Median Income
$26,875
household / year
Median Home Value
$50,800
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$425
gross / month
Cost of Living
81
national avg = 100

Is Schell City, MO a Good Place to Live?

Schell City is a small town of 164 in Missouri, with a median household income of $26,875 and a 5.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 81 (US average = 100), which is 19% below the national average.

Strengths: Schell City stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B+), short average commutes.

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

All Schell City 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: 81.2

Schell City's overall cost of living index is 81.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Schell City costs roughly 19% less than the average American city.

Metric Schell City, MO National Avg
Median Home Value $50,800 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $425 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 78.1% 65.9%
Median Household Income $26,875 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Schell City's violent crime rate is 359.9 per 100,000 residents — 5% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
359.9 /100k
Property Crime
2475.3 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Schell City is served primarily by NORTHEAST VERNON CO. R-I. The student-to-teacher ratio is 8.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Schell City, MO National Avg
School District NORTHEAST VERNON CO. R-I
Elementary Schools 1
Middle Schools N/A
High Schools 1
Student/Teacher Ratio 8.5:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 6.9% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 86.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Schell City sees average highs of 42.2°F in January and 89.0°F in July, with 42.2 inches of annual precipitation and 2.0 inches of snow per year.

MetricSchell City, MO
Average High — January42.2°F
Average High — July89.0°F
Annual Precipitation42.2"
Annual Snowfall2.0"

Demographics

MetricSchell City, MONational Avg
Population164
Median Age53.538.9
Unemployment Rate5.3%3.7%
Avg Commute Time22.6 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)100.0%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino0.0%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1822.0%22.2%
65 and over32.9%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Schell City

Schell City, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Schell City vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Schell City's cost of living index is 81, where 100 is the national average. That makes Schell City roughly 19% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $50,800 and median rent is $425/month.
Schell City's violent crime rate is 359.9 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2475.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Schell City are operated by NORTHEAST VERNON CO. R-I. The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 8.5:1. 6.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Schell City, MO has a population of 164, a median household income of $26,875, and an unemployment rate of 5.3%. 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.
Schell City averages 42.2°F in January and 89.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 42.2 inches with about 2.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Schell City, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code: 64783.
The population of Schell City, Missouri is 164 with a median age of 53.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Schell City: cost of living index 81 (100 = US average), median home $50,800, median household income $26,875, crime index 104 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Schell City side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.