CostIndexUSA

Charleston, WV vs Springfield, MO Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostWV
Charleston
88.7
overall index
$1,000/mo rent
MO
Springfield
88.6
overall index
$1,275/mo rent

Charleston and Springfield have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+27.6%
Charleston
51.4
Springfield
65.6
🛒 Groceries2.2%
Charleston
96.3
Springfield
94.2
🚗 Transportation6.8%
Charleston
104.8
Springfield
97.7
🏥 Healthcare6.8%
Charleston
94.8
Springfield
88.4
Utilities6.4%
Charleston
91.7
Springfield
85.8

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Springfield, MO
$79,900
$100 less needed in Springfield

Formula: salary × (88.6 ÷ 88.7) = salary × 0.9989. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Charleston, WV

Median Home Price
$143,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,000
Housing Index
51.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
11.9×

Springfield, MO

Median Home Price
$260,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,275
Housing Index
65.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.0×

Springfield has 27.6% higher housing costs compared to Charleston.

Income & Job Market

Charleston, WV

Median Household Income
$55,400
Per Capita Income
$31,600
Unemployment Rate
5.1%
Population
47,068
Top Industries
GovernmentHealthcareEnergyFinanceEducation

Springfield, MO

Median Household Income
$62,900
Per Capita Income
$35,900
Unemployment Rate
2.9%
Population
167,882
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingRetailFinance

Affordability at a Glance

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

Charleston, WV
4.6×income-to-rent ratio

78% of income left after rent (median)

Springfield, MO
4.1×income-to-rent ratio

76% 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.