You’re probably never going to make enough money to live in the richest counties in Missouri.
The median household income in St. Charles County, the richest county in Missouri is $104,692, significantly higher than the US median of $74,580, which means based purely on math most people never make enough to live there.
And that’s okay because it’s still fun to look at the people living in the lap of luxury.
So we used Saturday Night Science and the most recent Census to rank home prices and incomes for all 115 counties in the Show Me State. Let’s star gaze together.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | Summary
The 10 Richest Counties In Missouri For 2026
What is the richest county in Missouri? The richest county in Missouri is St. Charles County. In contrast, the poorest county in state is Pemiscot County, according to the Census data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Missouri. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Missouri and the cheapest places to live in Missouri.
The Richest Counties In Missouri For 2026
1. St. Charles County
Biggest Place: O’Fallon
Population: 414,535
Median Income: $104,692 (highest)
Median Home Price: $366,406 (2nd highest)
More on St. Charles County: Data
2. Platte County
Biggest Place: Kansas City
Population: 110,371
Median Income: $96,227 (2nd highest)
Median Home Price: $386,137 (highest)
More on Platte County: Data
3. Cass County
Biggest Place: Kansas City
Population: 110,773
Median Income: $87,535 (5th highest)
Median Home Price: $338,098 (3rd highest)
More on Cass County: Data
4. Clay County
Biggest Place: Kansas City
Population: 258,122
Median Income: $88,468 (4th highest)
Median Home Price: $315,755 (8th highest)
More on Clay County: Data
5. Warren County
Biggest Place: Warrenton
Population: 37,177
Median Income: $81,209 (9th highest)
Median Home Price: $331,588 (4th highest)
More on Warren County: Data
6. Lincoln County
Biggest Place: Troy
Population: 63,057
Median Income: $89,278 (3rd highest)
Median Home Price: $308,176 (11th highest)
More on Lincoln County: Data
7. St. Louis County
Biggest Place: Florissant
Population: 995,569
Median Income: $82,936 (7th highest)
Median Home Price: $316,151 (7th highest)
More on St. Louis County: Data
8. Christian County
Biggest Place: Springfield
Population: 92,915
Median Income: $83,437 (6th highest)
Median Home Price: $313,158 (10th highest)
More on Christian County: Data
9. Jefferson County
Biggest Place: Arnold
Population: 229,458
Median Income: $82,851 (8th highest)
Median Home Price: $290,756 (13th highest)
More on Jefferson County: Data
10. Boone County
Biggest Place: Columbia
Population: 188,043
Median Income: $72,758 (17th highest)
Median Home Price: $327,639 (5th highest)
More on Boone County: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which Missouri county is the richest?
To determine the richest county in Missouri, we have to look at a handful of metrics that correlate with how rich people are. To do that, we made assumptions about what makes a county rich. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to the American Community Survey data and Zillow for the most recent reporting period for data on the following:
- Average Home Price
- Median Income
We then ranked each county in Missouri for each of the criteria from one to 115, with one being the richest.
Taking the average rank across the two criteria, we created a Rich Score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Richest County In Missouri.”
The result is some of the places with the most expensive real estate and highest earners in the Show Me State.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our first time ranking the richest counties to live in Missouri. We have also ranked the richest states and richest cities in the United States.
Summary: The Richest Counties In Missouri For 2026
Living in Missouri can vary from one part of the state to the next, with pretty extreme variance in home prices and incomes across counties.
The richest counties in Missouri are St. Charles County, Platte County, Cass County, Clay County, Warren County, Lincoln County, St. Louis County, Christian County, Jefferson County, and Boone County.
Now you know the parts of the state where Goodwill will have the best goodies, and that’s what you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the poorest counties in Missouri according to the data:
- Pemiscot County
- Dunklin County
- Worth County
For more Missouri reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Missouri
- Richest Cities In Missouri
- Cheapest Places To Live In Missouri
- Best Counties To Live In Missouri
Detailed List Of The Richest Counties In Missouri
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Charles County | 414,535 | $104,692 | $366,406 |
| 2 | Platte County | 110,371 | $96,227 | $386,137 |
| 3 | Cass County | 110,773 | $87,535 | $338,098 |
| 4 | Clay County | 258,122 | $88,468 | $315,755 |
| 5 | Warren County | 37,177 | $81,209 | $331,588 |
| 6 | Lincoln County | 63,057 | $89,278 | $308,176 |
