Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Springfield?

Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below Springfield, MO's $970, mainly because of natural gas costs.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Springfield?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $31,000 in Springfield.

Which has lower taxes, Casper or Springfield?

Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Springfield under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax).

Casper vs Springfield Cost of Living 2026

Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

Springfield

Missouri

$970/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $970 in Springfield, MO. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 4% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Springfield, MO, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $45,984 in Springfield, MO — about 34% higher in Casper, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Casper, WY

Springfield, MO

Rent

Studio

$730

$760

+4% in Springfield, MO

1 Bedroom

$764

$772

+1% in Springfield, MO

2 Bedroom

$930

$926

+0% in Casper, WY

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$1,158

+11% in Casper, WY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$250,700

$165,200

+34% in Casper, WY

Income

Median Household Income

$69,171

$45,984

+34% in Casper, WY

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,880

$45,780

+6% in Casper, WY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.0 yr

33.6 yr

+3.4 yr in Casper, WY

Homeownership

70.3%

42.9%

+27.4 pp in Casper, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

30.3%

+0.3 pp in Springfield, MO

Avg Commute

16.9 min

18.0 min

+1.1 min in Springfield, MO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

302.4

1,189.8

+293% in Springfield, MO

Property Crime

2,123.8

4,231.6

+99% in Springfield, MO

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

45.4°F

56.3°F

+10.9°F in Springfield, MO

Annual Precipitation

12.5 in

45.6 in

+33.0 in in Springfield, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.85/gal

+10% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

16.2

+6% in Springfield, MO

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$28.78

+57% in Springfield, MO

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Casper, WY

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Casper, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Springfield, MO

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Casper, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Springfield, MO

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Casper, WY

Average prices — West vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / MO)

4.225%

+0.2 pp in MO

Income Tax (top rate)

None

4.70%

+4.7 pp in MO

Casper vs Springfield — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Springfield?: Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below Springfield, MO's $970, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Springfield?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $31,000 in Springfield.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Springfield?: Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Springfield under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).