The Town FilesExeter, Missouri
City in Barry County · population 733 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $101,500
- Household income
- $47,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 7 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 35.9
Exeter is a city of 733 people in Barry County, Missouri. The median home is worth $101,500, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks easier by car than 85% of Missouri towns, better for families than 78% of Missouri towns, more of a college town than 75% of Missouri towns.
How Exeter 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 Exeter is worth $101,500, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $47,625, which is more affordable than 80% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $763 a month. 58.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Exeter | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $101,500 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $763 | $855 |
| Median household income | $47,625 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 58.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Exeter
| People | Exeter | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.9 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 28.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.8% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.8% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 19.3 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 74.7% | 88.7% |
Weather in Exeter
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 23.2°F. About 47.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.5 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 110 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Exeter since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on February 29, 2012 about 2.3 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 28 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 13, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 76 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 20, 1970.
Severe weather in Barry County since 1996
Barry County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 9, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4876: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 23, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4803: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Barry County
Barry County had 13,187 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,851 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Exeter itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Public schools in Exeter
2 public schools with 343 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXETER ELEM. | PK-8 | 228 | 13.4 |
| EXETER HIGH | 9-12 | 115 | 12.8 |
Towns near Exeter
- Cassville, MO4.0 mi · 3,190 people · home $155,300
- Wheaton, MO9.0 mi · 672 people · home $120,800
- Seligman, MO10.2 mi · 813 people · home $93,800
- Purdy, MO10.3 mi · 1,031 people · home $92,300
- Garfield, AR15.0 mi · 593 people · home $225,000
- Holiday Island, AR17.1 mi · 2,533 people · home $227,100
- Monett, MO17.3 mi · 9,576 people · home $167,700
- Pea Ridge, AR18.5 mi · 6,559 people · home $297,500
Exeter questions
Is Exeter, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Exeter scores better for retirees than 29% of Missouri towns and quieter than 57%. 8.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.9).
How much does a house cost in Exeter?
The median owner-occupied home in Exeter is valued at $101,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,625, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $763 a month.
What is the weather like in Exeter?
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 23.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.4 inches of precipitation a year and 6.5 inches of snow.
Does Exeter get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Exeter since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 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)