The Town FilesSteele, Missouri
City in Pemiscot County · population 1,853 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $119,200
- Household income
- $54,600
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 34
- Median age
- 38.4
Steele is a city of 1,853 people in Pemiscot County, Missouri. The median home is worth $119,200, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 94% of Missouri towns, better transit than 73% of Missouri towns.
How Steele 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 Steele is worth $119,200, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $54,600, which is more affordable than 77% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $707 a month. 49.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Steele | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $119,200 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $707 | $855 |
| Median household income | $54,600 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 49.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Steele
| People | Steele | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.9% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.8% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 24.4% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 6.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 1.9% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 18.7 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.7% | 88.7% |
Weather in Steele
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 30.9°F. About 43.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.6 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 64 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 61 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Steele since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on December 10, 2021 about 2.4 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 25 deaths and 253 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 10, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 3, 2012.
Severe weather in Pemiscot County since 1996
Pemiscot County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4872: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 10, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4636: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Pemiscot County
Pemiscot County had 4,806 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $39,855 a year. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2023; in Steele itself the ACS puts it at 16%.
Public schools in Steele
3 public schools with 539 students, about 11.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CENTRAL ELEMENTARY | 1-6 | 270 | 12.9 |
| SOUTH PEMISCOT HIGH | 7-12 | 232 | 11.6 |
| EAST ELEMENTARY | PK-K | 37 | 5.3 |
Towns near Steele
- Gosnell, AR10.8 mi · 2,910 people · home $98,700
- Hayti Heights, MO10.8 mi · 515 people · home $63,900
- Blytheville, AR11.4 mi · 13,406 people · home $119,000
- Hayti, MO11.5 mi · 2,493 people · home $70,400
- Caruthersville, MO12.4 mi · 5,562 people · home $107,700
- Kennett, MO14.4 mi · 10,515 people · home $112,000
- Hornersville, MO14.7 mi · 537 people · home $55,800
- Senath, MO16.9 mi · 1,593 people · home $79,500
Steele questions
Is Steele, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Steele scores better for retirees than 22% of Missouri towns and quieter than 46%. 15.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.4).
How much does a house cost in Steele?
The median owner-occupied home in Steele is valued at $119,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,600, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $707 a month.
What is the weather like in Steele?
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 30.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.0 inches of precipitation a year and 3.6 inches of snow.
Does Steele get tornadoes?
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Steele since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on December 10, 2021. 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)