Measured against area pay, Shell Knob costs more to live in than 76% of U.S. towns
Up 1.8% in a year, 22% above the Missouri typical home.
Census 2020–24 home values, rents, tax bills and cost burden, measured against the median household income of Barry County, MO ($58K). How TownRatings grades cost of living
Only 3 sales in September 2026: in a market this size, monthly medians swing a lot, so the typical value is the steadier guide.
The grade compares costs with what households across Barry County earn ($58K, Census 2020–24). Even so, the typical home costs 5.5 years of area income, and 45% of renters pay 30% or more of income for housing.
In dollars
- $323Ktypical home, 22% above the Missouri typical homeZillow, September 2026
- $910a month for a two-bedroom, utilities includedHUD Fair Market Rent, 2026
In paychecks the grade
- 5.5 yrsof area income buys the typical home; the typical U.S. town: 3.3$58K, Barry County income
- 26%of area income goes to the median rent; the typical U.S. town: 18%Census 2020–24
- 28%of owners do; the typical U.S. town: 20%Census 2020–24
What Shell Knob’s housing numbers say
About half of Shell Knob’s homes are second homes
48% of Shell Knob’s homes are seasonal or vacation homes, empty for much of the year. Year-round rentals are scarce: there are 76 renter households. Property taxes ↓
A low property tax rate
Owners pay about 0.45% of a home’s value a year in property tax, against 0.85% across Missouri. The median bill is $1,432 (Missouri: $1,948). Property taxes ↓
Mostly newer homes
Half of Shell Knob’s homes were built after 1995, against 1978 for Missouri as a whole. Property taxes ↓
Written from the data on this page. Home values are the Zillow Home Value Index, through September 2026; incomes, rents paid, taxes and ownership come from the Census American Community Survey.
What’s behind Shell Knob’s grade
Measured against what households in the area earn, Shell Knob is more affordable than 24% of U.S. towns. Rent pulls the grade down most; property tax holds it up.
Values have outpaced Missouri: the typical Shell Knob home is up 31.5% in five years, against 26.3% statewide (Zillow).
Up 31.5% in five years
Faster than Missouri (26.3%).
Show as a table
| January | Shell Knob | Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $146,000 | $147,000 |
| 2018 | $157,000 | $155,000 |
| 2019 | $175,000 | $163,000 |
| 2020 | $189,000 | $171,000 |
| 2021 | $215,000 | $191,000 |
| 2022 | $265,000 | $217,000 |
| 2023 | $306,000 | $234,000 |
| 2024 | $320,000 | $245,000 |
| 2025 | $325,000 | $255,000 |
| 2026 | $317,000 | $260,000 |
| September 2026 | $323,000 | $265,000 |
A typical Shell Knob home worth $142K in October 2016 is worth about $323K today.
Zillow Home Value Index: the typical value of all homes (middle third), smoothed and seasonally adjusted, through September 2026.
A typical home costs 5.5 years of area income
The calculator starts from the area income the grade uses. Switch to Shell Knob’s own median, or type yours.
That’s $82K short of a typical Shell Knob home.
A two-bedroom rents for about $910 a month here, $910 less than owning.
An estimate, not a loan offer: payments of up to 28% of income, a 30-year fixed loan, Shell Knob’s typical property tax (0.45% of value a year, from the Census) and insurance of about 0.35%. Mortgage insurance, HOA fees and other debts aren’t included.
A two-bedroom rents for about $910
Renters already here pay a median of $1,274.
Fair Market Rent a month, utilities included
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (Barry County, MO): the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent and renters: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Property tax runs below the Missouri norm
The median bill is $1,432 (Missouri: $1,948), 0.45% of a home’s value a year, against 0.85% statewide.
Census American Community Survey 2020–24: the median real-estate tax bill homeowners report, and that bill ÷ the median home value. Bills include town, school and county taxes. The Census reports bills over $10,000 only as “$10,000+”.
Shell Knob and its neighbors
One source per column.
Cost next door · one source per column
| Town | Cost | Typical home Zillow, September 2026 | Median value Census 2020–24 | Tax rate bill ÷ value | 2-bed rent HUD 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shell Knob | C− | $323K | $322K | 0.45% | $910 |
Questions about the cost of living in Shell Knob
Is Shell Knob expensive to live in?
Measured against what households in the area earn, Shell Knob costs more than 76% of U.S. towns: a C− for cost of living. The typical home costs 5.5 years of the median household income of Barry County, MO ($58K).
How much does a house cost in Shell Knob?
About $323K, Zillow’s typical value for September 2026, up 1.8% in a year. The Missouri typical home is $265K.
What salary do you need to live in Shell Knob?
To buy the typical home with 20% down at 6.3%, about $78,000 a year, keeping the payment (about $1,820 a month with tax and insurance) at 28% of income. To rent a two-bedroom at 30% of income, about $36,000.
How much is rent in Shell Knob?
HUD puts a two-bedroom at about $910 a month with utilities, the going rate for someone moving in. Renters already here pay a median of $1,274 (Census 2020–24).
What are property taxes in Shell Knob?
The median bill is $1,432 a year, 0.45% of the median home value (Missouri: $1,948, 0.85%), from the Census 2020–24.
Are home prices in Shell Knob going up?
Yes: up 1.8% in the past year and 31.5% in five years, against 26.3% across Missouri (Zillow).
Neighbors talk housing
What Shell Knob buyers, sellers and renters are saying.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, September 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, September 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The calculator is an estimate, not a loan offer. Regional price levels: BEA; electricity: EIA. How TownRatings grades cost of living.