The Town FilesFordland, Missouri
City in Webster County · population 778 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $130,000
- Household income
- $53,571
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 32
- Median age
- 41.4
Fordland is a city of 778 people in Webster County, Missouri. The median home is worth $130,000, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks easier by car than 87% of Missouri towns.
How Fordland 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 Fordland is worth $130,000, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $53,571, which is more affordable than 70% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $741 a month. 60.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fordland | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $130,000 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $741 | $855 |
| Median household income | $53,571 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 60.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Fordland
| People | Fordland | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.4 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.9% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.0% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.7% | — |
| Work from home | 4.4% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.0% | 88.7% |
Weather in Fordland
July highs average 87.9°F and January lows 21.5°F. About 45.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.4 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 34 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 95 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fordland since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 12, 2006 about 7.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 7, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 77 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on May 8, 2024.
Severe weather in Webster County since 1996
Webster County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4929: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 22, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4885: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4490: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Webster County
Webster County had 8,569 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,339 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Fordland itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Fordland
4 public schools with 629 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| FORDLAND ELEM. | PK-5 | 286 | 12.4 |
| FORDLAND HIGH | 9-12 | 198 | 11.6 |
| FORDLAND MIDDLE | 6-8 | 145 | 18.1 |
| OZARK CORRECTIONAL CENTER | 7-12 | — | — |
Towns near Fordland
- Rogersville, MO7.8 mi · 3,897 people · home $217,900
- Seymour, MO9.6 mi · 1,841 people · home $116,900
- Strafford, MO12.4 mi · 2,561 people · home $169,400
- Marshfield, MO13.0 mi · 7,458 people · home $204,700
- Sparta, MO13.2 mi · 1,876 people · home $181,500
- Ozark, MO17.4 mi · 21,284 people · home $254,800
- Fremont Hills, MO18.2 mi · 1,049 people · home $461,800
- Springfield, MO19.5 mi · 169,176 people · home $177,700
Fordland questions
Is Fordland, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fordland scores better for retirees than 8% of Missouri towns and quieter than 51%. 14.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.4).
How much does a house cost in Fordland?
The median owner-occupied home in Fordland is valued at $130,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,571, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $741 a month.
What is the weather like in Fordland?
July highs average 87.9°F and January lows 21.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.6 inches of precipitation a year and 9.4 inches of snow.
Does Fordland get tornadoes?
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fordland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 12, 2006. 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)