In Poplar Bluff, assisted living residents pay $2,538 per month for housing and services. This is hundreds of dollars below Missouri’s norm of $3,000 and 44% below the national average, indicating that Poplar Bluff is among the most cost-effective places in the state and nation for residential services. Additionally, while seniors in Jefferson City pay more competitive rates of $2,075 for assisted living, other cities in the region typically have higher residential care costs. For example, in Columbia, monthly fees are about 10% higher than in Poplar Bluff. In Springfield, rates exceed the local norm by 28%, and in St. Louis, monthly care costs are even higher at $4,100.