The Town FilesSikeston, Missouri
City in Scott County · population 16,291 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $168,800
- Household income
- $58,915
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 45
- Median age
- 38.2
Sikeston is a city of 16,291 people in Scott County, Missouri. The median home is worth $168,800, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better for cycling than 82% of Missouri towns.
How Sikeston 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 Sikeston is worth $168,800, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $58,915, which is more affordable than 43% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $891 a month. 60.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sikeston | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $168,800 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $891 | $855 |
| Median household income | $58,915 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 60.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Sikeston
| People | Sikeston | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.2 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.7% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.5% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.2% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 3.7% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 15.7 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.8% | 88.7% |
Weather in Sikeston
July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 27.8°F. About 49.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.1 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 56 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 74 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
45 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sikeston since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 18 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 22, 1981 about 2.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 5 deaths and 59 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 16, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 8, 1974.
Severe weather in Scott County since 1996
Scott County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4929: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| June 9, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4877: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, 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 |
| July 23, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4803: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Scott County
Scott County had 16,179 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,793 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Sikeston itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Public schools in Sikeston
12 public schools with 3,557 students, about 12.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIKESTON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 977 | 15.3 |
| SIKESTON MIDDLE SCHOOL | 5-6 | 473 | 14.3 |
| SIKESTON JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 7-8 | 442 | 12.3 |
| WING ELEM. | 1-4 | 367 | 12.7 |
| SIKESTON KINDERGARTEN CTR. | PK-K | 362 | 11.0 |
| LEE HUNTER ELEM. | 1-4 | 355 | 14.8 |
| SOUTHEAST ELEM. | 1-4 | 249 | 11.3 |
| SCOTT CO. CENTRAL ELEM. | PK-6 | 166 | 10.4 |
| SCOTT CO. CENTRAL HIGH | 7-12 | 121 | 8.6 |
| NEW DAWN SCHOOL | K-12 | 31 | 6.2 |
| SIKESTON HOPE CTR. | 6-12 | 14 | 14.0 |
| SIKESTON CAREER TECH. CTR. | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Sikeston
- East Prairie, MO13.4 mi · 2,943 people · home $68,400
- Charleston, MO14.2 mi · 5,056 people · home $123,700
- New Madrid, MO20.6 mi · 2,787 people · home $127,500
- Chaffee, MO21.0 mi · 3,057 people · home $117,400
- Dexter, MO21.7 mi · 7,927 people · home $137,200
- Scott City, MO23.7 mi · 4,346 people · home $147,500
- Cape Girardeau, MO29.5 mi · 39,540 people · home $196,300
- Malden, MO30.0 mi · 3,706 people · home $101,300
Sikeston questions
Is Sikeston, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sikeston scores better for retirees than 43% of Missouri towns and quieter than 32%. 21.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.2).
How much does a house cost in Sikeston?
The median owner-occupied home in Sikeston is valued at $168,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,915, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $891 a month.
What is the weather like in Sikeston?
July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 27.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.6 inches of precipitation a year and 3.1 inches of snow.
Does Sikeston get tornadoes?
45 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sikeston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 22, 1981. 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)