The 10 Dumbest Places In Missouri For 2024


The dumbest places in Missouri are Bonne Terre and Jennings for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

The unfortunate fact of the matter is that some places in the Show Me State have a larger percent of their population that never graduated from high school.

While the emphasis on going to college might be overblown, the fact is that not graduating from high school puts you at a significant disadvantage on average. Educational attainment might not be the best way to measure one person’s intelligence, but it does shine a light on the state.

We will use Saturday Night Science to determine what places in Missouri have the highest percentage of adults without a high school degree.

A recent study we published found that Missouri is the 27th smartest state in the United States, with an average IQ of 99.

But that doesn’t mean that a few cities in Missouri are a bit slower than others due to a lack of basic education.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


Dumbest Cities In Missouri Map

Don’t freak out.

Some places are just smarter than others, but that says nothing about the character of the people living there. It’s another data point a real estate agent would never tell you.

For this ranking, we only looked at cities with populations greater than 5,000, leaving us 124 cities in Missouri to rank. You can take a look at the data below.

For more Missouri reading, check out:

The 10 Dumbest Places In Missouri For 2024

Bonne Terre, MO

Source: Wikipedia User Jon Roanhaus | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10
Population: 6,863
% Adult High School Dropout: 23.0%
% Highly Educated: 8.0%
More on Bonne Terre: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Jennings, MO

Source: Wikipedia User User:LittletT889 | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10
Population: 12,996
% Adult High School Dropout: 21.0%
% Highly Educated: 9.0%
More on Jennings: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Dexter, MO

Source: Wikipedia User Skye Marthaler | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10
Population: 7,910
% Adult High School Dropout: 17.0%
% Highly Educated: 13.0%
More on Dexter: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Caruthersville, MO

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

2
/10
Population: 5,504
% Adult High School Dropout: 20.0%
% Highly Educated: 14.0%
More on Caruthersville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Monett, MO

Source: Wikipedia User Cvanlue25 | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10
Population: 9,632
% Adult High School Dropout: 16.0%
% Highly Educated: 13.0%
More on Monett: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Poplar Bluff, MO

Source: Wikipedia User Michael Gäbler | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

3
/10
Population: 16,313
% Adult High School Dropout: 18.0%
% Highly Educated: 14.0%
More on Poplar Bluff: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Aurora, MO

Source: Wikipedia User Johnston9494 | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10
Population: 7,290
% Adult High School Dropout: 14.0%
% Highly Educated: 13.0%
More on Aurora: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Kennett, MO

Source: Wikipedia User KFD129 | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

3
/10
Population: 10,383
% Adult High School Dropout: 20.0%
% Highly Educated: 18.0%
More on Kennett: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Mexico, MO

Source: Flickr User KOMUnews | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10
Population: 11,502
% Adult High School Dropout: 14.0%
% Highly Educated: 15.0%
More on Mexico: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10
Population: 6,430
% Adult High School Dropout: 13.0%
% Highly Educated: 14.0%
More on De Soto: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Methodology: How we determined the dumbest cities in the Show Me State

We realize that formal education is only part of it when it comes to being intelligent, but on the other hand, knowing the difference between they’re, their, and there is always going to make you look pretty stupid.

So, we used Saturday Night Science to narrow down our criteria to focus on a city’s educational opportunities and what percentage of the population takes advantage of those opportunities.

In short, we came up with these criteria to determine the dumbest cities in Missouri:

  • % of the city’s population with less than a high school education (Age 25+)
  • % of city’s population with a college degree (Age 25+)

We got the data from the U.S. Census 2018-2022 American Community Survey.

Then, our algorithm generates a rank for each place in these categories. After crunching all the numbers, a ranking of the cities in Missouri from dumbest to brightest.

For this ranking, we used every Missouri city with at least 5,000 residents. We updated this article for 2024, and it’s our tenth time ranking the dumbest cities in Missouri.

