10 Best Places to Retire in Missouri

When talking about the 10 best places to retire in Missouri, we’ll stay away from the big cities such as Kansas or St. Louis, and we’ll discuss small communities. However small and quaint, they all have something to offer besides the usual towering skyscrapers, shopping malls, and urban lifestyle.

Originally a part of France, Missouri was annexed by the United States with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. It was known as the “gateway to the west” as it was usually the starting point of almost all expeditions to the western United States such as the Lewis and Clark expedition. The Oregon and the Santa Fe trails, as well as the Pony Express, had their starting points in Missouri.

When living in Missouri, be informed that the state usually experiences temperatures in the extremes. This is attributed to the lack of mountains in the area, which regulate temperature and the climate. This may both be a blessing and a curse to some people, as the state’s highest and lowest temperatures recorded were 118 F and -40 F.

Although a landlocked state, Missouri is at the intersection of the three greatest and most influential rivers in America – the Mississippi, the Missouri and the Ohio Rivers. These three waterways offer a lot of activities for all ages. Because Missouri has a varied geography from rolling hills to waterways, valleys and gorges, the state has allocated much of its land to parks and wildlife refuges. Good news for nature lovers, as this makes a lot of counties the best places to retire in Missouri. As a testament to Missouri’s commitment to environmental tourism, 16 million tourists visited its state parks, reserve, refuges and recreational areas. This gave the state $7 million in revenue.

While you’re at it, check out the 10 best places to retire in Mississippi! These places also have a lot of water activities in store for retirees!

To determine the 10 best places to retire in Missouri, we determined the most important factors for retirees – the cost of living, physicians per capita, crime, and house values. Information from Sperling’s Best Places, Areavibes and Livability were utilized, with every county given a corresponding score on how high or low they ranked on each of the 4 factors. Scores were then added and averaged, with the top 10 counties earning a place on our list.

Let’s have a look at the 10 best places to retire in Missouri, shall we?

10. Worth County

Cost of living: 23.2% lower than US average
Crime score: 24
Physicians per 100k: 38
Median House Value: $58,400
Insider Monkey Score: 75

Worth County is notable being the smallest county in Missouri both in terms of population and land area. As of 2010, its population was 2,171 residents. The county seat is located in Grant City.

9. Holt County

Cost of living: 18.7% lower than US average
Crime score: 26
Physicians per 100k: 41
Median House Value: $78,600
Insider Monkey Score: 77

Formerly Nodaway County, it was renamed to Holt County for David Holt, a former legislator. Its county seat is in Oregon City. Points of interest include the Big Lake State Park, which offers boating and other recreational activities, and the Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge.

8. Clark County

Cost of living: 22% lower than US average
Crime score: 30
Physicians per 100k: 56
Median House Value: $67,600
Insider Monkey Score: 78

Located in northeast Missouri, Clark County in the 1830s was involved in a border war between its home state, Missouri and Iowa. Termed the Honey War, it was a bloodless dispute between the two states. Its seat is in Kahoka City.

7. Linn County

Cost of living: 21.2% lower than US average
Crime score: 33
Physicians per 100k: 94
Median House Value: $72,200
Insider Monkey Score: 80

Linn County is notable for hardcore Walt Disney fans, as the animator spent some of his childhood years in the city of Marceline. The county seat is in Linneus, but the biggest city is Brookfield, which hosts the annual Great Pershing Balloon Derby.

6. Dade County

Cost of living: 19.8% lower than US average
Crime score: 27
Physicians per 100k: 63
Median House Value: $74,300
Insider Monkey Score: 87

Dade County is located in southwest Missouri. Named after Major Francis Dade of the Seminole War, it has a population of 7,883. With 20% of the population being 65 years or older, relocating here would be an easier adjustment for retirees. This makes Dade County one of the 10 best places to retire in Missouri.

5. St. Clair County

Cost of living: 18.9% lower than US average
Crime score: 27
Physicians per 100k: 82
Median House Value: $80,400
Insider Monkey Score: 88

St. Clair was organized in 1841, and its county seat is located in Osceola City. From the 870s to the early 1900s, the county was infamous for being in an “open rebellion” against the Unites States government. According to the Century Magazine in its April 1907 issue, the county refused to pay taxes and especially interests of the bonds which were issued for the construction of a railway line, which wasn’t built.

4. Schuyler County

Cost of living: 21.7% lower than US average
Crime score: 28
Physicians per 100k: 68
Median House Value: $64,800
Insider Monkey Score: 89

Although part of the Kirksville Metropolitan Statistical Area, Schuyler County is the 4th least populated county in the state with 4,431 residents. The USS Schuyler, a World War II cargo ship was named in part for this county.

3. Knox County

Cost of living: 23.1% lower than US average
Crime score: 27
Physicians per 100k: 73
Median House Value: $53,800
Insider Monkey Score: 93

From the 4th least populous, we now jump to the 3rd least populous county in Missouri, Knox County. Its county seat is Edina City. Fun fact: Edina is the snowiest place in Missouri according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric climate database. From 1985 to 2015, an average of 22 inches of snow fell per year on this city.

2. Gentry County

Cost of living: 20.1% lower than US average
Crime score: 25
Physicians per 100k: 89
Median House Value: $75,700
Insider Monkey Score: 97

Gentry County is located in the northern portion of Missouri. It is also regarded as being in the northern part of the informally-termed “Bible Belt”, an area in the Southeastern United States known for its strong Protestant religion playing a role in both social and political affairs. Its county seat is in Albany.

1. Scotland County

Cost of living: 20.2% lower than US average
Crime score: 27
Physicians per 100k: 124
Median House Value: $74,200
Insider Monkey Score: 98

Welcome to Scotland! Not the country, but the county, which is the best place to retire in Missouri. Obviously named after the country of Scotland, Scotland County is the 5th least populous county is Missouri. As of 2010, it had a population of 4,843. The county is also notable for engagements during the Civil War, and one of these would be known as the Battle of Vassar Hill.