City profile · Missouri · Census ACS 2023

Jefferson City, MO

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Jefferson City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

42,565
Residents
$67,205
Median income
$208,000
Median home
$910
Median rent (state)

Jefferson City - the verdict

Nationally, Jefferson City sits in the 46th percentile for household income and the 25th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

46th
percentile, household income
45th
percentile, home value
5th
percentile, median rent
25th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Jefferson City, MO

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 42,565 residents in Jefferson City, a small city within Missouri. Jefferson City households earn a median of $67,205 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.7%. Home values in Jefferson City run a median of $208,000, and the median resident age is 39.1 years. About 36.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 58.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 25 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 55% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2373.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Missouri run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Missouri scores 90.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $910 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Missouri's average monthly utility costs around $219 (state average). Workers in Jefferson City report an average commute of 14.3 minutes, with 78.3% driving alone and 8.2% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 73.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

42,565 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Missouri

Median Household Income

$67,205 /yr

Poverty 10.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Missouri average

How does Jefferson City compare to other US cities?

Here's how Jefferson City stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 46% higher than other cities
Home value 45% pricier than other cities
Median rent 5% pricier than other cities
Safety 25% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Missouri and the picture shifts: Jefferson City ranks #166 of 234 Missouri cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Jefferson City's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Missouri, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

46thIncome percentile
25thSafety percentile

46th percentile nationally for median household income · 25th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Jefferson City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Jefferson City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 49 Avg. percentile National median
Jefferson City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Jefferson City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$208,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 55% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Jefferson City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Jefferson City, MO Jefferson City, MO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Jefferson City, MO-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Jefferson City, MO median $67,205/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Jefferson City, MO's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Jefferson City, MO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 36.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
42,565
Median Income
$67,205
Median Home Value
$208,000
Median Age
39.1
Poverty Rate
10.7%
Labor force participation
58.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
36.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2373.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
333.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2039.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
19
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
42,400 residents42,500 residents42,600 residents42,700 residents42,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 42,528 residents 42,489 residents ▼ -0.1%
Jefferson City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
25
housing units authorized
Single-Family
19
detached homes
Multifamily
6
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 55
2020 56
2021 62
2022 24
2023 20
2024 25

Permit volume decreased 55% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
14.3 minutes
Drive Alone
78.3%
Carpool
8.9%
Public Transit
0.6%
Walk
1.7%
Work from Home
8.2%
Other
2.3%

Based on 20,545 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Missouri - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$72
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$219
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Missouri state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Missouri state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Jefferson City sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$910/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
73.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Missouri

Cape Girardeau
40,047 people
Wentzville
45,734 people
Chesterfield
49,591 people
Wildwood
35,168 people
Oakville
35,166 people
University City
34,655 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Jefferson City's 42,565 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

French Valley, CA
42,550 people
Coachella, CA
42,594 people
San Bruno, CA
42,612 people
Puyallup, WA
42,642 people
Vineyard, CA
42,645 people
University CDP (Orange County), FL
42,481 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Jefferson City's $67,205 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Umatilla, FL
$67,206 median income
Somers, CT
$67,203 median income
Orebank, TN
$67,207 median income
Comfort, TX
$67,202 median income
Forest Park, OH
$67,201 median income
Springfield, OR
$67,211 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Jefferson City, MO Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Jefferson City, MO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 72.5% 17.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.2% White 72.5% Black or African American 17.4% Asian 2.8% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.5% Two or more races 5.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Jefferson City compares to nearby Missouri cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Jefferson City (this city) 42,565 $67,205
Cape Girardeau 40,047 $54,870
Wentzville 45,734 $111,409
Chesterfield 49,591 $133,380
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MO FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Jefferson City, MO?

What is the population of Jefferson City, MO? +

Jefferson City, MO has a population of 42,565 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Jefferson City, MO? +

In Jefferson City, the typical household earns $67,205 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Jefferson City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Jefferson City; the closest available measure is the Missouri state average, a cost of living index of 90.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Missouri vary by metro area.

Is Jefferson City, MO safe? +

Jefferson City has a total crime rate of 2373.0 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Jefferson City, MO? +

A typical home in Jefferson City is worth $208,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.