There You Have It – Now That You’re Asleep

If you’re measuring the locations in Missouri where there are a high number of dropouts and adults who never received a formal education, this is an accurate ranking.

The dumbest cities in Missouri are Bonne Terre, Jennings, Dexter, Caruthersville, Monett, Poplar Bluff, Aurora, Kennett, Mexico, and De Soto.

If you’re also curious enough, here are the smartest places in Missouri, according to science:

  1. Ladue
  2. Richmond Heights
  3. Glendale

For more Missouri reading, check out:

Dumbest Cities In Missouri For 2024

Rank City Population % Adult High School Dropout % Highly Educated
1 Bonne Terre, MO 6,863 23.0% 8.0%
2 Jennings, MO 12,996 21.0% 9.0%
3 Dexter, MO 7,910 17.0% 13.0%
4 Caruthersville, MO 5,504 20.0% 14.0%
5 Monett, MO 9,632 16.0% 13.0%
6 Poplar Bluff, MO 16,313 18.0% 14.0%
7 Aurora, MO 7,290 14.0% 13.0%
8 Kennett, MO 10,383 20.0% 18.0%
9 Mexico, MO 11,502 14.0% 15.0%
10 De Soto, MO 6,430 13.0% 14.0%
11 Oak Grove, MO 8,304 13.0% 14.0%
12 Chillicothe, MO 9,091 16.0% 18.0%
13 Park Hills, MO 8,653 12.0% 12.0%
14 Carthage, MO 15,491 28.0% 21.0%
15 Perryville, MO 8,536 16.0% 19.0%
16 Excelsior Springs, MO 10,546 14.0% 17.0%
17 Lebanon, MO 15,023 14.0% 17.0%
18 Sedalia, MO 21,767 14.0% 17.0%
19 St. John, MO 6,583 16.0% 19.0%
20 Berkeley, MO 8,232 11.0% 12.0%
21 Trenton, MO 5,527 12.0% 14.0%
22 Bellefontaine Neighbors, MO 10,637 13.0% 17.0%
23 Moberly, MO 13,708 12.0% 15.0%
24 Farmington, MO 17,859 12.0% 15.0%
25 Richmond, MO 5,975 10.0% 10.0%
26 Cameron, MO 9,101 10.0% 12.0%
27 Warrenton, MO 8,648 12.0% 16.0%
28 West Plains, MO 12,250 14.0% 21.0%
29 Black Jack, MO 6,632 15.0% 23.0%
30 Pacific, MO 7,239 11.0% 17.0%
31 Harrisonville, MO 10,024 12.0% 19.0%
32 Overland, MO 15,838 14.0% 23.0%
33 Neosho, MO 12,670 15.0% 25.0%
34 Nevada, MO 8,128 11.0% 18.0%
35 Clinton, MO 8,908 9.0% 15.0%
36 Hannibal, MO 17,003 12.0% 22.0%
37 St. Ann, MO 12,917 9.0% 16.0%
38 Troy, MO 12,964 7.0% 12.0%
39 Ferguson, MO 18,546 12.0% 21.0%
40 Sikeston, MO 16,146 13.0% 23.0%
41 Sullivan, MO 6,441 10.0% 19.0%
42 Festus, MO 12,772 12.0% 22.0%
43 St. Joseph, MO 72,198 12.0% 23.0%
44 Bolivar, MO 10,780 13.0% 24.0%
45 Fulton, MO 12,648 14.0% 25.0%
46 Marshfield, MO 7,501 10.0% 19.0%
47 Boonville, MO 7,725 11.0% 22.0%
