The Town FilesSeneca, Missouri
City in Newton County · population 2,230 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $132,600
- Household income
- $46,023
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 31
- Median age
- 39.9
Seneca is a city of 2,230 people in Newton County, Missouri. The median home is worth $132,600, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900).
How Seneca 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 Seneca is worth $132,600, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $46,023, which is more affordable than 43% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $902 a month. 64.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Seneca | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $132,600 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $902 | $855 |
| Median household income | $46,023 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 64.2% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Seneca
| People | Seneca | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.0% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.4% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 13.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.4% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.6% | 88.7% |
Weather in Seneca
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 25.3°F. About 50.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.6 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 41 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 98 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Seneca since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on May 10, 2008 about 5.6 miles from the town center and killed 14. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 23 deaths and 374 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 8, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 66 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 21, 1996.
Severe weather in Newton County since 1996
Newton County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4929: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
| July 9, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4451: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Newton County
Newton County had 21,297 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,349 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Seneca itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Public schools in Seneca
5 public schools with 1,498 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SENECA HIGH | 9-12 | 455 | 13.4 |
| SENECA ELEM. | PK-3 | 446 | 15.4 |
| SENECA INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL | 4-6 | 307 | 13.3 |
| SENECA JUNIOR HIGH | 7-8 | 217 | 10.9 |
| SENECA EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL | PK-PK | 73 | 14.6 |
Towns near Seneca
- Loma Linda, MO10.0 mi · 943 people · home $275,700
- Quapaw, OK12.2 mi · 811 people · home $72,200
- Neosho, MO12.9 mi · 12,590 people · home $163,400
- Goodman, MO13.3 mi · 1,202 people · home $117,200
- Baxter Springs, KS14.0 mi · 3,888 people · home $92,900
- Leawood, MO14.2 mi · 620 people · home $251,900
- Fairland, OK14.7 mi · 1,106 people · home $90,200
- Miami, OK14.8 mi · 12,969 people · home $107,600
Seneca questions
Is Seneca, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Seneca scores better for retirees than 15% of Missouri towns and quieter than 54%. 24.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.9).
How much does a house cost in Seneca?
The median owner-occupied home in Seneca is valued at $132,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,023, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $902 a month.
What is the weather like in Seneca?
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 25.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.0 inches of precipitation a year and 8.6 inches of snow.
Does Seneca get tornadoes?
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Seneca since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on May 10, 2008. 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)