| 7 | St. Louis County | 995,569 | $82,936 | $316,151 |
| 8 | Christian County | 92,915 | $83,437 | $313,158 |
| 9 | Jefferson County | 229,458 | $82,851 | $290,756 |
| 10 | Boone County | 188,043 | $72,758 | $327,639 |
| 11 | Andrew County | 18,065 | $75,625 | $292,855 |
| 12 | Cole County | 77,032 | $74,876 | $280,483 |
| 13 | Clinton County | 21,414 | $70,627 | $286,444 |
| 14 | Osage County | 13,402 | $76,681 | $260,766 |
| 15 | Camden County | 43,667 | $66,387 | $314,096 |
| 16 | Franklin County | 105,950 | $73,165 | $264,893 |
| 17 | Callaway County | 44,741 | $74,176 | $264,041 |
| 18 | Ray County | 23,145 | $74,573 | $260,455 |
| 19 | Webster County | 40,500 | $71,155 | $260,886 |
| 20 | Johnson County | 54,732 | $67,272 | $280,797 |
| 21 | Lafayette County | 33,115 | $80,612 | $243,026 |
| 22 | Stone County | 32,048 | $63,520 | $316,883 |
| 23 | Daviess County | 8,477 | $63,984 | $287,275 |
| 24 | Jackson County | 719,976 | $68,577 | $246,135 |
| 25 | Ste. Genevieve County | 18,571 | $66,339 | $253,788 |
| 26 | Cape Girardeau County | 82,735 | $68,464 | $245,092 |
| 27 | Cooper County | 16,824 | $70,625 | $240,297 |
| 28 | Ralls County | 10,428 | $65,388 | $253,566 |
| 29 | Newton County | 60,118 | $66,301 | $242,430 |
| 30 | Dekalb County | 10,876 | $69,826 | $233,724 |
| 31 | Caldwell County | 8,927 | $64,806 | $244,689 |
| 32 | Howard County | 10,147 | $65,938 | $232,615 |
| 33 | Gasconade County | 14,746 | $64,232 | $235,328 |
| 34 | Moniteau County | 15,262 | $65,715 | $231,571 |
| 35 | Greene County | 303,375 | $61,479 | $254,958 |
| 36 | Polk County | 32,444 | $59,647 | $268,065 |
| 37 | Pulaski County | 53,894 | $64,466 | $225,352 |
| 38 | Montgomery County | 11,426 | $65,500 | $220,701 |
| 39 | Maries County | 8,450 | $59,455 | $248,943 |
| 40 | Miller County | 25,269 | $56,736 | $270,632 |
| 41 | Perry County | 18,976 | $62,981 | $224,005 |
| 42 | Barry County | 35,033 | $58,346 | $240,818 |
| 43 | Morgan County | 21,717 | $53,412 | $286,046 |
| 44 | Putnam County | 4,642 | $63,510 | $202,874 |
| 45 | Taney County | 56,529 | $56,497 | $247,667 |
| 46 | Bollinger County | 10,559 | $63,814 | $192,650 |
| 47 | Phelps County | 45,194 | $58,396 | $229,918 |
| 48 | Bates County | 16,186 | $60,733 | $219,869 |
| 49 | Livingston County | 14,364 | $63,627 | $190,537 |
| 50 | Lawrence County | 38,593 | $61,215 | $202,571 |
| 51 | Jasper County | 124,357 | $60,694 | $212,444 |
| 52 | Marion County | 28,457 | $62,903 | $192,171 |
| 53 | Nodaway County | 20,774 | $59,315 | $220,506 |
| 54 | Lewis County | 9,924 | $59,934 | $204,648 |
| 55 | Henry County | 22,328 | $57,926 | $221,454 |
| 56 | Crawford County | 22,797 | $57,629 | $222,831 |
| 57 | Buchanan County | 83,568 | $62,158 | $189,269 |
| 58 | St. Louis City | 288,512 | $56,160 | $225,577 |
| 59 | Pettis County | 43,397 | $60,430 | $193,122 |
| 60 | Chariton County | 7,390 | $71,520 | $117,247 |
| 61 | Macon County | 15,163 | $62,357 | $185,235 |
| 62 | Dallas County | 17,551 | $53,464 | $235,067 |
| 63 | Adair County | 25,301 | $61,536 | $187,347 |
| 64 | Mcdonald County | 23,701 | $52,375 | $239,554 |
| 65 | Laclede County | 36,390 | $53,282 | $234,638 |
| 66 | Scotland County | 4,686 | $68,913 | $129,623 |
| 67 | Monroe County | 8,734 | $54,516 | $223,193 |
| 68 | Pike County | 17,711 | $54,989 | $215,605 |
| 69 | St. Francois County | 66,999 | $57,477 | $193,368 |
| 70 | Scott County | 37,933 | $62,782 | $159,683 |
| 71 | Carroll County | 8,411 | $62,154 | $164,473 |
| 72 | Schuyler County | 4,038 | $61,205 | $172,278 |
| 73 | Audrain County | 24,548 | $59,448 | $184,383 |
| 74 | Knox County | 3,756 | $57,788 | $190,315 |
| 75 | Dent County | 14,539 | $56,312 | $192,563 |
| 76 | Mercer County | 3,482 | $62,679 | $139,850 |
| 77 | Douglas County | 11,965 | $45,985 | $235,303 |
| 78 | Holt County | 4,240 | $61,187 | $157,847 |
| 79 | Cedar County | 14,615 | $48,181 | $228,645 |
| 80 | Dade County | 7,641 | $53,750 | $197,188 |
| 81 | Linn County | 11,852 | $61,635 | $144,272 |
| 82 | Saline County | 23,231 | $57,931 | $177,112 |
| 83 | Shannon County | 7,177 | $55,222 | $190,477 |
| 84 | Howell County | 40,383 | $50,993 | $215,651 |
| 85 | Ozark County | 8,873 | $44,163 | $230,336 |
| 86 | Washington County | 23,470 | $56,043 | $184,052 |
| 87 | Texas County | 25,161 | $50,036 | $202,214 |
| 88 | Atchison County | 5,187 | $58,750 | $145,411 |
| 89 | Stoddard County | 28,470 | $57,957 | $148,244 |
| 90 | Benton County | 20,151 | $52,567 | $188,776 |
| 91 | Shelby County | 5,986 | $51,594 | $192,335 |
| 92 | Wright County | 18,965 | $47,909 | $199,339 |
| 93 | St. Clair County | 9,587 | $53,043 | $179,434 |
| 94 | Madison County | 12,729 | $54,434 | $169,792 |
| 95 | Randolph County | 24,365 | $53,033 | $176,844 |
| 96 | Barton County | 11,690 | $51,635 | $185,001 |
| 97 | Vernon County | 19,687 | $52,230 | $175,200 |
| 98 | Hickory County | 8,585 | $39,390 | $201,010 |
| 99 | Clark County | 6,675 | $51,781 | $174,083 |
| 100 | Gentry County | 6,245 | $55,848 | $130,750 |