Median Income
$65,942
household / year
Median Home Value
$188,800
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$932
gross / month
Cost of Living
96
national avg = 100

Is Festus, MO a Good Place to Live?

Festus is a small city of 12,772 in Missouri, with a median household income of $65,942 and a 5.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.

Strengths: Festus stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-).

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Festus is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Festus 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

Festus's overall cost of living index is 96.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Festus costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.

Metric Festus, MO National Avg
Median Home Value $188,800 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $932 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 55.5% 65.9%
Median Household Income $65,942 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Festus's violent crime rate is 182.6 per 100,000 residents — 52% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
182.6 /100k
Property Crime
1029.7 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Festus is served primarily by FESTUS R-VI. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.4:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Festus, MO National Avg
School District FESTUS R-VI —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools 2 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 16.4:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 22.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 88.5% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Festus sees average highs of 41.0°F in January and 88.4°F in July, with 43.6 inches of annual precipitation and 9.2 inches of snow per year.

MetricFestus, MO
Average High — January41.0°F
Average High — July88.4°F
Annual Precipitation43.6"
Annual Snowfall9.2"

Demographics

MetricFestus, MONational Avg
Population12,772—
Median Age37.038.9
Unemployment Rate5.4%3.7%
Avg Commute Time26.1 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)88.2%59.3%
Black or African American3.3%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino5.5%18.9%
Asian0.6%6.3%
Under 1825.5%22.2%
65 and over15.7%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Festus

Festus, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Festus vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Festus's cost of living index is 96, where 100 is the national average. That makes Festus roughly 4% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $188,800 and median rent is $932/month.
Festus's violent crime rate is 182.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1029.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Festus are operated by FESTUS R-VI. The district has 1 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.4:1. 22.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Festus, MO has a population of 12,772, a median household income of $65,942, and an unemployment rate of 5.4%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Festus averages 41.0°F in January and 88.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 43.6 inches with about 9.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Festus, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code: 63028.
The population of Festus, Missouri is 12,772 with a median age of 37.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Festus: cost of living index 96 (100 = US average), median home $188,800, median household income $65,942, crime index 48 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Festus side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.