48 Union, MO 12,341 10.0% 21.0%
49 Marshall, MO 13,687 14.0% 29.0%
50 Independence, MO 122,218 9.0% 20.0%
51 Grandview, MO 25,921 11.0% 23.0%
52 Macon, MO 5,452 9.0% 20.0%
53 Savannah, MO 5,068 10.0% 23.0%
54 Peculiar, MO 5,675 8.0% 21.0%
55 Branson, MO 12,651 11.0% 27.0%
56 Raytown, MO 29,772 8.0% 22.0%
57 Pevely, MO 6,012 6.0% 19.0%
58 Arnold, MO 20,840 9.0% 24.0%
59 Joplin, MO 51,848 9.0% 27.0%
60 Florissant, MO 52,167 7.0% 24.0%
61 St. Louis, MO 298,018 11.0% 38.0%
62 Odessa, MO 5,554 6.0% 24.0%
63 Springfield, MO 168,873 8.0% 30.0%
64 Washington, MO 14,769 7.0% 27.0%
65 Willard, MO 6,342 8.0% 32.0%
66 Cape Girardeau, MO 39,795 9.0% 36.0%
67 Hazelwood, MO 25,345 7.0% 30.0%
68 Belton, MO 24,241 5.0% 26.0%
69 Nixa, MO 23,523 7.0% 33.0%
70 Ozark, MO 21,459 7.0% 35.0%
71 Gladstone, MO 26,964 6.0% 31.0%
72 Bridgeton, MO 11,422 8.0% 36.0%
73 Kirksville, MO 17,533 8.0% 38.0%
74 Warrensburg, MO 19,317 8.0% 38.0%
75 Greenwood, MO 6,038 5.0% 32.0%
76 Valley Park, MO 6,848 8.0% 45.0%
77 Pleasant Hill, MO 8,822 4.0% 27.0%
78 Smithville, MO 10,416 4.0% 27.0%
79 St. Robert, MO 5,242 6.0% 35.0%
80 Jackson, MO 15,394 7.0% 37.0%
81 Grain Valley, MO 15,688 4.0% 28.0%
82 Raymore, MO 23,232 5.0% 34.0%
83 Maryville, MO 10,691 5.0% 33.0%
84 Waynesville, MO 5,372 4.0% 30.0%
85 Rolla, MO 20,025 6.0% 37.0%
86 St. Peters, MO 57,692 5.0% 37.0%
87 Blue Springs, MO 58,720 4.0% 34.0%
88 Republic, MO 18,824 3.0% 28.0%
89 Kearney, MO 10,491 4.0% 35.0%
90 St. Charles, MO 70,687 6.0% 43.0%
91 Liberty, MO 30,299 4.0% 38.0%
92 O’fallon, MO 91,825 5.0% 42.0%
93 Eureka, MO 12,008 4.0% 49.0%
94 Maryland Heights, MO 28,099 4.0% 49.0%
95 Columbia, MO 126,172 5.0% 55.0%
96 Carl Junction, MO 8,197 3.0% 39.0%
97 Wentzville, MO 44,584 4.0% 42.0%
98 Maplewood, MO 8,205 4.0% 52.0%
99 Battlefield, MO 6,046 3.0% 42.0%
100 Weldon Spring, MO 5,320 3.0% 53.0%
About Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson earned his masters in Business Administration from the Drucker School At Claremont Graduate University. He has written for 39 publications across the country and ran the media relations department at Movoto, a real estate portal based in San Francisco. He has been featured in over 500 publications as an expert in real estate and as an authority on real estate trends.

Nick's the creator of the HomeSnacks YouTube channel that now has over 260,000 subscribers and is an excellent source to learn about different parts of the country.

23 thoughts on “The 10 Dumbest Places In Missouri For 2024

  1. The drop out rate quoted for Carthage Mo is entirely inaccurate. In 2014, our graduation rate was greater than 93%. If you are going to label towns as dumb, perhaps you should do some accurate research.

      1. I’ve looked all over the link you shared and I can’t seem to find the data you quoted for teenage high school dropouts ages 16-18. Could you link it directly for us to see?

        1. Because it’s ages 16-19 like it says in the article. You can create the query in American Fact Finder; it’s just specific so I can’t link directly to it. It would look something like this.

      2. You should know that the ACS stands for the “American Community Survey 5-year Estimates.” The key word being “ESTIMATES”. The data you are using is NOT from the decennial census that attempts to survey all Americans. Rather, according to the United States Census Bureau’s own website, “We randomly sample addresses in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.” Again, a key word is “RANDOMLY”. Another key word is “SAMPLE”. Also found on the US Census Bureau’s site is the following, ” The ACS . . . is a survey sent to a small percentage of our population.” The key words are “SMALL PERCENTAGE”.

        You fail to mention this fact to your readers. Many of your readers might not be aware of the difference between the 10 year census and the limited sample data taken from the ACS ESTIMATE.

    1. If you fully read the stats it says adults with hs diploma % and % of hs drop outs. Has nothing to do with % who graduated. …. only thoes who dropped out….

  2. Yea there are a lot of dumb cities in Missouri, and Iowa, and New York. It’s a reflection of our society overall. Especially when the writers of the article can’t assemble sentences.

  3. FOUL!!! Bonne Terre and Desloge (pop 5000) SHARE a High School. You took the number of dropouts from our shared High School and divided it into Bonne Terre’s population giving you an incredibly inaccurate percentage. You make it sound like almost half the kids drop out. Do your research right before posting next time!!

    1. North County High School is made up from kids from Bonne Terre, Desloge and Valle Mines area. Since the school is in Bonne Terre they are technically correct. Desloge is probably on par with Park Hills at #20.

    2. FOUL! The data DOES NOT mention “Aurora High School” as stated on the “roadsnacks website”, but rather, only the limited “civilian population 16 to 19 years.” Of course, this population could include persons who had attended schools in another community, persons who were home schooled or who had never attended school after the mandatory legal age.

    3. Frank due to your city’s lack of education our site is gonna have to assume that you are a drop out aswell and can not speak on the subject matter thanks again for your opinion.

  4. The graduation rate for Carthage is totally inaccurate. I’m also curious as to whether the fact that Carthage has a sizeable adult Hispanic immigrant population who did not have the opportunity for secondary educational opportunities before coming to the US was factored in.

  5. Carthage is now overrun with Mexican adults and children who do not speak English. Mainly due to the chicken/turkey plants hiring them illegally. They don’t want to become “Americanized”, so when schools tests the minimal English speaking students, they fail. Then they drop out.

    1. The lack of educational achievement certainly does not make a person “dumb.” There are many successful people who did not finish high school and certainly weren’t “dumb”. A short list follows. . .

      Abraham Lincoln

      Henry Ford

      Thomas Edison

      Walt Disney

      Al Pacino

      John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

      Benjamin Franklin

      Richard Branson

      Louis Armstrong

      Jim Carrey

  6. Guys, the author even admitted that formal education doesn’t define whether or not a city is dumb. You’re making yourselves look worse for attacking the credibility of the study (even if it is basic) because the writer made typos. Most of the cities are very rural, and demographically speaking, the study isn’t inaccurate when you consider the dominating demographic of rural areas. Stop being butthurt.

  7. Another way to view the situation:
    10 cities in Missouri = dumb.
    RoadSnacks = dumber.
    Sam Sparkes = dumbest.

  8. Another way to view the situation:
    10 cities in Missouri = dumb.
    RoadSnacks = dumber.
    Sam Sparkes = dumbest.

  9. Totally inaccurate and unnecessary article. Why waste our time? Attractive pictures though! If you have time to gather these facts, best for all if they are true. You had to have included the population of both prisons in our small community. Cameron’s population is 9,868. Of this number, 3,475 are prison inmates. Our graduation rate is 89% which is over the state’s average of 87%. If it’s going to be in writing…..get it right please!

    1. Charleston (ranked 14th) is in the same position. About 1/3 of our city population is made of offenders housed in MoDOC’s Southeast Correctional Facility.

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