Joplin, 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
2.61×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs Missouri
- 2.93×-0.32
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×-0.82
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
comfortable
Rent to income
18.9%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs Missouri
- 19.4%-0.5
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%-4.4
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
deal-by-deal
Cap rate proxy
4.70%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs Missouri
- 4.00%+0.71
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%+0.36
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
steady
Net migration
+0.08%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs Missouri
- -0.02%+0.10
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%+0.05
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
normal
Permit pipeline
3.86
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+0.87
- vs U.S.
- 3.52+0.34
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
healthy
Unemployment
3.1%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs Missouri
- 3.0%
- vs U.S.
- 3.9%-0.8
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+61.8%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+6.0%
Median home value
$157,000
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $765 | $9,180 | 15.3% |
| 2 BR | $947 | $11,364 | 18.9% |
| 3 BR | $1,237 | $14,844 | 24.7% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
3.1%
Median household income
$60,146
What's being built
Total TTM
702
+19.6% YoY
Single-family
543
2–4 unit
99
5+ unit
60
All 3 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasper County | 122,788 | $158,500 | $57,525 | 571 | +17.7% |
| Newton County | 59,019 | $175,300 | $64,583 | 116 | +30.3% |
| Cherokee County | 19,380 | $99,400 | $58,274 | 15 | +7.1% |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Joplin | 181,807 | $60,146 | 2.61× | 4.70% | +61.8% | 3.86 | 3.1% |
| Jackson, TN | 180,446 | $58,740 | — | — | +73.0% | — | 3.7% |
| Bowling Green, KY | 180,624 | $62,437 | — | — | +55.7% | — | 3.4% |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | 175,126 | $58,991 | — | — | +55.0% | — | 2.1% |
| Saginaw, MI | 189,821 | $58,347 | — | — | +54.1% | — | 6.0% |
| Hattiesburg, MS | 172,176 | $59,008 | — | — | +50.6% | — | 2.8% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
+147
+0.08% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Jasper County, MO | 927 |
| Newton County, MO | 811 |
| McDonald County, MO | 207 |
| Ottawa County, OK | 185 |
| Cherokee County, KS | 181 |
| Greene County, MO | 171 |
Who lives in Joplin
- Median age
- 38
- Bachelor's+
- 24.0%
- Owner-occupancy
- 68.0%
- Vacancy rate
- 10.8%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 42.3%
- Median household income
- $60,146
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.