Living in St. Joseph, MO

Explore St. Joseph and see how it fits the life you want to build.

71,236 Population Buchanan County County City Place Type Missouri State
Overall Match7.2 / 10

Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.

St. Joseph at a Glance

Key facts and current data

Population71,236
Median Household Income$57,956
Median Home Value$154,200
Median Gross Rent$898
Median Age38.1
Average Household Size2.4
Unemployment4.3%
Work From Home7.1%
Homeownership62.8%
Housing Vacancy13.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.

St. Joseph is a mid-sized community where local neighborhoods, nearby job centers and regional access can matter as much as citywide averages. Home values are relatively modest compared with local household income, giving the area a comparatively favorable ownership-affordability signal.

Experience the Area

Experience Life in St. Joseph Before You Move

Explore Short-Term Stays in St. Joseph →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate

NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in St. Joseph and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.

NarrowTheList Ratings

Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.

Housing Value4.2 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Employment3.9 / 5Lower unemployment produces a stronger rating.
Housing Stability3.0 / 5Combines homeownership and housing vacancy.
Remote Work Friendly3.0 / 5Based on the share of residents working from home.
Income Strength3.8 / 5Household income compared on a national scale.

These are location-wide baseline ratings, not your personal match score. Your own priorities can change which factors matter most.

Housing & Cost of Living in St. Joseph

Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau

Median Home Value$154,200
Median Gross Rent$898
Homeownership62.8%
Housing Vacancy13.5%
Housing Value8.4/10
Housing Stability6.0/10

Home values are comparatively balanced against local household income, although individual neighborhoods can still vary substantially. The housing mix leans toward owner-occupied homes while still supporting a meaningful rental market.

Jobs, Income & Remote Work

Employment and household-income context for St. Joseph, MO

Median Household Income$57,956
Unemployment4.3%
Work From Home7.1%
Employment7.8/10
Remote Work Friendly6.0/10
Income Strength7.6/10

The reported unemployment rate is in a middle range.

Population & Household Profile

Who lives in St. Joseph and how households are structured

Population71,236
Median Age38.1
Average Household Size2.4

St. Joseph is a mid-sized community where neighborhood and nearby-employment patterns can materially affect a relocation decision.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.

Climate & Weather in St. Joseph

Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context

NOAA climate normals for St. Joseph point to hot summers, cold winters, a wetter annual rainfall pattern and a meaningful winter snowfall season.

Average Summer High88.1°F
Average Winter Low17.1°F
Annual Rainfall37.5 in.
Annual Snowfall21.1 in.

Seasonal Life in St. Joseph

What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.

Spring

Spring is a useful time to evaluate how quickly outdoor conditions become comfortable and how seasonal rain affects everyday routines.

Summer

Summer is warm enough that shade and cooling still matter, but the typical high is below the extreme-heat range seen in many hotter U.S. markets.

Fall

Fall marks a substantial seasonal transition here. It is a useful time to judge how quickly temperatures change and whether that seasonal swing fits the lifestyle you want.

Winter

Freezing winter lows and meaningful snowfall make snow removal, winter driving, heating costs and cold-weather routines important parts of evaluating the area.

Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.

St. Joseph is located in Buchanan County, but city-level housing, income and neighborhood conditions can differ meaningfully from countywide averages. Buchanan County. Current county foreclosure activity is classified as medium, adding another housing-market signal for buyers comparing conventional and distressed-property opportunities.

County Intelligence

St. Joseph & Buchanan County

Medium Foreclosure Activity

St. Joseph is located in Buchanan County, Missouri.

NarrowTheList uses county-level information alongside local community data because many factors that matter when choosing a place to live are measured beyond city boundaries. Housing, property taxes, employment, healthcare access and other regional characteristics can add useful context to the picture of life in St. Joseph.

Current NarrowTheList data for St. Joseph shows a population of about 71,236. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.

Foreclosure Activity: Medium. Current signal uses NarrowTheList foreclosure-opportunity data until direct county delinquency and foreclosure datasets are connected.

For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.

County relationship Buchanan County
How NarrowTheList uses it

County information is used as a supporting geographic layer, not as a substitute for local data. As more county datasets are added, NarrowTheList can use them to improve comparisons, ratings and relocation insights for St. Joseph.

For someone considering a move to St. Joseph, the available data currently points to comparatively attainable ownership costs relative to local income. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.

Nearby Cities & Communities

Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.