The 10 Best Small Towns In Missouri For 2025


The best small towns in Missouri are Warson Woods and Rock Hill for 2025 based on Saturday Night Science.

By: Chris Kolmar | About HomeSnacks
Last Updated: October 1, 2025

You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in Missouri. Best sururbs in Missouri. Best counties in Missouri.

Etc., etc., etc.

But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Show Me State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.

Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in Missouri based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.

We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in Missouri ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.

Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table

The 15 Best Small Towns To Live In Missouri For 2025

  1. Warson Woods
  2. Rock Hill
  3. Weatherby Lake
  4. Fremont Hills
  5. Clarkson Valley
  6. Oakland
  7. Wardsville
  8. Green Park
  9. Frontenac
  10. Lake Winnebago
  11. Ashland
  12. Lake Waukomis
  13. Pleasant Valley
  14. Palmyra
  15. Winchester

Best Small Towns To Live In Missouri Map

What’s the best small town in Missouri? Warson Woods is the best small town in Missouri based on the most recent Census data. If you live in one of these small towns like Warson Woods, chances are, you’re not surprised. After all, you know how great you have it.

But for the rest of you–keep reading, and we’ll get to just why these small towns made our list.

For more reading on the Show Me State check out:

The 15 Best Small Towns In Missouri For 2025

1. Warson Woods

Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 2,312
Median Income: $200,104 (3rd Best)
Median Home Value: $573,600 (4th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.2%

2. Rock Hill

Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 4,708
Median Income: $91,477 (22nd Best)
Median Home Value: $256,400 (22nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.8%

3. Weatherby Lake

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 2,465
Median Income: $168,125 (5th Best)
Median Home Value: $486,000 (6th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.0%

4. Fremont Hills

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,326
Median Income: $144,250 (8th Best)
Median Home Value: $444,800 (7th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.4%

5. Clarkson Valley

Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 2,592
Median Income: $238,333 (1st Best)
Median Home Value: $821,100 (2nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.6%

6. Oakland

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,619
Median Income: $118,438 (11th Best)
Median Home Value: $381,900 (11th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 7.0%

7. Wardsville

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,505
Median Income: $117,500 (12th Best)
Median Home Value: $309,900 (14th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.0%

8. Green Park

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,688
Median Income: $75,833 (40th Best)
Median Home Value: $215,100 (31st Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.5%

9. Frontenac

Frontenac, MO

Source: Flickr User pasa47 | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

9.5
/10

Population: 3,669
Median Income: $225,813 (2nd Best)
Median Home Value: $1,004,500 (1st Best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.0%

10. Lake Winnebago

Overall SnackAbility

9.5
/10

Population: 1,401
Median Income: $179,038 (4th Best)
Median Home Value: $646,200 (3rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%

11. Ashland

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 4,811
Median Income: $90,628 (23rd Best)
Median Home Value: $231,700 (28th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.2%

12. Lake Waukomis

Overall SnackAbility

/10

Population: 1,085
Median Income: $119,519 (10th Best)
Median Home Value: $412,100 (10th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 6.3%

13. Pleasant Valley

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,744
Median Income: $78,750 (35th Best)
Median Home Value: $195,200 (38th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.4%

14. Palmyra

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 3,620
Median Income: $69,211 (47th Best)
Median Home Value: $165,000 (70th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.3%

15. Winchester

Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 1,914
Median Income: $87,344 (27th Best)
Median Home Value: $209,300 (33rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.3%

Best States In America

Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In Missouri

We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in Missouri possible.

Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2019-2023 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:

  • Population Density (Higher is better)
  • Lowest Unemployment Rates
  • Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
  • Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
  • Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
  • Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
  • Commute Times (Lower is better)

We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 222 to be exact.

We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 222, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Missouri. Top of that list — Warson Woods.

This is our tenth time ranking the best small places to live in Missouri.

Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones

We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these 15 small towns in Missouri are the best in which to live.

And who can argue with that?

The best small towns in Missouri are Warson Woods, Rock Hill, Weatherby Lake, Fremont Hills, Clarkson Valley, Oakland, Wardsville, Green Park, Frontenac, and Lake Winnebago.

If you’re curious, here are the worst small towns in Missouri:

  1. Steelville
  2. Rich Hill
  3. Malden

For more Missouri reading, check out:

