The 10 Most Miserable Cities In Missouri For 2023


The most miserable cities in Missouri are Jennings and Berkeley for 2023 based on Saturday Night Science.

Do you live in one of the most miserable places in Missouri?

Only a third of Missourians say they are truly happy. That’s too bad, considering that folks in Missouri don’t really have it too bad in the grand scheme of things.

But, we were curious – which Missouri cities might be the most miserable? We’re about to find out, using Saturday Night Science and data.

After analyzing the 129 largest cities, we sadly present the most miserable cities in the Show Me State.


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


Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. If you have a smile on your face, you probably don’t live in one of these cities.

Oh, and by the way, Ladue is the happiest place in Missouri.

For more Missouri reading, check out:

The 10 Most Miserable Places In Missouri For 2023

Jennings, MO

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

4
/10

Population: 13,129
Poverty Level: 29.2%
Median Home Price $58,000
Married Households 14.0%
Households With Kids 26.78%
More on Jennings: Data | Cost Of Living

Berkeley, MO

Source: HomeSnacks
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 8,310
Poverty Level: 23.7%
Median Home Price $66,000
Married Households 15.0%
Households With Kids 39.99%
More on Berkeley: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 6,663
Poverty Level: 19.3%
Median Home Price $141,100
Married Households 22.0%
Households With Kids 41.17%
More on Black Jack: Data | Cost Of Living

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 6,429
Poverty Level: 13.3%
Median Home Price $119,000
Married Households 29.0%
Households With Kids 39.18%
More on De Soto: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Ferguson, MO

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 18,826
Poverty Level: 26.4%
Median Home Price $78,900
Married Households 20.0%
Households With Kids 32.67%
More on Ferguson: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Cameron, MO

Source: Wikipedia User The original uploader was Americasroof at English Wikipedia | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 8,987
Poverty Level: 12.4%
Median Home Price $117,300
Married Households 18.0%
Households With Kids 30.79%
More on Cameron: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Aurora, MO

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

4
/10

Population: 7,268
Poverty Level: 17.3%
Median Home Price $84,800
Married Households 27.0%
Households With Kids 30.48%
More on Aurora: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Park Hills, MO

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

3
/10

Population: 8,708
Poverty Level: 19.6%
Median Home Price $87,000
Married Households 37.0%
Households With Kids 39.78%
More on Park Hills: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Bellefontaine Neighbors, MO

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 10,702
Poverty Level: 19.5%
Median Home Price $68,200
Married Households 24.0%
Households With Kids 28.37%
More on Bellefontaine Neighbors: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Overland, MO

Source: Wikipedia User Paul Sableman | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 15,908
Poverty Level: 11.2%
Median Home Price $96,300
Married Households 15.0%
Households With Kids 29.06%
More on Overland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Methodology: How We Measured The Most Miserable Cities In The Show Me State

To rank the unhappiest places in Missouri, we had to determine what criteria make people happy. It isn’t a stretch to assume that happy people earn great salaries, are relatively stress-free, and have a stable home life.

So we went to the Census’s American Community Survey 2017-2021 report for the happy criteria, flipped the list with Saturday Night Science, and it spit out the answer.

Like magic.

Here are the criteria we used to measure misery:

  • Percentage of residents with a college degree
  • Average commute times
  • Unemployment rates
  • Cost of living
  • % of married couples
  • % of families with kids
  • Poverty rate

After we decided on the criteria, we gathered the data for the 129 places in Missouri with over 5,000 people.

We then ranked each place from one to 129 for each of the seven criteria, with a score of one being the most miserable (Any ties were given to the larger place).

Next, we averaged the seven rankings into a Miserable Index for each place with the lowest overall Miserable Index “earning” the title “Most Miserable City In Missouri.”

If you’d like to see the complete list of states, most miserable to happiest, scroll to the bottom of this post to see the unabridged chart.

We updated this article for 2023, and it’s our tenth time ranking the most miserable cities in Missouri.

There You Have It – The Least Happy Cities In Missouri

As we said earlier, trying to determine the most miserable cities in Missouri is usually a subjective matter.

But if you’re analyzing cities where people are not stable, where you’re stuck in traffic, and no one spent the time to go to college, then this is an accurate list.

