The Town FilesAdvance, Missouri
City in Stoddard County · population 1,349 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $127,500
- Household income
- $59,688
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 35.9
Advance is a city of 1,349 people in Stoddard County, Missouri. The median home is worth $127,500, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks quieter than 99% of Missouri towns, better for first-time buyers than 75% of Missouri towns, easier by car than 75% of Missouri towns.
How Advance ranks
Percentile among Missouri towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Missouri towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Advance is worth $127,500, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $59,688, which is more affordable than 80% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $706 a month. 79.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Advance | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $127,500 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $706 | $855 |
| Median household income | $59,688 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 79.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Advance
| People | Advance | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.9 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.6% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.1% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.0% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 1.9% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 33.3 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.6% | 88.7% |
Weather in Advance
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 25.3°F. About 51.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.2 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 38 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 95 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Advance since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on February 29, 2012 about 5.7 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 34 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 14, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 16, 2026.
Severe weather in Stoddard County since 1996
Stoddard County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4867: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Wildfires |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4872: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 23, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4803: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 9, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4552: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4490: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Stoddard County
Stoddard County had 9,951 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,866 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Advance itself the ACS puts it at 0.7%.
Public schools in Advance
3 public schools with 426 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADVANCE ELEM. | K-6 | 243 | 12.8 |
| ADVANCE HIGH | 7-12 | 183 | 13.1 |
| ADVANCE PRESCHOOL | PK-PK | — | — |
Towns near Advance
- Marble Hill, MO14.3 mi · 1,388 people · home $101,400
- Oran, MO14.3 mi · 1,195 people · home $135,000
- Chaffee, MO14.8 mi · 3,057 people · home $117,400
- Bloomfield, MO15.0 mi · 1,755 people · home $67,100
- Morley, MO17.0 mi · 630 people · home $84,300
- Puxico, MO17.3 mi · 873 people · home $89,500
- Gordonville, MO19.3 mi · 625 people · home $241,500
- Benton, MO19.4 mi · 866 people · home $254,300
Advance questions
Is Advance, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Advance scores better for retirees than 57% of Missouri towns and quieter than 99%. 20.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.9).
How much does a house cost in Advance?
The median owner-occupied home in Advance is valued at $127,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,688, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $706 a month.
What is the weather like in Advance?
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 25.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.9 inches of precipitation a year and 5.2 inches of snow.
Does Advance get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Advance since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on February 29, 2012. The typical Missouri town has had 23.
- 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)