Median Income
$51,071
household / year
Median Home Value
$73,600
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$438
gross / month
Cost of Living
83
national avg = 100

Is Hale, MO a Good Place to Live?

Hale is a small town of 543 in Missouri, with a median household income of $51,071 and a 0.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 83 (US average = 100), which is 17% below the national average.

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

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Hale is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Hale 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: 83.3

Hale's overall cost of living index is 83.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Hale costs roughly 17% less than the average American city.

Metric Hale, MO National Avg
Median Home Value $73,600 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $438 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 70.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $51,071 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Hale's violent crime rate is 92.2 per 100,000 residents — 76% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
92.2 /100k
Property Crime
276.5 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Hale is served primarily by HALE R-I. The student-to-teacher ratio is 4.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Hale, MO National Avg
School District HALE R-I —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 4.9:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.0% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 85.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Hale sees average highs of 34.5°F in January and 87.3°F in July, with 40.9 inches of annual precipitation and 13.7 inches of snow per year.

MetricHale, MO
Average High — January34.5°F
Average High — July87.3°F
Annual Precipitation40.9"
Annual Snowfall13.7"

Demographics

MetricHale, MONational Avg
Population543—
Median Age42.138.9
Unemployment Rate0.4%3.7%
Avg Commute Time27.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)92.6%59.3%
Black or African American6.8%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino0.6%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1817.7%22.2%
65 and over21.7%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Hale

Hale, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Hale vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Hale's cost of living index is 83, where 100 is the national average. That makes Hale roughly 17% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $73,600 and median rent is $438/month.
Hale's violent crime rate is 92.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 276.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Hale are operated by HALE R-I. The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 4.9:1. 10.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Hale, MO has a population of 543, a median household income of $51,071, and an unemployment rate of 0.4%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Hale averages 34.5°F in January and 87.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 40.9 inches with about 13.7 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Hale, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code: 64643.
The population of Hale, Missouri is 543 with a median age of 42.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Hale: cost of living index 83 (100 = US average), median home $73,600, median household income $51,071, crime index 20 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Hale side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.