Living Cost Compare
Morgantown

West Virginia

$950/mo est.

vs
Springfield

Missouri

$970/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $950 in Morgantown, WV versus $970 in Springfield, MO. Overall, Morgantown, WV is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Springfield, MO, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $42,245 in Morgantown, WV and $45,984 in Springfield, MO — about 8% higher in Springfield, MO. West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Morgantown, WV
Springfield, MO

Rent

Studio
$836
$760
+9% in Morgantown, WV
1 Bedroom
$770
$772
+0% in Springfield, MO
2 Bedroom
$969
$926
+4% in Morgantown, WV
3 Bedroom
$1,038
$1,158
+12% in Springfield, MO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$238,200
$165,200
+31% in Morgantown, WV

Income

Median Household Income
$42,245
$45,984
+9% in Springfield, MO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$47,350
$45,780
+3% in Morgantown, WV

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
24.0 yr
33.6 yr
+9.6 yr in Springfield, MO
Homeownership
44.3%
42.9%
+1.4 pp in Morgantown, WV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
58.1%
30.3%
+27.8 pp in Morgantown, WV
Avg Commute
17.3 min
18.0 min
+0.7 min in Springfield, MO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
216.3
1,189.8
+450% in Springfield, MO
Property Crime
1,976.4
4,231.6
+114% 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
53.0°F
56.3°F
+3.3°F in Springfield, MO
Annual Precipitation
41.8 in
45.6 in
+3.7 in in Springfield, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.85/gal
+2% in Morgantown, WV

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.4
16.2
+5% in Springfield, MO
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.68
$28.78
+17% in Springfield, MO

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 Morgantown, WV
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 (WV / MO)
6%
4.225%
+1.8 pp in WV
Income Tax (top rate)
4.82%
4.70%
+0.1 pp in WV

Morgantown vs Springfield — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Morgantown or Springfield?
Morgantown, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Springfield, MO's $970, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Morgantown than in Springfield?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Morgantown versus $31,000 in Springfield.
Which has lower taxes, Morgantown or Springfield?
Morgantown is taxed under West Virginia's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% 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).