If you’re curious enough, here are the happiest cities in Missouri, according to science:

  1. Ladue
  2. Shrewsbury
  3. University City

For more Missouri reading, check out:

Miserable Cities In Missouri For 2023

Rank City Population Poverty Level Median Home Value % Married % Kids
1 Jennings, MO 13,129 29.2% $58,000 14.0% 26.78%
2 Berkeley, MO 8,310 23.7% $66,000 15.0% 39.99%
3 Black Jack, MO 6,663 19.3% $141,100 22.0% 41.17%
4 De Soto, MO 6,429 13.3% $119,000 29.0% 39.18%
5 Ferguson, MO 18,826 26.4% $78,900 20.0% 32.67%
6 Cameron, MO 8,987 12.4% $117,300 18.0% 30.79%
7 Aurora, MO 7,268 17.3% $84,800 27.0% 30.48%
8 Park Hills, MO 8,708 19.6% $87,000 37.0% 39.78%
9 Bellefontaine Neighbors, MO 10,702 19.5% $68,200 24.0% 28.37%
10 Overland, MO 15,908 11.2% $96,300 15.0% 29.06%
11 Harrisonville, MO 10,070 10.7% $155,400 26.0% 31.74%
12 Pevely, MO 5,974 5.7% $156,700 42.0% 38.94%
13 Charleston, MO 5,184 26.0% $76,500 23.0% 31.42%
14 Fulton, MO 12,691 14.4% $134,300 22.0% 37.73%
15 Florissant, MO 52,382 10.7% $107,700 27.0% 30.36%
16 Oak Grove, MO 8,228 12.0% $155,700 36.0% 40.04%
17 Warrenton, MO 8,450 17.6% $150,400 27.0% 32.45%
18 Lebanon, MO 14,880 21.0% $110,000 24.0% 40.44%
19 Bonne Terre, MO 6,772 32.3% $103,600 26.0% 25.03%
20 Carthage, MO 15,395 34.8% $109,800 19.0% 43.47%
21 St. Ann, MO 13,007 12.0% $95,600 24.0% 30.59%
22 Peculiar, MO 5,559 7.1% $166,400 24.0% 36.42%
23 Grandview, MO 25,931 13.9% $127,200 16.0% 26.89%
24 Excelsior Springs, MO 10,595 10.7% $147,200 31.0% 32.36%
25 Belton, MO 23,832 7.9% $153,700 25.0% 32.78%
26 Mexico, MO 11,592 16.5% $93,800 28.0% 29.57%
27 Monett, MO 9,512 15.9% $123,300 21.0% 41.19%
28 Caruthersville, MO 5,606 25.2% $98,400 21.0% 26.51%
29 St. John, MO 6,617 10.8% $80,100 33.0% 29.16%
30 Raytown, MO 29,893 8.7% $124,300 22.0% 25.27%
31 Nixa, MO 22,925 7.4% $191,000 24.0% 40.75%
32 Grain Valley, MO 15,435 5.6% $198,400 34.0% 41.11%
33 Boonville, MO 8,036 14.1% $136,200 29.0% 29.3%
34 Independence, MO 122,230 14.3% $130,400 26.0% 27.24%
35 Pleasant Hill, MO 8,673 14.9% $186,400 35.0% 35.64%
36 Clinton, MO 8,844 17.3% $120,400 25.0% 31.1%
37 Union, MO 12,108 8.3% $160,500 35.0% 31.15%
38 Blue Springs, MO 58,265 5.6% $189,100 32.0% 39.41%
39 Richmond, MO 5,961 14.7% $112,300 33.0% 31.38%
40 Kennett, MO 10,507 18.8% $88,000 23.0% 27.82%
41 Greenwood, MO 6,008 3.6% $214,000 25.0% 33.66%
42 Troy, MO 12,463 10.8% $160,600 38.0% 38.12%
43 Eureka, MO 11,663 3.0% $295,500 34.0% 42.02%
44 Hazelwood, MO 25,466 14.6% $127,500 24.0% 26.4%
45 Poplar Bluff, MO 16,318 27.0% $101,300 23.0% 28.86%
46 Sedalia, MO 21,696 18.0% $106,000 26.0% 29.55%
47 Marshfield, MO 7,391 20.8% $144,800 32.0% 37.8%
48 Moberly, MO 13,933 21.5% $123,100 25.0% 33.21%
