The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Missouri
Ranked on The Town Files lifestyle rankings among 141 towns of 2,500–10,000 people in Missouri. #1 is Glendale, MO.
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25Pleasant Hill, Missouri
Better for families than 73% of Missouri towns
8,777 people · Cass County · median home $278,400 · income $95,602 · Jan low 21°F · 17 in snow
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24Villa Ridge, Missouri
Better for families than 76% of Missouri towns
2,601 people · Franklin County · median home $166,600 · income $73,826 · Jan low 23°F · 11 in snow
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23Crystal City, Missouri
Better for families than 76% of Missouri towns
4,740 people · Jefferson County · median home $185,800 · income $72,598 · Jan low 22°F · 9 in snow
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22Hillsboro, Missouri
Better for families than 77% of Missouri towns
3,473 people · Jefferson County · median home $221,200 · income $77,500 · Jan low 22°F · 9 in snow
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21Holts Summit, Missouri
Better for families than 77% of Missouri towns
4,458 people · Callaway County · median home $191,900 · income $85,064 · Jan low 23°F · 9 in snow
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20Wright City, Missouri
Better for families than 80% of Missouri towns
4,881 people · Warren County · median home $238,800 · income $80,152 · Jan low 20°F · 12 in snow
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19Carl Junction, Missouri
Better for families than 81% of Missouri towns
8,143 people · Jasper County · median home $218,300 · income $82,879 · Jan low 25°F · 8 in snow
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18Ashland, Missouri
Better for families than 83% of Missouri towns
4,747 people · Boone County · median home $258,500 · income $93,143 · Jan low 23°F · 17 in snow
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17Lawson, Missouri
Better for families than 84% of Missouri towns
2,541 people · Ray County · median home $186,000 · income $65,941 · Jan low 17°F · 19 in snow
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16Barnhart, Missouri
Better for families than 84% of Missouri towns
5,832 people · Jefferson County · median home $229,200 · income $95,811 · Jan low 22°F · 9 in snow
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15Ellisville, Missouri
Better for families than 90% of Missouri towns
9,985 people · St. Louis County · median home $366,600 · income $113,309 · Jan low 22°F · 10 in snow
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14Fenton, Missouri
Better for families than 92% of Missouri towns
3,989 people · St. Louis County · median home $374,500 · income $101,000 · Jan low 22°F · 10 in snow
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13Willard, Missouri
Better for families than 92% of Missouri towns
6,344 people · Greene County · median home $212,900 · income $84,600 · Jan low 24°F · 14 in snow
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12Des Peres, Missouri
Better for families than 93% of Missouri towns
9,193 people · St. Louis County · median home $609,200 · income $224,327 · Jan low 22°F · 10 in snow
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11Oronogo, Missouri
Better for families than 94% of Missouri towns
2,558 people · Jasper County · median home $188,500 · income $91,563 · Jan low 25°F · 8 in snow
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10Clever, Missouri
Better for families than 95% of Missouri towns
2,918 people · Christian County · median home $200,000 · income $78,366 · Jan low 22°F · 12 in snow
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9Frontenac, Missouri
Better for families than 97% of Missouri towns
3,612 people · St. Louis County · median home $979,800 · income $233,425 · Jan low 22°F · 10 in snow
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8Cottleville, Missouri
Better for families than 97% of Missouri towns
5,611 people · St. Charles County · median home $435,400 · income $131,310 · Jan low 21°F · 15 in snow
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7Battlefield, Missouri
Better for families than 97% of Missouri towns
5,990 people · Greene County · median home $255,600 · income $94,542 · Jan low 23°F · 14 in snow
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6St. Paul, Missouri
Better for families than 98% of Missouri towns
3,005 people · St. Charles County · median home $443,600 · income $159,022 · Jan low 21°F · 12 in snow
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5Weldon Spring, Missouri
Better for families than 98% of Missouri towns
5,326 people · St. Charles County · median home $544,300 · income $158,548 · Jan low 21°F · 14 in snow
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4Greenwood, Missouri
Better for families than 98% of Missouri towns
6,021 people · Jackson County · median home $286,100 · income $107,250 · Jan low 21°F · 17 in snow
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3Ladue, Missouri
Better for families than 99% of Missouri towns
8,989 people · St. Louis County · median home $1,056,300 · income $250,001 · Jan low 25°F · 10 in snow
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2Clarkson Valley, Missouri
Better for families than 100% of Missouri towns
2,609 people · St. Louis County · median home $867,000 · income $247,000 · Jan low 22°F · 8 in snow
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1Glendale, Missouri
Better for families than 100% of Missouri towns
6,176 people · St. Louis County · median home $494,000 · income $170,700 · Jan low 25°F · 10 in snow
Price vs ranking
More Missouri rankings
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Missouri
- The 22 Quietest Small Towns in Missouri
- The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Missouri
- 25 Small Towns in Missouri With the Cheapest Homes
- 25 Small Towns in Missouri With the Mildest Winters
- The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in Missouri
- 25 Small Towns in Missouri With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Missouri
- The 12 Best Affordable Small Towns for Remote Workers in Missouri
Same ranking, other places
- The 50 Best Small Towns for Families in America
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Pennsylvania
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in New York
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Michigan
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Texas
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in California
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in New Jersey
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Florida
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Wisconsin
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Ohio
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)