The Town FilesShell Knob, Missouri
Community in Barry County · population 1,254 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $321,700
- Household income
- $54,925
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 7 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 59.6
Shell Knob is a community of 1,254 people in Barry County, Missouri. The median home is worth $321,700, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks quieter than 100% of Missouri towns, better for a vacation home than 99% of Missouri towns, better for retirees than 94% of Missouri towns.
How Shell 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 Shell Knob is worth $321,700, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 5.9 times the median household income of $54,925, which is more affordable than 1% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $1,274 a month. 85.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shell Knob | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $321,700 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $1,274 | $855 |
| Median household income | $54,925 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.9× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 85.6% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 47.7% | — |
Who lives in Shell Knob
| People | Shell Knob | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.6 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 37.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 7.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.0% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.7% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 26.5% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.9% | 88.7% |
Weather in Shell Knob
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 21.9°F. About 46.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.9 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 47 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 112 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shell Knob since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 24, 1954 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 17, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 74 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 25, 2006.
Severe weather in Barry County since 1996
Barry County has been included in 29 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 |
| July 23, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4803: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 21, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4741: 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 |
Jobs and pay in Barry County
Barry County had 13,187 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,851 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Shell Knob itself the ACS puts it at 8.4%.
Public schools in Shell Knob
1 public school with 114 students, about 6.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHELL KNOB ELEM. | K-8 | 114 | 6.0 |
Towns near Shell Knob
- Kimberling City, MO10.2 mi · 2,344 people · home $246,500
- Holiday Island, AR11.0 mi · 2,533 people · home $227,100
- Indian Point, MO14.3 mi · 550 people · home $317,400
- Eureka Springs, AR15.2 mi · 2,166 people · home $245,300
- Reeds Spring, MO15.5 mi · 1,136 people · home $185,400
- Berryville, AR15.7 mi · 5,682 people · home $165,400
- Cassville, MO16.1 mi · 3,190 people · home $155,300
- Branson, MO16.9 mi · 12,638 people · home $251,000
Shell Knob questions
Is Shell Knob, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shell Knob scores better for retirees than 94% of Missouri towns and quieter than 100%. 37.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 59.6).
How much does a house cost in Shell Knob?
The median owner-occupied home in Shell Knob is valued at $321,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,925, so homes cost about 5.9 times income. Median rent is $1,274 a month.
What is the weather like in Shell Knob?
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 21.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.6 inches of precipitation a year and 6.9 inches of snow.
Does Shell Knob get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shell Knob since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 24, 1954. 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)