Smart Movers Club

    Moving to St. Joseph, MO

    Is St. Joseph a good place to live?

    Watch St. Joseph

    St. Joseph ranks #24 of 29 Missouri cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (33/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.9% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $144,200
    +4.4% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $884
    per month
    Household income
    $55,578
    median
    Unemployment
    4.7%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in St. Joseph

    The median home value in St. Joseph is $144,200 and median rent is $884 a month, against a median household income of $55,578. Homes cost about 2.6× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    St. Joseph crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Missouri the 2025 rate was 426 violent and 1,689 property crimes per 100,000 people — #16 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to St. Joseph, MO

    St. Joseph has about 71,542 residents, 4.7% unemployment and 16% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare St. Joseph with

    St. Joseph vs Kansas CitySt. Joseph vs St. LouisSt. Joseph vs SpringfieldSt. Joseph vs ColumbiaSt. Joseph vs IndependenceSt. Joseph vs Lee's SummitSt. Joseph vs O'FallonSt. Joseph vs St. Charles

    More: Where to move in Missouri · Best counties in Missouri

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report