Birch-Tree-1st-Street-mo, 2021
Birch Tree’s story
168 years in pictures
Census counts: 535 in 1890, 541 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1982 on.
- 1858Birch Tree is settled
Birch TreeMO
Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
Population
561
2025 Census estimate · +3.1% since 2020
Typical home
$168K
+3.2% in a year
Household income
$47K
median
Median age
34.1
years
Jobs based here
64
A commuter town
Is Birch Tree a good place to live?
26% of residents live below the poverty line in Birch Tree, where Missouri’s towns sit at 14% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Among 243 Missouri towns, just 5 have a lower median rent than Birch Tree. Birch Tree has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Birch Tree stand out
Where Birch Tree beats most towns.
Small town
561 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 Birch Tree: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Birch Tree, and how to reach them.
PowerHowell-Oregon Elec Coop13.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBirch Tree PWSNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Birch Tree’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 hereShannonShannon County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2019
ZIP code6543865438 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 Birch Tree.
Housing
The typical home in Birch Tree is valued at about $168K
The typical Birch Tree home is worth about $168,000, up 3.2% in a year, 37% below the Missouri typical home.
$168KZillow home value
Typical home value
Birch Tree$168K
Missouri$265K
+3.2%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Birch Tree’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by Mountain View-Birch Tree R-III. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birch Tree Elem.Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 174 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Birch Tree faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by cold waves
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 80% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Birch Tree since 2008.
80risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingEarthquakes
1
paid flood claims since 2008
9
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Birch Tree stands out in Missouri and nationally: the average trip to work there is longer
At 33 minutes, Birch Tree’s average trip to work is against 22 minutes in Missouri’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Jobs based in Birch Tree fell to 64 in 2023, 82 fewer than in 2013. 2.5% of Birch Tree working residents work locally.
2%work in town
| Birch Tree | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 33 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.5% | 13% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Birch Tree2%
West Plains9%
Winona8%
Eminence6%
Mountain View4%
24 mi
median commute distance
64
jobs based in Birch Tree
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Birch Tree has four seasons and hot summers
Birch Tree has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Birch Tree is 89°F.
6″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–47°
Spring44–68°
Summer64–87°
Fall45–69°
Oct 18
typical first frost
Apr 22
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Birch Tree is
Birch Tree beats the Missouri average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 20% of adults smoke cigarettes in Birch Tree.
| Birch Tree | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 30% | 25% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 22% | 19% |
32 measures vs. Missouri
0 better26 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Birch Tree | MO |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 21.8% | 15.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.3% | 8% |
| More smokers | 19.9% | 16% |
Mercy St. Francis Hospital
11.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 876 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Creekside Park | 0.2 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Birch Tree
18pages on Birch Tree
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Birch Tree; the nearest are
Missouri State University-West PlainsCommunity college · Public · West Plains27.4 mi$5,936 in-state tuitionMissouri University of Science and TechnologyUniversity or college · Public · Rolla68 mi$14,984 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Birch Tree residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Birch Tree for work
Where Birch Tree’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
64jobs based in Birch Tree
2%of working residents work in town
24 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Birch Tree
City in Shannon County, Missouri, United States
Birch Tree is a city in southwest Shannon County, Missouri, United States. The population was 541 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 991 ft
- ZIP code
- 65438
- Area code
- 573
Questions about Birch Tree
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Birch Tree, MO a good place to live?
Birch Tree has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.