Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in St. Louis County, MO would need to be about $43,150 in Hickory County, MO, or $6,850 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
St. Louis County, MO vs Hickory County, MO: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Hickory County, MO is cheaper than St. Louis County, MO.
Moving to Hickory County, MO is estimated to save $6,611 per year.
Cheaper County
Hickory County, MOSave about $6,611 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in St. Louis County, MO is about $43,150 in Hickory County, MO.
Biggest drivers
Transport increases by $1,864 per year. Housing saves $4,948 per year.
Housing: $4,948 lower in Hickory County, MO
Taxes: $1,651 lower in Hickory County, MO
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $765 higher in Hickory County, MO
Food: $842 lower in Hickory County, MO
Transport: $1,864 higher in Hickory County, MO
St. Louis County, MO→Hickory County, MO
Equivalent salary in Hickory County, MO
$43,150
-13.7% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in St. Louis County, MO: $108,392
Median Income in Hickory County, MO: $51,528
Living Index in St. Louis County, MO 44.53%
Living Index in Hickory County, MO 80.85%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from St. Louis County, MO to Hickory County, MO.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from St. Louis County, MO to Hickory County, MO is estimated to save $6,611 per year. A $50,000 salary in St. Louis County, MO would have similar purchasing power to about $43,150 in Hickory County, MO. The largest savings come from housing and other costs.
This is a -13.7% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $4,948 per year lower (-40.14%); Other Costs is $1,797 per year lower (-33.93%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between St. Louis County, MO and Hickory County, MO, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 44.5% of median family income in St. Louis County, MO and 80.9% in Hickory County, MO. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $4,948 per year lower in Hickory County, MO than in St. Louis County, MO. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Hickory County, MO changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $842 per year lower in Hickory County, MO than in St. Louis County, MO. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Hickory County, MO can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $1,864 per year higher in Hickory County, MO than in St. Louis County, MO. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Hickory County, MO.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $765 per year higher in Hickory County, MO than in St. Louis County, MO. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Hickory County, MO changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $1,797 per year lower in Hickory County, MO than in St. Louis County, MO. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Hickory County, MO help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in St. Louis County, MO and Hickory County, MO, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Hickory County, MO, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $1,651 per year lower in Hickory County, MO than in St. Louis County, MO. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Hickory County, MO matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Hickory County, MO.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Hickory County, MO
Annual Increase:
$1,864 per year
TRANSPORT has the largest annual increase when moving to Hickory County, MO.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Hickory County, MO
Annual Savings:
$4,948 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Hickory County, MO.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -40% lower | |
| Food | -18% lower | |
| Transport | 16% higher | |
| Healthcare | 15% higher | |
| Other Costs | -34% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -18% lower |
In Hickory County, MO, modeled annual costs are $41,661 compared with $48,272 in St. Louis County, MO.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Hickory County, MO. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Hickory County, MO is not a metropolitan location, while St. Louis County, MO is a metropolitan location.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
