The Town FilesLiberty, Missouri
City in Clay County · population 30,167 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $283,300
- Household income
- $88,542
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 37.8
Liberty is a city of 30,167 people in Clay County, Missouri. The median home is worth $283,300, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks more upscale than 87% of Missouri towns, better for young professionals than 79% of Missouri towns, more vibrant than 76% of Missouri towns.
How Liberty 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 Liberty is worth $283,300, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $88,542, which is more affordable than 28% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $1,160 a month. 73.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Liberty | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $283,300 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $1,160 | $855 |
| Median household income | $88,542 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 73.0% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Liberty
| People | Liberty | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.8 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.9% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.6% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.0% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 7.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.5% | — |
| Work from home | 15.9% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.3% | 88.7% |
Weather in Liberty
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 17.2°F. About 41.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 15.7 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 37 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 128 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Liberty since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 12 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 4, 1977 about 6.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 230 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on September 13, 1965.
Severe weather in Clay County since 1996
Clay County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| August 7, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4238: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| June 30, 2011 | Flood | EM-3325: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Clay County
Clay County had 111,855 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,093 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Liberty itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Public schools in Liberty
16 public schools with 10,193 students, about 14.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LIBERTY NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,330 | 18.2 |
| LIBERTY HIGH | 9-12 | 1,908 | 15.5 |
| SOUTH VALLEY MIDDLE | 6-8 | 808 | 14.7 |
| HERITAGE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 751 | 14.2 |
| DISCOVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 663 | 13.5 |
| WARREN HILLS ELEM. | K-5 | 615 | 15.8 |
| LIBERTY MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 597 | 11.7 |
| LEWIS AND CLARK ELEM. | K-5 | 539 | 15.4 |
| LILLIAN SCHUMACHER ELEM. | K-5 | 457 | 12.7 |
| RIDGEVIEW ELEM. | K-5 | 349 | 10.0 |
| ALEXANDER DONIPHAN ELEM. | K-5 | 334 | 10.4 |
| EPIC ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 294 | 14.7 |
Towns near Liberty
- Pleasant Valley, MO3.7 mi · 2,743 people · home $202,000
- Sugar Creek, MO7.1 mi · 3,271 people · home $136,600
- Gladstone, MO7.7 mi · 27,063 people · home $231,500
- Kearney, MO8.5 mi · 10,404 people · home $298,400
- North Kansas City, MO10.5 mi · 4,467 people · home $197,500
- Kansas City, MO10.7 mi · 508,090 people · home $242,900
- Independence, MO11.4 mi · 123,011 people · home $172,900
- Excelsior Springs, MO11.7 mi · 10,553 people · home $186,800
Liberty questions
Is Liberty, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Liberty scores better for retirees than 42% of Missouri towns and quieter than 20%. 15.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.8).
How much does a house cost in Liberty?
The median owner-occupied home in Liberty is valued at $283,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,542, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,160 a month.
What is the weather like in Liberty?
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 17.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.2 inches of precipitation a year and 15.7 inches of snow.
Does Liberty get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Liberty 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)