Is Ferguson, MO a Good Place to Live?
Ferguson is a small city of 18,546 in Missouri, with a median household income of $47,410 and a 5.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.
Strengths: Ferguson stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Ferguson is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Ferguson 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: 96.3Ferguson's overall cost of living index is 96.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ferguson costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Ferguson, MO | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $91,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,016 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 48.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $47,410 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
High CrimeFerguson's violent crime rate is 712.1 per 100,000 residents — 87% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Ferguson is served primarily by FERGUSON-FLORISSANT R-II. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Ferguson, MO | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | FERGUSON-FLORISSANT R-II | — |
| Elementary Schools | 13 | — |
| Middle Schools | 5 | — |
| High Schools | 4 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 15.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.1% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 88.7% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Ferguson sees average highs of 40.4°F in January and 89.6°F in July, with 42.0 inches of annual precipitation and 16.6 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Ferguson, MO |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 40.4°F |
| Average High — July | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 16.6" |
Demographics
| Metric | Ferguson, MO | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,546 | — |
| Median Age | 34.7 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 24.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 22.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 71.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 25.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 13.8% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Ferguson
Ferguson, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code: