What it's like to live in Republic
Republic 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. Republic deals with household incomes below the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, cold winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Low crime rates
- Fast-growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Air quality concerns
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Republic compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Republic
Based on Republic's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,246
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $44,920 a year
- 34% of Republic renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$42,300
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $21,150
- Homes cost 3.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 21% below US
$1,123/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,123 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $211,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $211,500 · 34% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Greene County is 3.7%, 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.
Greene County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 68% below US
104 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 625/100k · Republic Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
25 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.9 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 88°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 27°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 27% below US
26% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 26%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Wilson's Creek National Battlefield (4 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Republic's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,123/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near Republic
All Missouri guides →Not sure Republic is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.