Best Small Towns In Missouri

RankCityPopulationMedian IncomeMedian Home ValueUnemployment Rate
1Warson Woods, MO2,312$200,1041.2%
2Rock Hill, MO4,708$91,4771.8%
3Weatherby Lake, MO2,465$168,1251.0%
4Fremont Hills, MO1,326$144,2502.4%
5Clarkson Valley, MO2,592$238,3332.6%
6Oakland, MO1,619$118,4387.0%
7Wardsville, MO1,505$117,5001.0%
8Green Park, MO2,688$75,8331.5%
9Frontenac, MO3,669$225,8135.0%
10Lake Winnebago, MO1,401$179,0380.0%
11Ashland, MO4,811$90,6281.2%
12Lake Waukomis, MO1,085$119,5196.3%
13Pleasant Valley, MO2,744$78,7502.4%
14Palmyra, MO3,620$69,2112.3%
15Winchester, MO1,914$87,3441.3%
16Holts Summit, MO4,572$81,9271.1%
17Bel-Nor, MO1,472$106,8758.6%
18St. Martins, MO1,195$78,1252.5%
19Taos, MO1,334$103,5941.6%
20Lakeshire, MO1,478$61,3462.5%
21Marthasville, MO2,587$114,9500.6%
22Higginsville, MO4,775$76,4092.4%
23Oronogo, MO2,685$81,1112.2%
24Pasadena Hills, MO1,104$85,69411.8%
25Marlborough, MO2,366$47,0113.3%
26St. Paul, MO3,292$154,0220.7%
27Platte City, MO4,793$65,1324.7%
28Mound City, MO1,103$60,7350.0%
29Gower, MO1,677$80,0571.9%
30Fayette, MO2,800$58,7501.7%
31Hallsville, MO2,049$66,5182.8%
32Lake Lotawana, MO2,378$162,1884.0%
33Clever, MO2,977$77,4032.5%
34Weston, MO1,852$91,6252.5%
35Concordia, MO2,184$56,1920.7%
36Loma Linda, MO1,070$90,2942.4%
37New Haven, MO3,389$69,7014.9%
38Archie, MO1,340$68,1251.0%
39Country Club, MO3,171$82,6145.4%
40Centralia, MO4,615$51,8686.9%
41Lone Jack, MO1,487$116,3283.9%
42Fenton, MO4,087$97,9919.8%
43Bloomsdale, MO1,123$98,8073.2%
44Labarque Creek, MO1,292$121,9612.3%
45Herculaneum, MO4,925$88,7782.2%
46Sturgeon, MO1,143$66,5000.9%
47Buckner, MO2,917$84,5724.8%
48Forsyth, MO2,749$44,3520.5%
49Lake Ozark, MO2,451$80,4764.9%
50Glasgow, MO1,054$45,7032.9%
51Monroe City, MO3,162$52,8830.8%
52Hermann, MO2,550$57,5785.3%
53Linn, MO1,302$43,7500.4%
54Lawson, MO2,742$63,7993.2%
55Cole Camp, MO1,327$35,5472.2%
56North Kansas City, MO4,758$46,02410.5%
57Bethany, MO3,164$46,0161.6%
58Winfield, MO1,726$70,1702.3%
59Duquesne, MO2,216$52,3722.9%
60Paris, MO1,326$54,2194.0%
61Desloge, MO4,870$63,0186.2%
62Charlack, MO1,775$53,3937.0%
63Sparta, MO2,378$61,6302.0%
64Village Of Four Seasons, MO2,077$92,9887.9%
65Plattsburg, MO2,437$64,8562.4%
66Memphis, MO1,860$49,5982.0%
67Rogersville, MO4,496$51,3753.0%
68Unionville, MO1,725$51,7713.1%
69Lincoln, MO1,795$60,2721.7%
70Rock Port, MO1,207$45,2081.2%
71Knob Noster, MO2,824$60,2949.5%
72Hollister, MO4,608$57,7781.9%
73Scott City, MO4,354$61,5813.0%
74Advance, MO1,549$51,5830.8%
75High Ridge, MO4,209$75,0404.0%
76Crystal City, MO4,721$64,6503.6%
77Terre Du Lac, MO2,460$93,1156.2%
78New Madrid, MO2,720$51,2501.4%
79Vandalia, MO3,260$58,6491.9%
80Brookfield, MO4,128$55,5432.8%
81Lathrop, MO2,646$76,4684.2%
82Lexington, MO4,602$70,1344.0%
83Ste. Genevieve, MO4,996$43,8565.6%
84Milan, MO1,883$52,6475.6%
85Holden, MO1,936$68,3242.6%
86Hamilton, MO1,909$56,5484.5%
87Belle, MO1,476$55,3413.8%
88Fair Grove, MO1,551$71,4474.8%
89Huntsville, MO1,806$52,2660.5%
90Cuba, MO3,172$44,2170.0%
91Mountain Grove, MO4,494$41,8751.4%
92Woodson Terrace, MO3,935$49,6503.7%
93Shell Knob, MO1,445$51,8524.6%
94Velda City, MO1,231$43,1252.6%
95California, MO4,523$60,5064.2%
96Slater, MO2,144$40,3132.2%
97Auxvasse, MO1,385$54,1858.6%
98Dellwood, MO4,869$71,1714.5%
99Cedar Hill, MO1,568$66,0763.2%
100Osage Beach, MO4,715$52,0678.0%
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.

 Best Small Towns, Rankings