49 Neosho, MO 12,439 22.4% $102,500 24.0% 37.11%
50 Festus, MO 12,609 12.1% $162,200 39.0% 31.52%
51 Republic, MO 18,313 13.4% $141,000 34.0% 40.39%
52 Wentzville, MO 43,213 4.4% $246,200 35.0% 45.63%
53 Arnold, MO 20,808 8.4% $168,400 36.0% 34.61%
54 Gladstone, MO 26,825 10.3% $163,700 22.0% 26.36%
55 Smithville, MO 10,211 6.2% $217,800 33.0% 43.99%
56 Ozark, MO 20,874 12.3% $173,800 25.0% 44.04%
57 Ellisville, MO 9,908 2.2% $289,400 32.0% 30.52%
58 Carl Junction, MO 8,099 7.1% $171,500 23.0% 41.64%
59 Sullivan, MO 6,192 14.5% $117,400 34.0% 32.14%
60 Lee’s Summit, MO 100,772 4.2% $248,800 32.0% 36.93%
61 Pacific, MO 6,898 8.8% $196,200 29.0% 26.74%
62 Bolivar, MO 10,718 20.5% $139,400 21.0% 33.17%
63 Kearney, MO 10,260 2.8% $219,400 34.0% 39.46%
64 Waynesville, MO 5,336 27.5% $182,100 6.0% 30.64%
65 Nevada, MO 8,111 18.7% $80,800 18.0% 25.56%
66 Parkville, MO 7,153 1.0% $456,600 29.0% 45.1%
67 Wildwood, MO 35,384 3.5% $398,100 31.0% 37.34%
68 Raymore, MO 22,722 6.3% $245,900 33.0% 35.67%
69 St. Louis, MO 302,787 19.6% $153,200 17.0% 21.41%
70 Jackson, MO 15,272 7.4% $180,500 37.0% 37.63%
71 O’fallon, MO 90,802 5.0% $246,100 36.0% 40.53%
72 Joplin, MO 51,539 17.6% $129,100 21.0% 27.63%
73 Kansas City, MO 502,597 15.0% $175,400 17.0% 26.82%
74 St. Joseph, MO 73,138 17.2% $120,300 27.0% 29.39%
75 Perryville, MO 8,482 14.9% $148,600 36.0% 32.04%
76 Liberty, MO 30,129 7.7% $206,800 25.0% 35.93%
77 Trenton, MO 5,547 12.2% $83,900 33.0% 23.65%
78 Willard, MO 6,233 7.8% $159,600 38.0% 44.89%
79 Chillicothe, MO 9,253 13.3% $98,900 28.0% 28.46%
80 Webb City, MO 12,843 18.8% $128,700 25.0% 36.74%
81 Odessa, MO 5,538 5.0% $163,100 38.0% 30.19%
82 Farmington, MO 17,959 16.8% $152,800 27.0% 29.73%
83 Lake St. Louis, MO 16,665 3.0% $305,600 33.0% 29.98%
84 Hannibal, MO 17,165 21.4% $115,900 30.0% 30.92%
85 Bridgeton, MO 11,417 9.3% $195,200 31.0% 33.4%
86 Macon, MO 5,459 13.0% $96,800 37.0% 30.6%
87 Washington, MO 14,607 5.9% $170,000 37.0% 30.67%
88 Warrensburg, MO 19,509 19.2% $166,900 14.0% 25.43%
89 Dardenne Prairie, MO 12,689 1.8% $330,300 37.0% 38.78%
90 Battlefield, MO 5,957 4.1% $165,200 36.0% 32.25%
91 Olivette, MO 8,408 4.3% $400,300 25.0% 37.43%
92 St. Peters, MO 57,289 3.7% $206,700 36.0% 30.68%
93 Springfield, MO 168,603 21.1% $127,800 21.0% 21.06%
94 West Plains, MO 12,048 34.0% $102,600 23.0% 28.71%
95 St. Robert, MO 5,191 30.7% $174,300 7.0% 44.3%
96 Savannah, MO 5,087 7.5% $114,600 35.0% 28.96%
97 Dexter, MO 7,947 19.9% $91,100 29.0% 29.2%
98 Maryland Heights, MO 28,141 6.1% $171,600 20.0% 25.02%
99 Kirksville, MO 17,600 28.7% $118,800 17.0% 21.21%
100 Manchester, MO 18,308 7.0% $257,000 27.0% 37.22%
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.

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