Median Income
$66,631
household / year
Median Home Value
$216,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$963
gross / month
Cost of Living
89
national avg = 100

Is Ozark, MO a Good Place to Live?

Ozark is a small city of 21,459 in Missouri, with a median household income of $66,631 and a 3.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 89 (US average = 100), which is 11% below the national average.

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

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

All Ozark 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: 89.3

Ozark's overall cost of living index is 89.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ozark costs roughly 11% less than the average American city.

Metric Ozark, MO National Avg
Median Home Value $216,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $963 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 67.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $66,631 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Ozark's violent crime rate is 81.1 per 100,000 residents — 79% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
81.1 /100k
Property Crime
682.8 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Ozark is served primarily by OZARK R-VI. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Ozark, MO National Avg
School District OZARK R-VI —
Elementary Schools 5 —
Middle Schools 2 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 13.0:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 34.7% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 92.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Ozark sees average highs of 44.3°F in January and 89.1°F in July, with 45.3 inches of annual precipitation and 6.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricOzark, MO
Average High — January44.3°F
Average High — July89.1°F
Annual Precipitation45.3"
Annual Snowfall6.8"

Demographics

MetricOzark, MONational Avg
Population21,459—
Median Age33.138.9
Unemployment Rate3.6%3.7%
Avg Commute Time23.7 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)90.8%59.3%
Black or African American1.6%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino4.8%18.9%
Asian0.3%6.3%
Under 1828.6%22.2%
65 and over13.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Ozark

Ozark, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Ozark vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Ozark's cost of living index is 89, where 100 is the national average. That makes Ozark roughly 11% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $216,000 and median rent is $963/month.
Ozark's violent crime rate is 81.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 682.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Ozark are operated by OZARK R-VI. The district has 5 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.0:1. 34.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Ozark, MO has a population of 21,459, a median household income of $66,631, and an unemployment rate of 3.6%. 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.
Ozark averages 44.3°F in January and 89.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 45.3 inches with about 6.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Ozark, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code: 65721.
The population of Ozark, Missouri is 21,459 with a median age of 33.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Ozark: cost of living index 89 (100 = US average), median home $216,000, median household income $66,631, crime index 26 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Ozark side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.