Daviess County's composite score of 76.1 far exceeds the national median of 50, placing it in the 76th percentile of U.S. counties. The county demonstrates strong livability across measured dimensions.
2 / 5
Above Average Across Missouri
Daviess County scores 76.1, surpassing Missouri's state average of 74.8 to rank solidly in the state's upper tier. It's among Missouri's more livable counties based on available metrics.
3 / 5
Balanced Taxes, Affordable Housing
Daviess County offers a tax score of 82.3 with a 0.708% effective rate and a cost score of 84.8, with median rent at $731/month and home values around $149,200. The combination delivers strong financial value for residents.
4 / 5
Income Growth Opportunities Limited
The income score of 23.0 indicates modest wage potential, with median household income at $60,665, meaning earning power lags behind housing affordability. Safety, health, schools, and environmental data gaps remain.
5 / 5
Great for Budget-Minded Families
Daviess County suits families and individuals who balance affordability with moderate earning potential and value steady financial stability. It's an excellent choice for those wanting respectable livability without extreme lifestyle trade-offs.
Daviess County's composite score of 76.1 far exceeds the national median of 50, placing it in the 76th percentile of U.S. counties. The county demonstrates strong livability across measured dimensions.
Above Average Across Missouri
Daviess County scores 76.1, surpassing Missouri's state average of 74.8 to rank solidly in the state's upper tier. It's among Missouri's more livable counties based on available metrics.
Balanced Taxes, Affordable Housing
Daviess County offers a tax score of 82.3 with a 0.708% effective rate and a cost score of 84.8, with median rent at $731/month and home values around $149,200. The combination delivers strong financial value for residents.
Income Growth Opportunities Limited
The income score of 23.0 indicates modest wage potential, with median household income at $60,665, meaning earning power lags behind housing affordability. Safety, health, schools, and environmental data gaps remain.
Great for Budget-Minded Families
Daviess County suits families and individuals who balance affordability with moderate earning potential and value steady financial stability. It's an excellent choice for those wanting respectable livability without extreme lifestyle trade-offs.
Score breakdown
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🏛82.3
Property Tax
Effective property tax rate vs national benchmarks
With a 0.708% effective tax rate, Daviess County sits below the national median and ranks among more affordable property tax jurisdictions nationwide. This moderate rate means residents shoulder less tax burden than most U.S. homeowners.
Near Missouri's State Average
Daviess County's 0.708% rate closely aligns with Missouri's state average of 0.733%, placing it squarely in the middle of the state's tax landscape. The median tax of $1,057 is 12% below the state median of $1,199, reflecting reasonable tax burden.
Mid-Range Taxes for the Area
Daviess County (0.708%) ranks higher than Dallas County (0.480%), Crawford County (0.609%), and Dade County (0.650%), but lower than DeKalb County (0.758%), Cooper County (0.676%), and Cole County (0.806%). It represents a balanced tax position within its region.
What You Pay on Median Home Value
On Daviess County's median home value of $149,200, homeowners pay approximately $1,057 per year in property taxes—about $88 monthly. This moderate bill sits below the state average, offering reasonable affordability.
Overassessment Could Cost You Thousands
If your Daviess County property is valued higher than comparable homes sold recently, you may be overpaying your taxes significantly. Filing an appeal to challenge your assessment could recover years of excess tax payments.
Daviess County renters spend 14.5% of their income on housing, sitting comfortably below both the national average and Missouri's state average of 15.6%. With a median household income of $60,665 and median rent of $731, the county balances below-average income with proportionally lower housing costs.
Above-average affordability
Daviess County's 14.5% rent-to-income ratio beats Missouri's 15.6% state average, placing it solidly in the top tier of affordable counties. The median rent of $731 sits slightly below the state's $768 average, creating a favorable housing market despite below-average incomes.
Solid middle-ground option
Daviess County's median rent of $731 and 14.5% ratio position it competitively among neighbors, outperforming Crawford County (17.2% ratio) and holding its own against Cole County (13.2%) and DeKalb County (13.8%). The county offers a balanced mix of rural affordability and reasonable housing access.
