The Town FilesKelso, Missouri
Village in Scott County · population 554 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $215,400
- Household income
- $56,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 35
- Median age
- 34.9
Kelso is a village of 554 people in Scott County, Missouri. The median home is worth $215,400, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of Missouri towns, better for families than 87% of Missouri towns.
How Kelso 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 Kelso is worth $215,400, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $56,875, which is more affordable than 9% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $591 a month. 64.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kelso | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $215,400 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $591 | $855 |
| Median household income | $56,875 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 64.6% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Kelso
| People | Kelso | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.9 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.9% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.6% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 2.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.0% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.3% | 88.7% |
Weather in Kelso
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 26.2°F. About 47.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.2 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 47 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 90 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kelso since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on January 21, 1999 about 5.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 4 deaths and 26 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 20, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 59 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 4, 2012.
Severe weather in Scott County since 1996
Scott County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4929: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| June 9, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4877: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, 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 |
| July 23, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4803: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Scott County
Scott County had 16,179 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,793 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Kelso itself the ACS puts it at 0.6%.
Towns near Kelso
- Scott City, MO2.3 mi · 4,346 people · home $147,500
- Chaffee, MO6.1 mi · 3,057 people · home $117,400
- Benton, MO6.4 mi · 866 people · home $254,300
- Cape Girardeau, MO8.1 mi · 39,540 people · home $196,300
- Oran, MO9.3 mi · 1,195 people · home $135,000
- Gordonville, MO10.5 mi · 625 people · home $241,500
- Morley, MO10.8 mi · 630 people · home $84,300
- Olive Branch, IL11.1 mi · 650 people · home $61,500
Kelso questions
Is Kelso, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kelso scores better for retirees than 49% of Missouri towns and quieter than 30%. 16.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.9).
How much does a house cost in Kelso?
The median owner-occupied home in Kelso is valued at $215,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,875, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $591 a month.
What is the weather like in Kelso?
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 26.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.9 inches of precipitation a year and 6.2 inches of snow.
Does Kelso get tornadoes?
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kelso since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on January 21, 1999. 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)