The Town FilesMount Vernon, Missouri
City in Lawrence County · population 4,526 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $186,800
- Household income
- $53,255
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 35.3
Mount Vernon is a city of 4,526 people in Lawrence County, Missouri. The median home is worth $186,800, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better for cycling than 100% of Missouri towns, hipper than 88% of Missouri towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of Missouri towns.
How Mount Vernon 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 Mount Vernon is worth $186,800, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $53,255, which is more affordable than 19% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $673 a month. 56.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mount Vernon | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $186,800 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $673 | $855 |
| Median household income | $53,255 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 56.6% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Mount Vernon
| People | Mount Vernon | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.7% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.8% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 13.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.5% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.2% | 88.7% |
Weather in Mount Vernon
July highs average 89.4°F and January lows 22.2°F. About 45.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.8 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 46 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Vernon since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 12, 2006 about 8.1 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 8 deaths and 54 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 29, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 66 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on April 27, 2026.
Severe weather in Lawrence County since 1996
Lawrence County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 9, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4876: 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 |
| June 2, 2017 | Flood | DR-4317: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| January 21, 2016 | Flood | DR-4250: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lawrence County
Lawrence County had 8,920 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,246 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Mount Vernon itself the ACS puts it at 2%.
Public schools in Mount Vernon
6 public schools with 1,564 students, about 14.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MOUNT VERNON HIGH | 9-12 | 460 | 14.8 |
| MOUNT VERNON MIDDLE | 6-8 | 356 | 16.2 |
| MOUNT VERNON ELEM. | K-2 | 320 | 11.9 |
| MOUNT VERNON INTERMEDIATE | 3-5 | 299 | 14.2 |
| EARLY LEARNING CENTER | PK-PK | 84 | 12.0 |
| MT. VERNON TREATMENT CTR. | 6-12 | 45 | 11.3 |
Towns near Mount Vernon
- Aurora, MO11.0 mi · 7,219 people · home $124,400
- Monett, MO14.0 mi · 9,576 people · home $167,700
- Clever, MO19.8 mi · 2,918 people · home $200,000
- Republic, MO22.8 mi · 18,750 people · home $211,500
- Battlefield, MO24.8 mi · 5,990 people · home $255,600
- Willard, MO25.6 mi · 6,344 people · home $212,900
- Carthage, MO28.0 mi · 15,522 people · home $146,800
- Nixa, MO29.1 mi · 23,257 people · home $258,700
Mount Vernon questions
Is Mount Vernon, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mount Vernon scores better for retirees than 68% of Missouri towns and quieter than 44%. 19.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.3).
How much does a house cost in Mount Vernon?
The median owner-occupied home in Mount Vernon is valued at $186,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,255, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $673 a month.
What is the weather like in Mount Vernon?
July highs average 89.4°F and January lows 22.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.5 inches of precipitation a year and 8.8 inches of snow.
Does Mount Vernon get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Vernon 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)