Charleston, MO vs Jennings, MO

Charleston is moderately more affordable than Jennings, with a 5.8% lower cost of living index. Charleston scores 63 compared to 67 for Jennings, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Jennings can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Charleston is $734/month compared to $944/month in Jennings — a 22% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Charleston has cheaper rent, Jennings actually has lower median home values ($62,300 vs $107,700).

Median household income in Charleston is $35,139 compared to $37,356 in Jennings (-5.9%). While Jennings is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Charleston spend roughly 25.1% of their income on rent, less than the 30.3% in Jennings. The Charleston ratio exceeds the commonly recommended 30% threshold, which can put pressure on household budgets.