Median Income
$72,500
household / year
Median Home Value
$219,700
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$960
gross / month
Cost of Living
86
national avg = 100

Is Jackson, MO a Good Place to Live?

Jackson is a small city of 15,394 in Missouri, with a median household income of $72,500 and a 3.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 86 (US average = 100), which is 14% below the national average.

Strengths: Jackson stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Jackson is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Jackson city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 86.3

Jackson's overall cost of living index is 86.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Jackson costs roughly 14% less than the average American city.

Metric Jackson, MO National Avg
Median Home Value $219,700 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $960 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 70.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $72,500 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Jackson's violent crime rate is 82.1 per 100,000 residents — 78% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
82.1 /100k
Property Crime
1035.2 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Jackson is served primarily by JACKSON R-II. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Jackson, MO National Avg
School District JACKSON R-II —
Elementary Schools 5 —
Middle Schools 2 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 15.0:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 37.2% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 93.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Jackson sees average highs of 41.2°F in January and 90.2°F in July, with 50.5 inches of annual precipitation and 7.5 inches of snow per year.

MetricJackson, MO
Average High — January41.2°F
Average High — July90.2°F
Annual Precipitation50.5"
Annual Snowfall7.5"

Demographics

MetricJackson, MONational Avg
Population15,394—
Median Age35.038.9
Unemployment Rate3.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time20.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)91.6%59.3%
Black or African American1.5%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino2.9%18.9%
Asian0.5%6.3%
Under 1826.9%22.2%
65 and over15.6%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Jackson

Jackson, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Jackson vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Jackson's cost of living index is 86, where 100 is the national average. That makes Jackson roughly 14% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $219,700 and median rent is $960/month.
Jackson's violent crime rate is 82.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1035.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Jackson are operated by JACKSON R-II. The district has 5 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.0:1. 37.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Jackson, MO has a population of 15,394, a median household income of $72,500, and an unemployment rate of 3.8%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Jackson averages 41.2°F in January and 90.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 50.5 inches with about 7.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Jackson, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code: 63755.
The population of Jackson, Missouri is 15,394 with a median age of 35.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Jackson: cost of living index 86 (100 = US average), median home $219,700, median household income $72,500, crime index 33 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Jackson side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.