Joplin among least expensive places to raise a family

Are you considering starting and raising a family but concerned with rising costs?

Well, the City of Joplin is actually an affordable place to plant roots.

According to newly released data from Upgraded Points’, Joplin was 12th on the list for least expensive small metro cities to live in the U.S. when considering housing, childcare, healthcare, transportation, food and other necessities.

In the Joplin metro area, a two-adult household without children needs an average annual income of $46,797 to maintain a modest yet sufficient standard of living. Adding one child raises this amount to $61,884, a 32.2% increase—the 12th smallest rise among all small U.S. metro areas.

In the Joplin metro area, families with two children face average annual living costs of $73,432—56.9% higher than households without children.