Poplar Bluff 70 Good
Poplar Bluff Livability #140 ranked city in Missouri#7,965 ranked city in the USARanks better than 72% of areas
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Pros and Cons of Living in Poplar Bluff

PROS
  • Cost Of Living Cost Of Living

    Taking into account the cost of goods and services like housing, groceries, transportation and utilities, the overall cost of living in this area is well below average.

  • Crime Crime

    Crime per 100,000 people is significantly lower than the national average, making it a safe place to live. These crime statistics include both violent and property crimes.

  • Housing Housing

    High scores in the housing category are a distinguishing feature of this area, possibly driven by a favorable home affordability ratio, higher home values and appreciation rates.

  • Health & Safety Health & Safety

    Good air quality as well as nearby health facilities like hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, fire and police stations all contribute to a higher than average health and safety score.

CONS
  • Amenities Amenities

    The majority of amenities are not ideally located within walking distance. To access these amenities, residents may be required to rely on a vehicle or public transit.

  • Commute Commute

    A low commute score could be due to longer-than-average work commutes and the limited availability of public transportation in this area.

  • Employment Employment

    In the employment category, a low score could be attributed to low income levels and high unemployment in the area, suggesting potential difficulties in finding lucrative employment.

  • Ratings Ratings

    AreaVibes collected feedback from local residents in the area through surveys and polls, and the results did not show a favorable view of things like local amenities and the safety of the area.

What's it like Living in Poplar Bluff?

Poplar Bluff, Missouri is a medium-sized city with a population of 17,570 residents. At 82%, the majority of the Poplar Bluff population is White; this is followed by 10% Black and 2% Asian. Poplar Bluff is very likely to be a great place to live for singles as only 46%, of the population (over fifteen) are classified as married. If you're not a fan of traffic congestion and long commute times to work, Poplar Bluff is the place to be. Commutes to work here are shorter, with an average one-way commute time taking only 15 minutes, significantly lower than the national average of 26 minutes.

Living in Poplar Bluff can be a positive experience for anyone moving to the town. Having said that, in the state of Missouri, there are many incredible places to live, so choose wisely! When searching for a new neighborhood, several factors play a vital role in determining its suitability. Safety should be a top priority, ensuring a secure environment with low crime rates. Proximity to your workplace or school helps minimize commuting time and allows for a better work-life balance. Availability of essential amenities such as parks, coffee shops, restaurants, grocery stores, and healthcare facilities contributes to convenience and well-being. Access to reliable public transportation options facilitates easy commuting and connectivity. Additionally, considering the sense of community and the overall atmosphere that resonates with your lifestyle and preferences fosters a harmonious living experience. To help you find the best places to live in and around Poplar Bluff, AreaVibes has created a livability score using key metrics like amenities, crime, cost of living, employment, housing and more.

Poplar Bluff, MO receives 68/100 for its livability score; this results in a ranking of #150 in Missouri and #8,617 in the USA. If we check out each of the categories individually, we see that Poplar Bluff ranks well for crime (A+), cost of living (A+) and housing (A+). There is at least one category that did not score well in Poplar Bluff. The following was graded with a discouraging score: amenities (F) and employment (F).

Feeling a sense of safety in the area that you live in is a must for most people. Low crime rates can have a positive impact on things like home prices, home appreciation rates and can help foster positive community dynamics and social cohesion. Poplar Bluff has a violent crime rate of 37 crimes per 100,000 residents which is far lower than the national average.

A healthy real estate market serves as a key economic indicator. It could signify overall local economic strength, stability and reflects consumer confidence in the area. Based on multiple factors including: median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability, Poplar Bluff has received high marks in the housing category. Based on these calculations, the apartment rental and real estate market appears to be very healthy.

Being close to public transit, grocery stores, parks and other conveniences are all important when weighing your options for a new home in Poplar Bluff. Before you determine if any of these amenities are available in the area, you will also want to know if the real estate prices in Poplar Bluff are affordable. The median home price for Poplar Bluff homes is $185,443, which is 25.7% lower than the Missouri average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Poplar Bluff, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 3.5, which is 2.9% higher than the Missouri average.

Best Places to Live in and Around Poplar Bluff

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      Poplar Bluff transportation information

      Statistic Poplar Bluff Missouri National
      Average one way commute15min23min26min
      Workers who drive to work78.6%81.6%76.4%
      Workers who carpool14.8%9.1%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit0.3%1.5%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle0.6%0.3%0.6%
      Workers who walk2.6%1.9%2.8%
      Working from home2.5%4.6%4.6%
      Source: The Poplar Bluff, MO data and statistics displayed above are derived from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) and include 2026 modeled data developed using proprietary methodologies.