What it's like to live in Jackson
Jackson is a small city in Missouri with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Jackson deals with cold winters, above-average rainfall, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Cold winters
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Jackson compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Jackson
Based on Jackson's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,800
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $36,000 a year
- 34% of Jackson renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$48,000
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $24,000
- Homes cost 3.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 36% below US
$900/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $900 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $240,000. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $240,000 · 34% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.6% county unemployment
Unemployment in Cape Girardeau County is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Cape Girardeau County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 77% below US
75 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 785/100k · Jackson Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 22% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.2 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 26°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
36% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 36% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park (47 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Jackson's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are cold winters and above-average rainfall. A year of median rent ($900/mo) equals 14% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Jackson
All Missouri guides →Not sure Jackson is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.