14.5% of income to housing
Households in Daviess County earn a median of $60,665 annually and allocate roughly $731 monthly to rent or $696 for ownership, consuming 14.5% of gross income. This ratio leaves families adequate resources for other essential expenses and savings.
Balanced affordability and accessibility
Daviess County offers a sensible middle ground for families seeking rural living with reasonable housing costs and moderate income requirements. The 14.5% rent-to-income ratio and modest median home value of $149,200 make this an attractive option for budget-conscious households.
Daviess County's median household income of $60,665 trails the national median of $74,755 by 18.8%, placing it among lower-earning counties nationwide. Despite this gap, the county outperforms many rural regions facing steeper income declines.
Slightly ahead of Missouri average
Daviess County's median income of $60,665 exceeds Missouri's state average of $59,503 by just 1.9%, reflecting modest local economic strength. This narrow margin suggests Daviess performs at the state median rather than leading.
Mid-tier performer regionally
Daviess County ($60,665) ranks in the middle of surveyed counties, exceeding Crawford County ($56,345), Dade County ($49,899), and Dallas County ($53,177) but trailing Clinton County ($70,625) and Cole County ($73,273). This position reflects a stable but modest local economy.
Rental costs are manageable
Daviess County's rent-to-income ratio of 14.5% falls well below the 15% affordability benchmark, giving renters reasonable financial cushion. The median home value of $149,200 remains relatively affordable for households earning near the county median.
Steady growth through consistent saving
Daviess County residents should aim to save 10–12% of household income toward retirement and long-term goals. Investigate employer retirement plans and community investment options to grow wealth steadily despite modest current earnings.
Daviess County edges above national life expectancy
At 75.9 years, Daviess County residents live 2.2 years longer than the U.S. average of 73.7 years. However, 22.6% report poor or fair health status, exceeding the national rate of 19.3%—suggesting pockets of significant chronic disease despite decent overall longevity.
Above-state longevity, below-state coverage
Daviess County's life expectancy of 75.9 years beats Missouri's 74.3-year average by 1.6 years, placing it among the healthier counties statewide. Yet the uninsured rate of 15.8% is the highest in this entire group, far exceeding the state average of 12.5%.
Good longevity masked by coverage crisis
Daviess County's 75.9-year life expectancy rivals Clinton County's 75.5 and DeKalb County's 75.7, but its 15.8% uninsured rate is the worst in this analysis. The county's 12 primary care providers per 100K and just 23 mental health providers per 100K represent tight capacity for a county facing such high uninsurance.
Coverage crisis in a healthy county
Daviess County presents a paradox: strong life expectancy of 75.9 years alongside the highest uninsured rate (15.8%) in this group—meaning roughly 1 in 6 residents lack protection. Limited primary care at 12 per 100K and minimal mental health services at 23 per 100K create access bottlenecks for the uninsured.
Don't let uninsurance derail your health
Daviess County's good life expectancy depends on early intervention—which requires insurance coverage. Healthcare.gov can help you find affordable plans and subsidies to ensure you're protected against unexpected health crises and can access preventive care.
Daviess County scores 30.06 on the composite risk scale, rated Very Low and substantially below Missouri's state average of 50.56. This positioning places the county in the safest tier for natural disaster exposure nationally.
Among Missouri's Safest Counties
Daviess County ranks in the lowest-risk tier of Missouri's 114 counties, with a composite score 20 points below the state average. The county maintains minimal exposure across most major hazard types.
Safer Than Most Regional Peers
Daviess County's 30.06 score falls well below Cole County (73.44) and Crawford County (54.99), matching Dallas County (41.70) and trailing only DeKalb County (16.03) and Cooper County (20.39) in the immediate region.
Modest Tornado Exposure Only
Tornado risk of 56.65 represents Daviess County's primary concern, though it remains below the state average. Wildfire risk of 51.72 and flood risk of 36.20 complete a relatively benign hazard profile.
Standard Homeowners Coverage Works
Standard homeowners insurance provides adequate protection for Daviess County's low-risk environment. Confirm your flood coverage if living in a designated floodplain, but specialized earthquake or windstorm policies are unnecessary for most properties here.