Did you know that Missouri is home to the world’s largest arch in St. Louis, the University of Missouri Tigers in Columbia, and some pretty cool family friendly places to call home.
That’s right, the Show Me State knows how to keep families safe, educated, happy, healthy, and entertained. And lucky for you, HomeSnacks has found all of those qualities and rolled them into the top ten best places for families in Missouri for 2026. How did we determine Missouri’s most family friendly places? We consulted the US Census on places in this Midwest state with more than 10,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 70 family friendly Missouri places that any family would be lucky to call home.
Missouri currently has 2.1 million families, and that number is expected to increase over the next ten years; and that folks, is because the state has a ton of awesome “Missouri” stuff to do. Like, biking the world class trails in Springfield, visiting one of the state’s 240 farmers’ markets, or spending the day at Branson’s Silver Dollar City. And parents, Missouri has 90 Blue Ribbon schools, and local colleges like Truman State University in Kirksville are showing up on U.S. News’ ‘Best College’ lists year after year.
So, if you’re looking for safe, family friendly cities and neighborhoods, amazing schools, large green spaces, and just overall good family friendly fun, keep reading.
$115,227 median income · 30.8% households with kids
Located in
St. Louis County, Missouri
Webster Groves is an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis in St. Louis County, Missouri. The population was 22,995 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$121,270 median income · 33.1% households with kids
Located in
St. Louis County, Missouri
Kirkwood is an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis located in St. Louis County, Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the city’s population was 27,540. Founded in 1853, the city is named after James P. Kirkwood, builder of the Pacific Railroad through that town. It was the first planned suburb located west of the Mississippi River.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$124,626 median income · 31.7% households with kids
Located in
St. Louis County, Missouri
Ballwin is a second-ring western suburb of St. Louis, located in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 30,404 as of the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$77,105 median income · 32.0% households with kids
Located in
Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
Jackson is a city in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, United States. The population was 13,758 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cape Girardeau County. It is a principal city of the Cape Girardeau-Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$232,534 median income · 29.7% households with kids
Located in
St. Louis County, Missouri
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$110,443 median income · 36.8% households with kids
O’Fallon is a city along Interstate 70 and Interstate 64 between Lake St. Louis and St. Peters in St. Charles County, Missouri. It is part of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census O’Fallon had a population of 79,329, making it the largest municipality in St. Charles County and seventh largest in the state of Missouri. In 2006 Money Magazine named O’Fallon 39th in its “Best 100 Places to Live.” Money Magazine also ranked O’Fallon 68th out of 100 in 2008 and 26th out of 100 in 2010.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$133,037 median income · 29.0% households with kids
Located in
St. Louis County, Missouri
Chesterfield is a city in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States, and a Western suburb of St. Louis. As of the 2010 census, the population was 47,484, making it the state’s fourteenth-largest city.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$54,437 median income · 30.9% households with kids
Located in
Saline County, Missouri
Marshall is a city in Saline County, Missouri, United States. The population was 13,065 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Saline County. The Marshall Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of Saline County. It is home to Missouri Valley College.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$97,801 median income · 36.2% households with kids
Located in
St. Louis County, Missouri
Manchester is a city in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 18,094 at the 2010 census. The mayor is David Willson.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$108,394 median income · 40.2% households with kids
Located in
St. Louis County, Missouri
Coordinates: 383010N 903842W 38.502736; -90.645075
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Missouri’s statewide median.
Missouri statewide median: $70,702
Missouri statewide median: $263,040
On the map
Where Missouri’s most family-friendly cities are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Missouri anyways?
To give you the places in Missouri that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Missouri, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Missouri, that meant a total of 70 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in Missouri.
