Did you know that Missouri is home to the world’s largest arch in St. Louis, the University of Missouri Tigers in Columbia, and some pretty cool family friendly places to call home.
That’s right, the Show Me State knows how to keep families safe, educated, happy, healthy, and entertained. And lucky for you, HomeSnacks has found all of those qualities and rolled them into the top ten best places for families in Missouri for 2024. How did we determine Missouri’s most family friendly places? We consulted the US Census on places in this Midwest state with more than 10,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 71 family friendly Missouri places that any family would be lucky to call home.
Missouri currently has 2.1 million families, and that number is expected to increase over the next ten years; and that folks, is because the state has a ton of awesome “Missouri” stuff to do. Like, biking the world class trails in Springfield, visiting one of the state’s 240 farmers’ markets, or spending the day at Branson’s Silver Dollar City. And parents, Missouri has 90 Blue Ribbon schools, and local colleges like Truman State University in Kirksville are showing up on U.S. News’ ‘Best College’ lists year after year.
So, if you’re looking for safe, family friendly cities and neighborhoods, amazing schools, large green spaces, and just overall good family friendly fun, keep reading.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Cities To Raise A Family In Missouri For 2024
Missouri has a ton of family friendly places for every budget. There are places like Kirkwood for the outdoorsy family, and places like Jackson for families just starting out. But, the number one most family friendly place in Missouri is, Kirkwood.
To learn more about our methodology and to see why Missouri’s top ten best places to raise a family are truly the best of the best, take a look below. And if you don’t see your favorite there, head to the bottom.
More reading about Missouri and the best places for families in the country:
- Best Places To Live In Missouri
- Cheapest Places To Live In Missouri
- Best Cities To Raise A Family In America
- Best States To Raise A Family In America
The 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In Missouri For 2024
/10
Population: 29,309
Median Income: $107,905
Average Home Price: $414,629
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 49
Closest Major City: St. Louis
Households with kids: 31.3%
More on Kirkwood: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 15,394
Median Income: $72,500
Average Home Price: $245,343
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 63
Closest Major City: St. Louis
Households with kids: 38.9%
More on Jackson: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 23,838
Median Income: $105,930
Average Home Price: $388,329
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 57
Closest Major City: St. Louis
Households with kids: 29.0%
More on Webster Groves: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 11,575
Median Income: $231,382
Average Home Price: $963,818
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 31
Closest Major City: St. Louis
Households with kids: 31.5%
More on Town And Country: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 30,948
Median Income: $118,647
Average Home Price: $379,084
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 48
Closest Major City: St. Louis
Households with kids: 32.2%
More on Ballwin: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 49,645
Median Income: $137,052
Average Home Price: $498,560
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 46
Closest Major City: St. Louis
Households with kids: 29.6%
More on Chesterfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 18,240
Median Income: $89,153
Average Home Price: $332,927
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 35
Closest Major City: St. Louis
Households with kids: 36.4%
More on Manchester: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 12,008
Median Income: $104,697
Average Home Price: $364,147
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 57
Closest Major City: St. Louis
Households with kids: 42.1%
More on Eureka: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 91,825
Median Income: $104,863
Average Home Price: $343,861
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 49
Closest Major City: St. Louis
Households with kids: 38.5%
More on O’fallon: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 17,212
Median Income: $125,829
Average Home Price: $754,588
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 41
Closest Major City: St. Louis
Households with kids: 29.5%
More on Clayton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Missouri anyways?
To give you the places in Missouri that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Missouri, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Missouri, that meant a total of 71 cities.
We updated this article for 2024. This is our tenth time ranking the best cities for families in Missouri.
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Missouri
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Missouri ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Missouri are Kirkwood, Jackson, Webster Groves, Town and Country, Ballwin, Chesterfield, Manchester, Eureka, O’Fallon, and Clayton.
Here’s a look at the best cities for singles Missouri according to the data:
- Branson
- Bellefontaine Neighbors
- St. Joseph
For more Missouri reading, check out:
Best Places For Families In Missouri
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Amenities Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kirkwood, MO | 29,309 | $107,905 | $414,629 | 42 |
| 2 | Jackson, MO | 15,394 | $72,500 | $245,343 | 57 |
| 3 | Webster Groves, MO | 23,838 | $105,930 | $388,329 | 55 |
| 4 | Town And Country, MO | 11,575 | $231,382 | $963,818 | 55 |
| 5 | Ballwin, MO | 30,948 | $118,647 | $379,084 | 39 |
| 6 | Chesterfield, MO | 49,645 | $137,052 | $498,560 | 32 |
| 7 | Manchester, MO | 18,240 | $89,153 | $332,927 | 34 |
| 8 | Eureka, MO | 12,008 | $104,697 | $364,147 | 36 |
| 9 | O’fallon, MO | 91,825 | $104,863 | $343,861 | 39 |
| 10 | Clayton, MO | 17,212 | $125,829 | $754,588 | 35 |