The Town FilesHardin, Missouri
City in Ray County · population 571 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $106,300
- Household income
- $78,320
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 14 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 32.3
Hardin is a city of 571 people in Ray County, Missouri. The median home is worth $106,300, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks more of a college town than 93% of Missouri towns, easier by car than 87% of Missouri towns, better for families than 84% of Missouri towns.
How Hardin 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 Hardin is worth $106,300, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $78,320, which is more affordable than 98% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $958 a month. 77.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hardin | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $106,300 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $958 | $855 |
| Median household income | $78,320 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 77.1% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1948 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Hardin
| People | Hardin | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.3 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.7% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.0% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.1% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 6.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.3% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 33.4 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.8% | 88.7% |
Weather in Hardin
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 20.2°F. About 43.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 13.8 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 37 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 118 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hardin since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 4, 1977 about 5.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 18, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 48 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on June 30, 2023.
Severe weather in Ray County since 1996
Ray County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4612: 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 |
| May 20, 2019 | Flood | DR-4435: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Ray County
Ray County had 4,007 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,361 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Hardin itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Public schools in Hardin
2 public schools with 224 students, about 9.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| HARDIN-CENTRAL ELEM. | PK-6 | 123 | 10.3 |
| HARDIN-CENTRAL HIGH | 7-12 | 101 | 9.2 |
Towns near Hardin
- Lexington, MO6.4 mi · 4,652 people · home $161,300
- Richmond, MO7.6 mi · 6,013 people · home $142,600
- Norborne, MO8.7 mi · 634 people · home $105,700
- Wellington, MO12.0 mi · 738 people · home $144,200
- Higginsville, MO15.0 mi · 4,817 people · home $166,100
- Orrick, MO16.2 mi · 753 people · home $139,600
- Waverly, MO17.3 mi · 784 people · home $117,700
- Wood Heights, MO18.5 mi · 757 people · home $212,800
Hardin questions
Is Hardin, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hardin scores better for retirees than 69% of Missouri towns and quieter than 71%. 13.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.3).
How much does a house cost in Hardin?
The median owner-occupied home in Hardin is valued at $106,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,320, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $958 a month.
What is the weather like in Hardin?
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 20.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.3 inches of precipitation a year and 13.8 inches of snow.
Does Hardin get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hardin since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 4, 1977. 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)