The Town FilesBirch Tree, Missouri
City in Shannon County · population 541 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $75,000
- Household income
- $46,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 34.1
Birch Tree is a city of 541 people in Shannon County, Missouri. The median home is worth $75,000, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks quieter than 83% of Missouri towns, better for first-time buyers than 75% of Missouri towns.
How Birch Tree 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 Birch Tree is worth $75,000, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $46,500, which is more affordable than 94% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $580 a month. 63.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Birch Tree | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $75,000 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $580 | $855 |
| Median household income | $46,500 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 63.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.1% | — |
Who lives in Birch Tree
| People | Birch Tree | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.1 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.0% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.6% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 26.1% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 0.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.5% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 33.4 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.9% | 88.7% |
Weather in Birch Tree
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 20.2°F. About 50.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.8 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 36 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 125 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Birch Tree since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on May 26, 2024 about 9.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 5 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 26, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 3, 2007.
Severe weather in Shannon County since 1996
Shannon County has been included in 27 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 Shannon County
Shannon County had 1,562 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $35,970 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Birch Tree itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Birch Tree
1 public school with 168 students, about 9.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIRCH TREE ELEM. | PK-5 | 168 | 9.9 |
Towns near Birch Tree
- Winona, MO9.1 mi · 950 people · home $95,500
- Mountain View, MO11.6 mi · 2,533 people · home $123,500
- Eminence, MO12.9 mi · 515 people · home $120,700
- Alton, MO21.8 mi · 707 people · home $114,200
- Willow Springs, MO25.9 mi · 2,164 people · home $135,400
- Van Buren, MO26.8 mi · 747 people · home $103,400
- West Plains, MO27.5 mi · 12,184 people · home $169,900
Birch Tree questions
Is Birch Tree, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Birch Tree scores better for retirees than 30% of Missouri towns and quieter than 83%. 6.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.1).
How much does a house cost in Birch Tree?
The median owner-occupied home in Birch Tree is valued at $75,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,500, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $580 a month.
What is the weather like in Birch Tree?
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 20.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.5 inches of precipitation a year and 5.8 inches of snow.
Does Birch Tree get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Birch Tree since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on May 26, 2024. 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)