Living Cost Compare
Louisville

Kentucky

$1,060/mo est.

vs
Springfield

Missouri

$940/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,060 in Louisville, KY versus $940 in Springfield, MO. Overall, Springfield, MO is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Louisville, KY, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,731 in Louisville, KY and $45,984 in Springfield, MO — about 29% higher in Louisville, KY. Kentucky has a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Louisville, KY
Springfield, MO

Rent

Studio
$786
$760
+3% in Louisville, KY
1 Bedroom
$877
$772
+12% in Louisville, KY
2 Bedroom
$1,096
$926
+16% in Louisville, KY
3 Bedroom
$1,299
$1,158
+11% in Louisville, KY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$221,500
$165,200
+25% in Louisville, KY

Income

Median Household Income
$64,731
$45,984
+29% in Louisville, KY
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,370
$45,780
+5% in Louisville, KY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.7 yr
33.6 yr
+4.1 yr in Louisville, KY
Homeownership
60.6%
42.9%
+17.7 pp in Louisville, KY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.4%
30.3%
+3.1 pp in Louisville, KY
Avg Commute
22.7 min
18.0 min
+4.7 min in Louisville, KY

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
763.4
1,189.8
+56% in Springfield, MO
Property Crime
3,536.6
4,231.6
+20% 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
58.2°F
56.3°F
+1.9°F in Louisville, KY
Annual Precipitation
44.9 in
45.6 in
+0.7 in in Springfield, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.94/gal
about equal

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75
—

Adult base one-way fare — TARC vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.0
13.7
+9% in Louisville, KY
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$29.48
$24.13
+18% in Louisville, KY

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Springfield, MO
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Louisville, KY
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Springfield, MO
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Springfield, MO
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Springfield, MO
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (KY / MO)
6%
4.225%
+1.8 pp in KY
Income Tax (top rate)
3.50%
4.70%
+1.2 pp in MO

Louisville vs Springfield — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Louisville or Springfield?
Springfield, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Louisville, KY's $1,060, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Louisville than in Springfield?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $35,000 a year in Louisville versus $31,000 in Springfield.
Which has lower taxes, Louisville or Springfield?
Louisville is taxed under Kentucky's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% 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).