Oregon County MO Courthouse 20151021-020, 2015
Alton’s story
167 years in pictures
Census counts: 76 in 1870, 707 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2015 and 2 maps from 1944 on.
- 1859Alton is platted
AltonMO
A town of 702, platted in 1859.
Photo: Kbh3rd · CC BY 4.0
Population
702
2025 Census estimate · −0.1% since 2020
Typical home
$171K
+4% in a year
Household income
$50K
median
Median age
36.5
years
Jobs based here
346
A job hub
Is Alton a good place to live?
Alton’s average trip to work is 16 minutes, against 22 minutes in Missouri’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Only 10 of the 243 Missouri towns we compare have a lower median rent than Alton. Alton’s trail density is 1.6 miles per square mile, where Missouri’s towns sit at 0.3 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Alton has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
702 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Alton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Alton, and how to reach them.
PowerHowell-Oregon Elec Coop13.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAlton PWSNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Alton’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Missouri you can register online until 27 days before Election Day, in person until 27 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 27 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereOregonOregon County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2015
ZIP code6560665606 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Alton.
Work & commute
With 1.5 jobs for every working resident, Alton draws in 306 commuters
Most working residents leave Alton for work: only 18% work in town. Jobs based in Alton fell to 346 in 2023, 284 fewer than in 2013. 17% of Alton residents live below the poverty line.
18%work in town
| Alton | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 18% | 13% | 8% |
| Median household income | $50,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Alton18%
West Plains17%
Thayer5%
Kansas City3%
Doniphan2%
25 mi
median commute distance
346
jobs based in Alton
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Alton’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by Alton R-IV. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alton ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 290 | C− |
| Alton HighLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 281 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Very high risk in Alton, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 83% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 38 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Alton.
83risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesEarthquakes
38
paid flood claims since 1979
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
Homes in Alton are worth about $171K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Alton home is worth about $171,000, up 4% in a year, 35% below the Missouri typical home. 56% of households own their home in Alton.
$171KZillow home value
Typical home value
Alton$171K
Missouri$265K
+4%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
In Alton, expect mild winters and hot summers
Alton has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Alton is 89°F.
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–48°
Spring45–69°
Summer65–88°
Fall46–70°
Oct 21
typical first frost
Apr 17
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Alton is
Alton beats the Missouri average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 16. Among 248 Missouri towns, just 9 have a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Alton.
| Alton | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 30% | 25% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 22% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 12% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Missouri
2 better14 too close to call16 worse
| What stands out | Alton | MO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13.4% | 16.3% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.5% | 77.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 13.8% | 8% |
Ozarks Healthcare
27 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Alton has set aside 0% of its land for conservation
2.6 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,009 acres
2.6 mi
of trails · 1.6 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Alton
18pages on Alton
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Alton; the nearest are
Missouri State University-West PlainsCommunity college · Public · West Plains26 mi$5,936 in-state tuitionArkansas State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Jonesboro, AR70.8 mi$8,090 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Alton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
A job hub
Every workday, about 306 people come to Alton for work
Where Alton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
346jobs based in Alton
18%of working residents work in town
25 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Alton
City in Missouri, U.S.
Alton is a city and the county seat of Oregon County, Missouri, United States. The population was 707 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1929
- Area
- 1.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 781 ft
- ZIP code
- 65606
- Area code
- 417
Questions about Alton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Alton, MO a good place to live?
Alton has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.