 peopleB+1.5 years of area income·Overall D · #242 of 247
129Bellefontaine NeighborsSt. Louis County · 10,368 peopleB+1.3 years of area income·Overall D− · #245 of 247
141Glasgow Villageunincorporated, St. Louis County · 5,504 peopleB1.0 years of area income·Overall D · #240 of 247
142Cape GirardeauCape Girardeau County · 40,977 peopleB3.3 years of area income·Overall C− · #203 of 247
143Imperialunincorporated, Jefferson County · 5,488 peopleB4.1 years of area income·Overall B− · #114 of 247
156Barnhartunincorporated, Jefferson County · 5,785 peopleB3.6 years of area income·Overall B · #91 of 247
166Spanish Lakeunincorporated, St. Louis County · 17,873 peopleB1.9 years of area income·Overall D · #225 of 247
177Oakvilleunincorporated, St. Louis County · 35,333 peopleB−4.5 years of area income·Overall B+ · #58 of 247
183Maryland HeightsSt. Louis County · 27,559 peopleB−3.3 years of area income·Overall A · #22 of 247
200Concordunincorporated, St. Louis County · 18,368 peopleC+4.2 years of area income·Overall A− · #32 of 247
209Sappingtonunincorporated, St. Louis County · 7,367 peopleC4.5 years of area income·Overall A · #20 of 247
217Old Jamestownunincorporated, St. Louis County · 20,651 peopleC2.9 years of area income·Overall C− · #195 of 247
218Fort Leonard Woodunincorporated, Pulaski County · 15,432 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #86 of 247
223University CitySt. Louis County · 34,657 peopleC−3.4 years of area income·Overall C · #168 of 247
226Dardenne PrairieSt. Charles County · 15,032 peopleC−5.9 years of area income·Overall A− · #41 of 247
230Lake St. LouisSt. Charles County · 19,129 peopleC−5.4 years of area income·Overall A− · #31 of 247
244Whiteman AFBunincorporated, Johnson County · 3,517 peopleD4.9 years of area income·Overall C · #160 of 247
245Town and CountrySt. Louis County · 11,619 peopleD14.8 years of area income·Overall A · #28 of 247
Quick answers
Questions people ask
What is the most affordable town in Missouri?
Marceline Township (Linn County) ranks first on cost of living among 247 towns, with an A+; Brookfield and Tipton follow.
How are these towns ranked?
The Cost of living grade: home values, rent and property-tax bills against the income of the town’s metro area or county, and the share of households paying 30%+ of income for housing (Census ACS). Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a cost of living grade (247 in Missouri). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Missouri page.
Go deeper
All Missouri rankings →More Missouri lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
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