Jefferson City, MO
The numbers that matter most
What an investor checks first when sizing up a new metro — affordability ratio, rent vs income, cap rate proxy, and where the market is moving. Each metric shown vs. state and national medians for instant context.
affordable
Price to income
2.82×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs Missouri
- 2.93×-0.12
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×-0.61
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
comfortable
Rent to income
17.3%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs Missouri
- 19.4%-2.1
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%-6.0
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
tight
Cap rate proxy
3.99%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs Missouri
- 4.00%
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
shrinking
Net migration
-0.04%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs Missouri
- -0.02%
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
tight
Permit pipeline
1.45
permits per 1,000 residents
Forward-supply indicator. Above ~5 means the metro is building meaningfully relative to its size; below 2 means supply is tight.
- vs Missouri
- 2.99
- vs U.S.
- 3.52
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
very tight labor market
Unemployment
2.5%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs Missouri
- 3.0%-0.5
- vs U.S.
- 3.9%-1.4
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+64.7%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+5.0%
Median home value
$203,900
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $794 | $9,528 | 13.2% |
| 2 BR | $1,042 | $12,504 | 17.3% |
| 3 BR | $1,249 | $14,988 | 20.7% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
2.5%
Median household income
$72,425
What's being built
Total TTM
218
+23.6% YoY
Single-family
210
2–4 unit
8
5+ unit
0
All 4 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cole County | 76,890 | $214,400 | $73,273 | 168 | +14.3% |
| Callaway County | 44,517 | $196,200 | $72,645 | 42 | +44.8% |
| Moniteau County | 15,401 | $168,300 | $65,161 | 7 | +133.3% |
| Osage County | 13,374 | $205,700 | $75,355 | 1 |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Jefferson City | 150,182 | $72,425 | 2.82× | 3.99% | +64.7% | 1.45 | 2.5% |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 149,113 | $72,027 | — | — | +47.8% | — | 3.5% |
| Grand Junction, CO | 156,131 | $71,485 | — | — | +57.3% | — | 3.7% |
| Santa Fe, NM | 154,481 | $74,689 | — | — | +52.6% | — | 3.6% |
| Monroe, MI | 154,823 | $75,272 | — | — | +44.1% | — | 4.6% |
| Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA | 156,084 | $74,946 | — | — | +51.2% | — | 3.1% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
-60
-0.04% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Boone County, MO | 493 |
| Cole County, MO | 447 |
| Callaway County, MO | 289 |
| St. Louis County, MO | 110 |
| Osage County, MO | 104 |
| Moniteau County, MO | 101 |
Who lives in Jefferson City
- Median age
- 40
- Bachelor's+
- 30.7%
- Owner-occupancy
- 72.2%
- Vacancy rate
- 10.4%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 31.0%
- Median household income
- $72,425
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.