Springfield is Missouri’s most poverty stricken city

The consumer price index (CPI) has climbed steadily nearly every month for the last two and a half years, hitting a multi-decade high of 9.1% in June 2022. Though inflation has since cooled, dropping to 7.7% in October, the CPI remains at historic highs, and Americans across the country are feeling the pinch — particularly those without the means to absorb rising costs.

The typical American household earns $64,994 annually, according to five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey (ACS). But in nearly every state, there are cities where most households are earning far less than that.

Among the 28 places in Missouri with available data and populations of at least 25,000, Springfield ranks as the poorest. The typical Springfield household earns $37,491 a year, compared to the statewide median household income of $57,290.

Home values are often a reflection of what people can afford. In Springfield, the typical home is worth $122,200 — compared to the typical home in Missouri, which is worth $163,600.

Arkansas’ poorest city is Pine Bluff with a medium household income of $34,410 and a state wide medium income of $49,475.

Oklahoma’s medium state wide household income is $53,840. Their poorest city is Stillwater which has a medium household income of only $34,906

Kansas has the highest statewide medium household income of $61,091. Kansas’ poorest city is Kansas City which has a medium household income of $46,424