What it's like to live in Webb City
Webb City is a small city in Missouri with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and air quality that stays clean most of the year. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Webb City deals with household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, cold winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High poverty rate
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Webb City compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Webb City
Based on Webb City's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,016
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $40,320 a year
- 39% of Webb City renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$33,820
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $16,910
- Homes cost 2.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 29% below US
$1,008/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,008 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $169,100. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $169,100 · 39% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in Jasper County is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Jasper County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 23% below US
252 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1381/100k · Webb City Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 33% below US
17 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 17.3 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 7% 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 27°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 26% below US
27% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 27%. 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, close to 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 George Washington Carver National Monument (12 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Webb City'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 a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,008/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Webb City
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