CostIndexUSA

Brownsville, TX vs Joplin, MO Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostTX
Brownsville
86
overall index
$1,425/mo rent
MO
Joplin
85.7
overall index
$1,250/mo rent

Brownsville and Joplin have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing6.4%
Brownsville
57.7
Joplin
54
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Brownsville
93.8
Joplin
94.2
🚗 Transportation3.4%
Brownsville
101.1
Joplin
97.7
🏥 Healthcare3.3%
Brownsville
91.4
Joplin
88.4
Utilities+5.8%
Brownsville
81.2
Joplin
85.9

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Brownsville to see what you'd need to earn in Joplin to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Joplin, MO
$79,700
$300 less needed in Joplin

Formula: salary × (85.7 ÷ 86) = salary × 0.9965. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Brownsville, TX

Median Home Price
$200,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,425
Housing Index
57.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
11.7×

Joplin, MO

Median Home Price
$216,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,250
Housing Index
54
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.4×

Brownsville has 6.4% lower housing costs compared to Joplin.

Income & Job Market

Brownsville, TX

Median Household Income
$52,200
Per Capita Income
$29,800
Unemployment Rate
5.6%
Population
183,392
Top Industries
International TradeHealthcareGovernmentManufacturingEducation

Joplin, MO

Median Household Income
$57,900
Per Capita Income
$33,000
Unemployment Rate
4.4%
Population
50,843
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingRetailEducationFinance

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Brownsville, TX
3.1×income-to-rent ratio

67% of income left after rent (median)

Joplin, MO
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

74% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.