JOPLIN, Mo. –A new national list puts Joplin near the top of the most affordable places to work from home.

What’s putting Joplin so high on the list? It’s general cost of living, think food, utilities, and healthcare. Housing is high on the list.

Melissa Hogan, Home Owner, said, “We have friends in the KC area, the NY area, even California.”

So Melissa Hogan has a pretty good idea of those home values. They’re remodeling their own home and she knows the budget would take a hit with one of those zip codes.

“And the houses in those areas – you get a lot less, even less property.”

Housing is one of the main factors mentioned in the parade.com list of most affordable places to live and work remotely. It points to a median home price of $123,000, more than $50,000 lower than some of the other communities on the list.

Toby Teeter, Joplin Chamber President, said, “Joplin is 20% below the national cost of living, we’re trying to play that to our advantage.”

Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce President Toby Teeter is a big proponent of combining Joplin’s cost of living with an out of town paycheck.

“There are a number of young professionals that have returned to Joplin over the last year that continue to work remote for their employers on the coasts.”

He adds there are some big names on that list.

“We have people that grew up in Joplin, Carthage, Webb City, and alike that work at Facebook, Square, Shopify – and they’re working now from home, from here.”

The top 25 list stretches across the country, but Joplin isn’t the only representative from the region. Arkansas claims three spots with Fayetteville, Conway, and Jonesboro. Tulsa and Oklahoma City are on the list. Even Springfield makes the list at number 24.