Moving to Massachusetts from Missouri

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Missouri to Massachusetts — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Missouri to Massachusetts, you would find that Massachusetts is 30.4% more expensive than Missouri. A $75,000 salary in Missouri would need to be roughly $102,958 in Massachusetts to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Missouri to Massachusetts.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $102,958

To maintain the same standard of living in Massachusetts

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 19.4% more

Groceries

pay 15.3% more

Transportation

pay 0.3% less

Housing

pay 55.4% more

Childcare

pay 73.8% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 43.6% more

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Missouri to Massachusetts.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MO
453
MA
308
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MO
2070
MA
1077

Massachusetts performs significantly better than Missouri across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

MO
8.9%
MA
2.6%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MO
37.5%
MA
28.8%

Massachusetts performs significantly better than Missouri across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

MO
$215,600
MA
$525,800
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MO
$996
MA
$1,687

Missouri performs better than Massachusetts across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MO
88.3%
MA
91.9%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MO
24 min
MA
29 min

Missouri generally does better on infrastructure, though Massachusetts leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MO
3.3%
MA
4.7%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MO
$56,344
MA
$87,892

Massachusetts generally does better on employment & economy, though Missouri leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

MO
75.1 yrs
MA
79.0 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

MO
22%
MA
32%

Massachusetts performs significantly better than Missouri across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Columbia Rain: 46.3 in/yr (1175 mm)
66° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Boston Rain: 43.8 in/yr (1112 mm)
59° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Columbia Boston
Jan–Mar 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) 66°/50°F (19°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) 78°/62°F (25°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) 51°/38°F (11°/3°C)
View all months
Month Columbia Boston
Jan 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C)
Feb 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C)
Mar 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C)
Apr 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C)
May 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C)
Jun 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C)
Jul 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C)
Aug 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C)
Sep 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C)
Oct 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C)
Nov 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C)
Dec 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Massachusetts than Missouri?

No — Massachusetts is on average about 37% more expensive than Missouri. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Massachusetts?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $25,740 in Massachusetts on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Massachusetts safe?

Massachusetts performs significantly better than Missouri across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Massachusetts compared to Missouri?

Massachusetts performs significantly better than Missouri across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Massachusetts compared to Missouri?

The average high temperature in Boston is 59°F, compared to 66°F in Columbia. Boston receives around 43.8 in of rainfall per year, while Columbia gets 46.3 in.

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