The Town FilesPilot Grove, Missouri
City in Cooper County · population 665 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $133,000
- Household income
- $73,977
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 41.5
Pilot Grove is a city of 665 people in Cooper County, Missouri. The median home is worth $133,000, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better transit than 90% of Missouri towns, better for first-time buyers than 80% of Missouri towns, quieter than 78% of Missouri towns.
How Pilot Grove 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 Pilot Grove is worth $133,000, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $73,977, which is more affordable than 88% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $717 a month. 74.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pilot Grove | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $133,000 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $717 | $855 |
| Median household income | $73,977 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 74.6% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.0% | — |
Who lives in Pilot Grove
| People | Pilot Grove | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.5 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.6% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.0% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.4% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.2% | 88.7% |
Weather in Pilot Grove
July highs average 88.9°F and January lows 21.0°F. About 41.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 11.9 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 50 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 105 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pilot Grove since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 2, 2025 about 0.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 2, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 22, 2011.
Severe weather in Cooper County since 1996
Cooper County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4872: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Cooper County
Cooper County had 4,872 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,936 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Pilot Grove itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Pilot Grove
2 public schools with 214 students, about 8.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PILOT GROVE HIGH | 7-12 | 129 | 9.9 |
| PILOT GROVE ELEM. | PK-6 | 85 | 6.5 |
Towns near Pilot Grove
- Boonville, MO10.8 mi · 7,964 people · home $187,900
- New Franklin, MO13.3 mi · 1,027 people · home $139,500
- Smithton, MO16.5 mi · 506 people · home $116,400
- Tipton, MO16.7 mi · 2,920 people · home $130,200
- Sedalia, MO20.9 mi · 21,725 people · home $143,000
- Fayette, MO22.5 mi · 2,803 people · home $146,700
- Marshall, MO22.8 mi · 13,806 people · home $147,900
- Glasgow, MO24.8 mi · 1,087 people · home $122,600
Pilot Grove questions
Is Pilot Grove, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pilot Grove scores better for retirees than 63% of Missouri towns and quieter than 78%. 22.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.5).
How much does a house cost in Pilot Grove?
The median owner-occupied home in Pilot Grove is valued at $133,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,977, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $717 a month.
What is the weather like in Pilot Grove?
July highs average 88.9°F and January lows 21.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.0 inches of precipitation a year and 11.9 inches of snow.
Does Pilot Grove get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pilot Grove since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 2, 2025. 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)