Jefferson City, MO — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Missouri·Jefferson City

Cole County · Jefferson City · population 42,564

First-time buyersInvestors
Jefferson City, MO
Image: Wikipedia · Jefferson City, Missouri
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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76
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Jefferson City stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 7.3% in the last year. averaging 8.1% annual growth over 5 years. rents up 8.3% in the last year.

Median home $275,376
1-year +7.3%
5-yr CAGR +8.1%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.4%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$275k$129k$181k$234k$286k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
78/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,039/mo$770$942$1,11420242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent12012610012020242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 22.1
Lean rent

At a 22.1 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Jefferson City. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
83 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
79 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
39 · w16%
Rent YoY
85 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
75 · w10%
Long thesis

Jefferson City has averaged 8.1% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+7.3% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Jefferson City's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Jefferson City

Jefferson City is a city in Cole County, Missouri, with an estimated population of 42,564. The median home value in Jefferson City is $275,376 as of 2026-04, up 7.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +8.1% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Jefferson City average $1,039 per month, up 8.3% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 76 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Multi-year compounder: home values up an average 8.1% per year over the last 5 years — sustained, not a one-year pop.
●Trend still working: prices up 7.3% in the last 12 months — buyers are still chasing inventory.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
●Hot rental market: rents up 8.3% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

▼ Bear case

●Flat or shrinking population: -0.4% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — verify the source.
●Rental squeeze: rents up 8.3% YoY — tenants face tough renewals. Affordability deteriorating fast.

About Jefferson City (Wikipedia)

Jefferson City, informally Jeff City, is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri. It had a population of 43,228 at the 2020 United States census, ranking as the 16th most populous city in the state, but the 9th least populous U.S. state capital. It is also the county seat of Cole County and the principal city of the Jefferson City Metropolitan Statistical Area, the second-most-populous metropolitan area in Mid-Missouri and the fifth-most populous in the state. It forms part of the nine-county Columbia–Jefferson City–Moberly combined statistical area, which has 415,747 residents. Most of the city is located within Cole County, with a small northern section extending into adjacent Callaway County.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Cole County right now.

NWS active alerts (MO)Missouri Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Cole County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Jefferson City

Moberly, MO72 · RisingSt. Joseph, MO72 · RisingChillicothe, MO73 · RisingMacon, MO75 · Rising

Run the numbers for Jefferson City

ToolCan I afford Jefferson City?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Jefferson City rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Jefferson City to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolJefferson City cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
39° / 22°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
88° / 67°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
211
~58% of year
Annual precip
42″ rain
16″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Very high
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
High
Flood
High

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Jefferson City listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Jefferson City area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
70%
Humid climate
Median household income
$65,900
Missouri state median
Top industries (state-level)
HealthcareManufacturingFinance

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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