The Town FilesRich Hill, Missouri
City in Bates County · population 1,232 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $75,600
- Household income
- $47,167
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 8 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 38.6
Rich Hill is a city of 1,232 people in Bates County, Missouri. The median home is worth $75,600, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks quieter than 97% of Missouri towns, better for first-time buyers than 85% of Missouri towns, better for retirees than 79% of Missouri towns.
How Rich Hill 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 Rich Hill is worth $75,600, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $47,167, which is more affordable than 94% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $900 a month. 75.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rich Hill | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $75,600 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $900 | $855 |
| Median household income | $47,167 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 75.1% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rich Hill
| People | Rich Hill | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.6 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.6% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 29.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.5% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 33.7% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 30.0 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.7% | 88.7% |
Weather in Rich Hill
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 19.8°F. About 43.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.1 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 47 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rich Hill since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 31, 1958 about 8.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 27, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 2, 2008.
Severe weather in Bates County since 1996
Bates County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 21, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4741: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 9, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4552: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, 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 Bates County
Bates County had 3,673 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $42,876 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Rich Hill itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Public schools in Rich Hill
3 public schools with 348 students, about 11.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICH HILL HIGH | 6-12 | 190 | 10.6 |
| RICH HILL ELEM. | PK-5 | 158 | 12.2 |
| RICH HILL YOUTH DEV. CTR. | 6-12 | — | — |
Towns near Rich Hill
- Butler, MO11.4 mi · 4,220 people · home $145,400
- Nevada, MO17.4 mi · 8,212 people · home $122,700
- Appleton City, MO19.2 mi · 1,032 people · home $98,200
- Pleasanton, KS19.4 mi · 1,208 people · home $102,900
- Adrian, MO20.8 mi · 1,730 people · home $159,500
- El Dorado Springs, MO24.4 mi · 3,493 people · home $103,900
- Mound City, KS25.1 mi · 647 people · home $157,500
- Fort Scott, KS26.2 mi · 7,552 people · home $100,500
Rich Hill questions
Is Rich Hill, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rich Hill scores better for retirees than 79% of Missouri towns and quieter than 97%. 14.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.6).
How much does a house cost in Rich Hill?
The median owner-occupied home in Rich Hill is valued at $75,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,167, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $900 a month.
What is the weather like in Rich Hill?
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 19.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.6 inches of precipitation a year and 8.1 inches of snow.
Does Rich Hill get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rich Hill since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 31, 1958. 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)