Cooper County's composite score of 75.6 places it well above the national median of 50, ranking in the 76th percentile nationally. The county stands among the most livable in the U.S. based on measured factors.
2 / 5
Missouri's Upper-Tier County
Cooper County scores 75.6, exceeding Missouri's state average of 74.8 to rank among the top counties statewide. It's one of the better-performing counties in the state's livability landscape.
3 / 5
Lowest Taxes and Strong Affordability
Cooper County boasts the highest tax score (83.3) and cost score (81.9) in this group, with the lowest effective tax rate at 0.676% and rent averaging just $763/month. These metrics combine to offer exceptional financial relief for residents.
4 / 5
Income Remains Below Potential
The income score of 27.5 is the lowest among the three strongest dimensions, with median household income at $67,548, suggesting limited wage growth compared to the county's cost advantages. Data gaps exist for safety, health, schools, and environmental quality.
5 / 5
Perfect for Tax-Conscious Savers
Cooper County is ideal for retirees, investors, and anyone prioritizing maximum financial efficiency over income growth. If you want to stretch every dollar through low taxes and cheap housing, this county delivers exceptional value.
Cooper County's composite score of 75.6 places it well above the national median of 50, ranking in the 76th percentile nationally. The county stands among the most livable in the U.S. based on measured factors.
Missouri's Upper-Tier County
Cooper County scores 75.6, exceeding Missouri's state average of 74.8 to rank among the top counties statewide. It's one of the better-performing counties in the state's livability landscape.
Lowest Taxes and Strong Affordability
Cooper County boasts the highest tax score (83.3) and cost score (81.9) in this group, with the lowest effective tax rate at 0.676% and rent averaging just $763/month. These metrics combine to offer exceptional financial relief for residents.
Income Remains Below Potential
The income score of 27.5 is the lowest among the three strongest dimensions, with median household income at $67,548, suggesting limited wage growth compared to the county's cost advantages. Data gaps exist for safety, health, schools, and environmental quality.
Perfect for Tax-Conscious Savers
Cooper County is ideal for retirees, investors, and anyone prioritizing maximum financial efficiency over income growth. If you want to stretch every dollar through low taxes and cheap housing, this county delivers exceptional value.
Score breakdown
5 dimensions have live data. 3 more coming as vertical sites launch.
🏛83.3
Property Tax
Effective property tax rate vs national benchmarks
With a 0.676% effective tax rate, Cooper County is one of the more affordable property tax jurisdictions compared to the U.S. median of roughly 0.96% on a $282,000 home. Residents here pay substantially less than most American homeowners when it comes to property taxes.
Slightly Below Missouri Average
Cooper County's 0.676% rate sits just below Missouri's state average of 0.733%, placing it in the moderate-to-lower range statewide. The median tax of $1,332 is 11% above the state median of $1,199, suggesting a reasonable tax burden for the region.
Most Tax-Friendly in Its Region
Cooper County offers notably lower taxes than neighboring Clinton County (0.861%) and Cole County (0.806%), though it trades slightly higher rates than Crawford County (0.609%) and Dallas County (0.480%). For the broader mid-Missouri area, Cooper provides competitive property tax rates.
Median Annual Property Tax Payment
On Cooper County's median home value of $197,100, homeowners pay approximately $1,332 annually in property taxes—about $111 per month. This relatively moderate bill reflects Cooper's below-average tax burden within Missouri.
Check Your Assessment for Accuracy
Even in lower-tax counties, overassessment can occur, resulting in unnecessary tax payments for years. Cooper County homeowners should periodically review their assessments and appeal if values don't match local market conditions.
Cooper County renters spend 13.6% of their income on housing, comfortably below the national average and Missouri's state average of 15.6%. With median rent at $763 and household income at $67,548—somewhat below the national median of $74,755—the county balances lower costs with lower incomes effectively.
Top tier for affordability
Cooper County's 13.6% rent-to-income ratio places it among Missouri's most affordable counties, beating the state average by 2 percentage points. The median rent of $763 sits just under the state's $768 average, making this a consistently accessible housing market.
