The Town FilesAlton, Missouri
City in Oregon County · population 707 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $114,200
- Household income
- $50,208
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 36.5
Alton is a city of 707 people in Oregon County, Missouri. The median home is worth $114,200, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks quieter than 98% of Missouri towns, better for retirees than 89% of Missouri towns, better transit than 71% of Missouri towns.
How Alton 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 Alton is worth $114,200, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $50,208, which is more affordable than 74% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $639 a month. 55.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alton | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $114,200 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $639 | $855 |
| Median household income | $50,208 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 55.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Alton
| People | Alton | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.5 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.6% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.3% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.5% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.7% | — |
| Work from home | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 15.9 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.7% | 88.7% |
Weather in Alton
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 22.4°F. About 47.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.2 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 48 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 110 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alton since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on December 24, 1982 about 3.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 14, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 3, 2006.
Severe weather in Oregon County since 1996
Oregon County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, 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 |
| January 1, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4855: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, 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 |
Jobs and pay in Oregon County
Oregon County had 2,535 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $36,248 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Alton itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Public schools in Alton
2 public schools with 586 students, about 10.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alton High | 6-12 | 313 | 9.5 |
| Alton Elementary | PK-5 | 273 | 10.9 |
Towns near Alton
- Thayer, MO14.3 mi · 1,883 people · home $67,500
- Mammoth Spring, AR16.0 mi · 929 people · home $103,000
- Birch Tree, MO21.8 mi · 541 people · home $75,000
- Winona, MO21.9 mi · 950 people · home $95,500
- Hardy, AR26.1 mi · 743 people · home $58,600
- West Plains, MO26.6 mi · 12,184 people · home $169,900
- Ozark Acres, AR27.0 mi · 692 people · home $73,700
- Mountain View, MO27.1 mi · 2,533 people · home $123,500
Alton questions
Is Alton, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alton scores better for retirees than 89% of Missouri towns and quieter than 98%. 17.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.5).
How much does a house cost in Alton?
The median owner-occupied home in Alton is valued at $114,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,208, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $639 a month.
What is the weather like in Alton?
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 22.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.2 inches of precipitation a year and 4.2 inches of snow.
Does Alton get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on December 24, 1982. 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)