The Town FilesCole Camp, Missouri
City in Benton County · population 1,104 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $171,500
- Household income
- $47,083
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 45.7
Cole Camp is a city of 1,104 people in Benton County, Missouri. The median home is worth $171,500, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better for retirees than 99% of Missouri towns, easier by car than 92% of Missouri towns, more of a college town than 87% of Missouri towns.
How Cole Camp 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 Cole Camp is worth $171,500, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $47,083, which is more affordable than 15% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $497 a month. 62.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cole Camp | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $171,500 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $497 | $855 |
| Median household income | $47,083 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 62.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cole Camp
| People | Cole Camp | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.7 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 13.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.6% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.7% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 3.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 18.7 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.8% | 88.7% |
Weather in Cole Camp
July highs average 87.5°F and January lows 19.0°F. About 42.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.4 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 34 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 114 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cole Camp since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 20, 1973 about 0.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 19, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 46 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 8, 2024.
Severe weather in Benton County since 1996
Benton County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 21, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4741: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4490: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3482: Covid-19 |
| July 9, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4451: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 7, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4238: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Benton County
Benton County had 3,736 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $38,196 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Cole Camp itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Public schools in Cole Camp
3 public schools with 735 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| COLE CAMP ELEM. | K-6 | 381 | 12.7 |
| COLE CAMP HIGH | 7-12 | 354 | 13.1 |
| COLE CAMP PRESCHOOL | PK-PK | — | — |
Towns near Cole Camp
- Lincoln, MO8.3 mi · 1,144 people · home $142,600
- Stover, MO11.5 mi · 1,006 people · home $151,500
- Smithton, MO16.4 mi · 506 people · home $116,400
- Warsaw, MO17.1 mi · 2,209 people · home $152,000
- Sedalia, MO17.1 mi · 21,725 people · home $143,000
- Windsor, MO18.1 mi · 2,775 people · home $101,400
- Versailles, MO19.4 mi · 2,539 people · home $117,500
- La Monte, MO24.7 mi · 1,014 people · home $110,900
Cole Camp questions
Is Cole Camp, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cole Camp scores better for retirees than 99% of Missouri towns and quieter than 80%. 27.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.7).
How much does a house cost in Cole Camp?
The median owner-occupied home in Cole Camp is valued at $171,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,083, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $497 a month.
What is the weather like in Cole Camp?
July highs average 87.5°F and January lows 19.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.5 inches of precipitation a year and 18.4 inches of snow.
Does Cole Camp get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cole Camp since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 20, 1973. 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)