Competitive with regional peers
Cooper County's median rent of $763 and 13.6% ratio compete favorably against nearby Cole County ($804 rent, 13.2% ratio) and DeKalb County ($796, 13.8% ratio). While Cole edges slightly ahead on affordability, Cooper remains firmly in the region's top tier for accessible housing.
Housing claims 13.6% of earnings
Households in Cooper County earn a median of $67,548 annually and allocate roughly $763 monthly to rent or $843 for ownership costs, representing 13.6% of gross income. This ratio leaves families adequate resources for savings and other expenses.
Affordable living in rural Missouri
Cooper County offers an appealing combination of low housing costs and a below-average cost of living, making it an excellent choice for budget-conscious families and retirees. The 13.6% rent-to-income ratio ensures your housing expenses won't dominate your household budget.
Cooper County's median household income of $67,548 falls 9.7% short of the national median of $74,755, placing it below the U.S. typical. Despite this gap, the county remains above many rural and post-industrial regions nationwide.
Solid performance within Missouri
Cooper County's median income of $67,548 exceeds Missouri's state average of $59,503 by 13.5%, positioning it well within the state's upper half. This $8,045 advantage reflects stronger local employment than many Missouri counties.
Competitive with regional peers
Cooper County ($67,548) trails Cole County ($73,273) and Clinton County ($70,625) but remains ahead of Crawford County ($56,345) and Daviess County ($60,665). This mid-range position reflects a stable, if modest, local economy.
Affordable housing supports stability
Cooper County's rent-to-income ratio of 13.6% indicates very affordable rental costs relative to household earnings, well below the 15% comfort threshold. The median home value of $197,100 remains accessible to working families earning near the county median.
Stretch your savings potential
Cooper County's moderate income levels require disciplined saving; aim to put 10–15% of earnings toward retirement and emergency funds. Local credit unions and community banks often offer affordable financial coaching to help residents build credit and start investing.
Cooper County residents live to 77.3 years on average, beating the U.S. life expectancy of 73.7 years by 3.6 years. However, 19.0% report poor or fair health status, slightly above the national rate of 19.3%, suggesting health gains mask underlying disparities.
Among Missouri's healthiest counties
At 77.3 years, Cooper County's life expectancy tops the state average of 74.3 years by a significant 3 years. The uninsured rate of 10.5% is better than Missouri's 12.5% average, though it exceeds rates in neighboring Cole and Clinton counties.
Strong longevity, tight provider network
Cooper County's 77.3-year life expectancy matches or beats all regional peers, but its 23 primary care providers per 100K is a critical gap compared to Clinton County's 61 and Cole County's 70. Mental health access at 124 per 100K is solid but below Cole County's exceptional 252.
High health expectations, limited access
Cooper County's 10.5% uninsured rate leaves about 1 in 9.5 residents without coverage, limiting their ability to access the county's restricted primary care network of just 23 providers per 100K. The 19.0% poor/fair health rate suggests gaps in preventive care reach despite strong life expectancy.
Secure coverage to access local care
With primary care access tighter than state averages, getting insured in Cooper County is critical for regular preventive care. Check Healthcare.gov today to find affordable plans and ensure you can reach the providers serving your community.
Cooper County scores just 20.39 on the composite risk scale, earning a Very Low rating and falling well below Missouri's state average of 50.56. This position places the county in the lowest-risk category for natural disasters nationally.
Missouri's Safest Counties
Cooper County ranks among the lowest-risk counties in Missouri, with minimal exposure across nearly all hazard types. The county's score of 20.39 reflects one of the state's most favorable natural disaster profiles.
Significantly Safer Than Peers
Cooper County's 20.39 score substantially underscore nearby Cole County (73.44), Crawford County (54.99), and Dallas County (41.70). This dramatic difference makes Cooper a notably safer choice for residents concerned about natural disaster exposure.
Minor Tornado Exposure Only
Tornado risk of 50.76 represents Cooper County's most notable concern, though it remains relatively modest in statewide context. Flood, earthquake, and wildfire risks all score below 50, indicating low practical threat levels.
Standard Coverage Sufficient
Standard homeowners insurance provides adequate baseline protection for Cooper County's low-risk environment. Confirm flood coverage if your home sits in a mapped floodplain, but specialized earthquake or windstorm policies are unlikely necessary here.