Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
This town of 227 people was laid out in 1878.
Bates City’s mean commuting time is 51 minutes, where Missouri’s towns sit at 22 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Only 5 of the 248 Missouri towns we compare have a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Bates City. Bates City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Bates City beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 74 in 1910, 219 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2014 and 2 maps from 1950 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bates City, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Bates City.
Since 2013, Bates City has added 143 jobs, to 261 in 2023. Just 3% of the town’s working residents have a job in town. The top destinations are Kansas City (20%), Blue Springs (12%) and Lee's Summit (9%). The typical household income here is $89,000.
| Bates City | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2.8% | 13% | 8% |
| Median household income | $89,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The median rent for Bates City comes to $1,292 a month. Values rose 6.5% in the 12 months to September 2026. Bates City: 73% of households are owner-occupiers.
| Bates City | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,292 a month | $971 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 64% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Summer afternoons peak near 88° in July, and January nights bottom out around 20°; snowfall runs to about 12 inches a winter. The seasons in Bates City: chilly winters, warm summers.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
FEMA puts nearly two fifths of Bates City’s expected hazard losses down to cold waves, and 29% to inland flooding. Storm and flood damage is expected to run lower than in 64% of U.S. communities. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Bates City once, in 2019.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown. 7 crimes were reported in Bates City in 2025: 6 property and 1 violent.
Bates City is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
38% of adults have high blood pressure in Bates City. The share of adults in Bates City who feel lonely: 29%.
| Bates City | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 33% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 37% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 15% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 25% |
| What stands out | Bates City | MO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 11.8% | 15.8% |
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 69.2% | 64% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Bates City; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Bates City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
Where Bates City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Missouri, United States
Bates City is a city in western Lafayette County, Missouri, and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. The population was 219 at the 2020 census, which is neither a gain nor a loss in population since 2010.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Bates City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.