MOMap-doton-Anderson, 2004
Anderson’s story
140 years in pictures
Census counts: 721 in 1910, 1,981 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1940 on.
- 1886Anderson is settled
AndersonMO
A town of 2,073, settled in 1886.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: RebelAt at English Wikipedia · Public domain
Population
2,073
2025 Census estimate · +1.6% since 2020
Typical home
$170K
+4.4% in a year
Household income
$54K
median
Median age
36.0
years
Jobs based here
621
A commuter town
Is Anderson a good place to live?
The best of Anderson’s subject grades is an A for cost of living; the weakest is a D− for health. Only 16 of Missouri’s 419 towns score lower on hazard risk. The median household income is $54K, and 18% of residents live below the poverty line. Only 1 of the 248 Missouri towns we compare have a higher July high than Anderson. Anderson has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Anderson stand out
Where Anderson beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
A commuter town
93% of working residents leave Anderson for work
Where Anderson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
621jobs based in Anderson
7%of working residents work in town
23 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Anderson grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Missouri), ordered by how far Anderson is from typical.
HealthFreeman Neosho Hospital 15.4 miles awayD−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →Cost of livingAOpen →Jobs & incomeDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.9 of 20; 11.2% of households have no car; 3.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksDOpen →History2 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 36.0; 12% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Anderson: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Anderson, and how to reach them.
PowerNew-Mac Electric Coop13.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAnderson PWSNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Anderson’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 hereMcDonaldMcDonald County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code6483164831 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 Anderson.
HealthD−
Health in Anderson trails 96% of U.S. towns
Anderson beats the Missouri average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 18. 38% of Anderson adults get no exercise outside work, above both the Missouri town median (30%) and the median of U.S. towns (25%). 22% of adults smoke cigarettes in Anderson.
4%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Anderson | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 30% | 25% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 17% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 22% | 19% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 19% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Missouri
0 better14 too close to call18 worse
| What stands out | Anderson | MO |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 27.6% | 15.8% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 23.2% | 13.7% |
| More uninsured adults | 14.1% | 8.7% |
Freeman Neosho Hospital
15.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsB−
Anderson’s public schools trail 52% of Missouri districts
Its public schools are run by the McDonald Co. R-I school district. Its one school is below.
48%of MO districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson Elem.Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 521 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MO on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Very high risk in Anderson, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 87% of U.S. communities. Since 2001, 27 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Anderson.
87risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoes
27
paid flood claims since 2001
9
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade A
A typical Anderson home is worth about $170K
The typical Anderson home is worth about $170,000, up 4.4% in a year, 36% below the Missouri typical home. 53% of Anderson households own their home, against 64% in Missouri’s towns and 73% across U.S. towns. The median rent in Anderson is $731 a month.
$170KZillow home value
| Anderson | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 53% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $731 a month | $971 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Anderson$170K
Missouri$265K
+4.4%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
With 0.7 jobs for every working resident, most of Anderson’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Anderson for work: only 7% work in town. Jobs based in Anderson fell to 621 in 2023, 529 fewer than in 2013. Anderson’s average trip to work is 20 minutes.
7%work in town
| Anderson | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 4.3% | 9% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $54,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 6.8% | 13% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Anderson7%
Noel10%
Joplin8%
Neosho7%
Southwest City6%
23 mi
median commute distance
621
jobs based in Anderson
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 52% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Anderson, expect four seasons and hot summers
Anderson has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 90°, January nights drop to 25° and about 9 inches of snow falls in a winter.
9″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–49°
Spring46–69°
Summer67–89°
Fall47–71°
Oct 23
typical first frost
Apr 15
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Anderson
Anderson's reported crime rate is well below Missouri's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2025.
| Anderson | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.2 per 1,000 residents | 12.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1 per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Anderson1
Missouri4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Anderson5.2
Missouri16.9
U.S.15.5
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
11
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Anderson
19pages on Anderson
The big questions
SchoolsB−Behind 52% of MO districts · 1 schoolSafety1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthD−Better than MO on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA$170K typical home · up 4.4% in a yearWork & commuteD$54K median household income · 621 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 87% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Anderson
About 2 of every 100 Anderson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
About Anderson
City in McDonald County, Missouri, United States
Anderson is a city in McDonald County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,981 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 883 ft
- ZIP code
- 64831
- Area code
- 417
Anderson’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Anderson.
PinevilleAnderson
How the neighbors grade
Anderson has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Anderson reports no FBI crime data of its own. Pineville isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Anderson with a neighbor →
Questions about Anderson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
What is Anderson, MO known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Richard Corben and Lee Aaron Bachler.