Is Bel-Ridge, MO a Good Place to Live?
Bel-Ridge is a small town of 2,687 in Missouri, with a median household income of $38,642 and a 18.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.
Strengths: Bel-Ridge stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Bel-Ridge is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Bel-Ridge city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 96.3Bel-Ridge's overall cost of living index is 96.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Bel-Ridge costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Bel-Ridge, MO | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $82,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,016 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $38,642 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageBel-Ridge's violent crime rate is 371.9 per 100,000 residents — 2% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
| Metric | Bel-Ridge, MO | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | N/A | — |
| Elementary Schools | N/A | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | N/A | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 88.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Bel-Ridge sees average highs of 40.4°F in January and 89.6°F in July, with 41.3 inches of annual precipitation and 16.6 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Bel-Ridge, MO |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 40.4°F |
| Average High — July | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 16.6" |
Demographics
| Metric | Bel-Ridge, MO | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,687 | — |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 18.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 31.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 10.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 80.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 32.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 9.5% | 16.8% |