The full plate
Best Places For Families In Missouri
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | % Households w/ Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Webster Groves | 23,712 | $115,227 | $438,955 | 30.8% |
| 2 | Kirkwood | 29,363 | $121,270 | $462,235 | 33.1% |
| 3 | Ballwin | 31,279 | $124,626 | $412,225 | 31.7% |
| 4 | Jackson | 15,659 | $77,105 | $271,918 | 32.0% |
| 5 | Town and Country | 11,607 | $232,534 | $1,146,742 | 29.7% |
| 6 | O’Fallon | 93,801 | $110,443 | $376,395 | 36.8% |
| 7 | Chesterfield | 49,574 | $133,037 | $570,325 | 29.0% |
| 8 | Marshall | 13,739 | $54,437 | $181,309 | 30.9% |
| 9 | Manchester | 18,160 | $97,801 | $374,848 | 36.2% |
| 10 | Eureka | 13,081 | $108,394 | $403,523 | 40.2% |
| 11 | Wentzville | 47,061 | $112,394 | $396,786 | 44.6% |
| 12 | Ozark | 22,417 | $74,182 | $316,347 | 45.8% |
| 13 | Washington | 15,130 | $79,173 | $306,588 | 29.1% |
| 14 | Clayton | 17,380 | $123,000 | $871,223 | 27.6% |
| 15 | Lake St. Louis | 18,066 | $125,693 | $431,422 | 28.4% |
| 16 | Bolivar | 11,170 | $49,622 | $252,896 | 28.8% |
| 17 | Crestwood | 12,295 | $107,169 | $339,629 | 28.8% |
| 18 | Raymore | 24,526 | $104,447 | $356,402 | 34.5% |
| 19 | Carthage | 15,574 | $51,328 | $234,176 | 45.7% |
| 20 | Ellisville | 10,002 | $113,309 | $403,570 | 27.2% |
| 21 | Union | 12,781 | $73,435 | $257,223 | 36.5% |
| 22 | St. Peters | 59,092 | $91,637 | $318,220 | 26.8% |
| 23 | Nixa | 24,836 | $83,385 | $318,320 | 41.8% |
| 24 | Smithville | 10,705 | $101,165 | $371,403 | 40.3% |
| 25 | Poplar Bluff | 16,254 | $41,941 | $170,054 | 27.2% |
| 26 | Festus | 13,201 | $73,532 | $299,935 | 38.8% |
| 27 | Creve Coeur | 18,643 | $127,188 | $614,771 | 22.0% |
| 28 | Lee’s Summit | 103,656 | $102,531 | $389,364 | 34.7% |
| 29 | Kearney | 10,885 | $103,622 | $390,530 | 34.9% |
| 30 | Maryville | 10,428 | $53,352 | $222,767 | 19.7% |
| 31 | Liberty | 30,689 | $88,542 | $324,253 | 34.4% |
| 32 | Neosho | 13,224 | $57,891 | $227,220 | 34.3% |
| 33 | Moberly | 13,526 | $44,145 | $158,147 | 33.9% |
| 34 | St. Charles | 71,508 | $85,937 | $344,643 | 24.9% |
| 35 | Grain Valley | 16,271 | $89,649 | $326,296 | 38.9% |
| 36 | Warrensburg | 19,582 | $57,067 | $266,468 | 23.9% |
| 37 | Maryland Heights | 27,880 | $86,436 | $258,829 | 25.6% |
| 38 | Kirksville | 17,563 | $50,071 | $150,865 | 24.4% |
| 39 | Blue Springs | 59,965 | $88,920 | $307,947 | 36.8% |
| 40 | Columbia | 128,548 | $66,498 | $321,091 | 25.1% |
| 41 | Belton | 25,008 | $69,226 | $270,041 | 34.9% |
| 42 | Troy | 13,947 | $79,012 | $311,433 | 38.6% |
| 43 | Hannibal | 16,771 | $53,721 | $172,131 | 28.3% |
| 44 | Florissant | 51,773 | $65,318 | $191,524 | 28.3% |
| 45 | West Plains | 12,441 | $44,002 | $221,521 | 29.6% |
| 46 | Republic | 19,829 | $65,729 | $268,263 | 35.1% |
| 47 | Sedalia | 22,003 | $50,990 | $182,165 | 29.2% |
| 48 | Sikeston | 16,320 | $58,915 | $158,611 | 31.5% |
| 49 | Fulton | 12,617 | $51,429 | $245,451 | 30.2% |
| 50 | Independence | 121,740 | $60,339 | $208,158 | 26.4% |
| 51 | Rolla | 20,287 | $46,204 | $237,605 | 23.4% |
| 52 | Bridgeton | 11,369 | $72,005 | $273,069 | 34.3% |
| 53 | Farmington | 18,282 | $53,729 | $254,729 | 33.1% |
| 54 | Gladstone | 27,207 | $79,271 | $266,727 | 26.6% |
| 55 | Cape Girardeau | 40,344 | $55,658 | $219,807 | 20.2% |
| 56 | Ferguson | 18,213 | $47,524 | $116,377 | 30.1% |
| 57 | Overland | 15,695 | $61,773 | $150,450 | 28.0% |
| 58 | Lebanon | 15,270 | $48,359 | $228,788 | 33.3% |
| 59 | St. Ann | 12,811 | $52,323 | $157,310 | 28.0% |
| 60 | St. Louis | 288,512 | $56,160 | $181,928 | 18.9% |
| 61 | Joplin | 52,593 | $52,097 | $200,472 | 25.8% |
| 62 | Kennett | 10,196 | $52,500 | $111,347 | 28.4% |
| 63 | Excelsior Springs | 10,484 | $72,609 | $223,588 | 32.2% |
| 64 | Hazelwood | 25,114 | $55,908 | $157,629 | 22.6% |
| 65 | Springfield | 169,954 | $49,311 | $242,870 | 21.1% |
| 66 | Grandview | 26,527 | $53,447 | $216,734 | 26.6% |
| 67 | Bellefontaine Neighbors | 10,498 | $49,170 | $102,415 | 32.5% |
| 68 | Raytown | 29,445 | $68,840 | $205,243 | 26.1% |
| 69 | St. Joseph | 71,236 | $57,956 | $180,020 | 26.5% |
| 70 | Branson | 12,817 | $51,978 | $248,361 | 20.1% |
Source: U.S. Census data via Saturday Night Science. 70 Missouri cities with more than 10,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Missouri
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Missouri ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Missouri are Webster Groves, Kirkwood, Ballwin, Jackson, Town and Country, O’Fallon, Chesterfield, Marshall, Manchester, and Eureka.
