The Town FilesLa Belle, Missouri
City in Lewis County · population 664 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $79,400
- Household income
- $36,688
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 19 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 27.9
La Belle is a city of 664 people in Lewis County, Missouri. The median home is worth $79,400, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks easier by car than 91% of Missouri towns, better for families than 71% of Missouri towns.
How La Belle 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 La Belle is worth $79,400, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $36,688, which is more affordable than 77% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $400 a month. 71.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | La Belle | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $79,400 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $400 | $855 |
| Median household income | $36,688 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 71.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in La Belle
| People | La Belle | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 27.9 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 28.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.9% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 42.2% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 2.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.4% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 21.8 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 55.6% | 88.7% |
Weather in La Belle
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 17.8°F. About 39.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.5 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 113 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Belle since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 8, 1999 about 0.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 13, 2009.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 3.25 inches on April 4, 2023.
Severe weather in Lewis County since 1996
Lewis County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4929: 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 |
| January 2, 2016 | Flood | EM-3374: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lewis County
Lewis County had 2,401 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,339 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in La Belle itself the ACS puts it at 0.7%.
Towns near La Belle
- Lewistown, MO5.8 mi · 521 people · home $79,000
- Edina, MO14.1 mi · 1,012 people · home $85,600
- Canton, MO20.5 mi · 2,774 people · home $117,900
- Shelbyville, MO22.3 mi · 518 people · home $85,200
- La Grange, MO22.4 mi · 825 people · home $92,000
- Kahoka, MO23.6 mi · 1,961 people · home $100,000
- Memphis, MO27.3 mi · 1,731 people · home $132,800
- Ursa, IL28.8 mi · 609 people · home $161,900
La Belle questions
Is La Belle, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, La Belle scores better for retirees than 64% of Missouri towns and quieter than 59%. 12.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 27.9).
How much does a house cost in La Belle?
The median owner-occupied home in La Belle is valued at $79,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $36,688, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $400 a month.
What is the weather like in La Belle?
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 17.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.5 inches of precipitation a year and 18.5 inches of snow.
Does La Belle get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Belle since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 8, 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)