The Town FilesPilot Knob, Missouri
City in Iron County · population 671 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $108,000
- Household income
- $44,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 47.7
Pilot Knob is a city of 671 people in Iron County, Missouri. The median home is worth $108,000, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better for retirees than 93% of Missouri towns, better for first-time buyers than 82% of Missouri towns, better transit than 74% of Missouri towns.
How Pilot Knob 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 Knob is worth $108,000, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $44,500, which is more affordable than 70% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $660 a month. 53.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pilot Knob | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $108,000 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $660 | $855 |
| Median household income | $44,500 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 53.9% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Pilot Knob
| People | Pilot Knob | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.7 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 15.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.3% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.5% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.1% | 88.7% |
Weather in Pilot Knob
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 22.6°F. About 45.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.6 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 32 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 104 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pilot Knob since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 22, 1969 about 9.0 miles from the town center and killed 4. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 4 deaths and 20 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 19, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 11, 2006.
Severe weather in Iron County since 1996
Iron County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4939: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, 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 |
| September 21, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4741: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 10, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4636: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Iron County
Iron County had 3,472 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,965 a year. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2023; in Pilot Knob itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Towns near Pilot Knob
- Ironton, MO2.0 mi · 1,475 people · home $120,000
- Arcadia, MO2.7 mi · 618 people · home $154,800
- Iron Mountain Lake, MO4.9 mi · 640 people · home $38,600
- Bismarck, MO10.1 mi · 1,239 people · home $107,800
- Doe Run, MO11.6 mi · 737 people · home $129,900
- Park Hills, MO15.6 mi · 8,587 people · home $131,300
- Farmington, MO16.2 mi · 18,217 people · home $196,500
- Leadwood, MO16.8 mi · 1,178 people · home $63,200
Pilot Knob questions
Is Pilot Knob, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pilot Knob scores better for retirees than 93% of Missouri towns and quieter than 72%. 23.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.7).
How much does a house cost in Pilot Knob?
The median owner-occupied home in Pilot Knob is valued at $108,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $44,500, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $660 a month.
What is the weather like in Pilot Knob?
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 22.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.2 inches of precipitation a year and 9.6 inches of snow.
Does Pilot Knob get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pilot Knob since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 22, 1969. 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)