Median Income
$47,410
household / year
Median Home Value
$91,800
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,016
gross / month
Cost of Living
96
national avg = 100

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: 96.3

Ferguson'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 Crime

Ferguson's violent crime rate is 712.1 per 100,000 residents — 87% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
712.1 /100k
Property Crime
3498.7 /100k

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.

MetricFerguson, MO
Average High — January40.4°F
Average High — July89.6°F
Annual Precipitation42.0"
Annual Snowfall16.6"

Demographics

MetricFerguson, MONational Avg
Population18,546—
Median Age34.738.9
Unemployment Rate5.3%3.7%
Avg Commute Time24.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)22.7%59.3%
Black or African American71.7%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino2.0%18.9%
Asian0.1%6.3%
Under 1825.2%22.2%
65 and over13.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Ferguson

Ferguson, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Ferguson vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Ferguson's cost of living index is 96, where 100 is the national average. That makes Ferguson roughly 4% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $91,800 and median rent is $1,016/month.
Ferguson's violent crime rate is 712.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3498.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Ferguson are operated by FERGUSON-FLORISSANT R-II. The district has 13 elementary, 5 middle, and 4 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.7:1. 22.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Ferguson, MO has a population of 18,546, a median household income of $47,410, and an unemployment rate of 5.3%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Ferguson averages 40.4°F in January and 89.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 42.0 inches with about 16.6 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Ferguson, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code: 63135.
The population of Ferguson, Missouri is 18,546 with a median age of 34.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Ferguson: cost of living index 96 (100 = US average), median home $91,800, median household income $47,410, crime index 179 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Ferguson side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.