The Town FilesTerre du Lac, Missouri
Community in St. Francois County · population 2,478 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $199,300
- Household income
- $86,019
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 42.5
Terre du Lac is a community of 2,478 people in St. Francois County, Missouri. The median home is worth $199,300, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 96% of Missouri towns, quieter than 84% of Missouri towns.
How Terre du Lac 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 Terre du Lac is worth $199,300, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $86,019, which is more affordable than 74% of Missouri towns. 97.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Terre du Lac | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $199,300 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | — | $855 |
| Median household income | $86,019 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 97.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 17.5% | — |
Who lives in Terre du Lac
| People | Terre du Lac | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.5 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.9% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.1% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.4% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 12.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 22.3% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 35.5 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.7% | 88.7% |
Weather in Terre du Lac
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 21.4°F. About 45.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.0 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 103 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Terre du Lac since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 22, 1969 about 9.0 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 14 deaths and 140 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 31, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 69 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 8, 2015.
Severe weather in St. Francois County since 1996
St. Francois County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4924: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4490: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3482: Covid-19 |
| January 21, 2016 | Flood | DR-4250: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| January 2, 2016 | Flood | EM-3374: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in St. Francois County
St. Francois County had 23,026 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,743 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Terre du Lac itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Towns near Terre du Lac
- Leadwood, MO3.3 mi · 1,178 people · home $63,200
- Bonne Terre, MO4.3 mi · 6,903 people · home $153,000
- Desloge, MO5.8 mi · 4,823 people · home $127,500
- Lake Timberline, MO7.4 mi · 726 people · home $117,300
- Potosi, MO8.8 mi · 2,538 people · home $110,100
- Park Hills, MO8.8 mi · 8,587 people · home $131,300
- Leadington, MO8.9 mi · 764 people · home $169,600
- Bismarck, MO9.5 mi · 1,239 people · home $107,800
Terre du Lac questions
Is Terre du Lac, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Terre du Lac scores better for retirees than 64% of Missouri towns and quieter than 84%. 19.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.5).
How much does a house cost in Terre du Lac?
The median owner-occupied home in Terre du Lac is valued at $199,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $86,019, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Terre du Lac?
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 21.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.5 inches of precipitation a year and 10.0 inches of snow.
Does Terre du Lac get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Terre du Lac since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 22, 1969. 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)