Joplin, MO
Census place 2937592 · pop 52,593
Struck by a catastrophic EF5 tornado in 2011 that killed 161 people, one of the deadliest in U.S. history.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
4580 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
18.8% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
20.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
588 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$52,097 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
32.5% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.48 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
53.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
39.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
16.9% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
88.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
10.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
26.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
85/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+4.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
41 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.69% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$168,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,313/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
18 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
Frequently asked
- Is Joplin, MO a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Joplin scores 44/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is property crime rate. Missouri overall ranks #26 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Joplin, MO?
- Joplin reports 588 violent crimes per 100k and 4580 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Joplin, MO expensive to live in?
- Joplin has a median home value of $168,300 and typical rent around $1,313/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Joplin, MO?
- Its weakest measured area is property crime rate (4580/100k) — 3/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Joplin, MO best at?
- Its strongest measured area is commute time (18 min) — 86/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Struck by a catastrophic EF5 tornado in 2011 that killed 161 people, one of the deadliest in U.S. history.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.