Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
California gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $248K, 3.3 years of the Jefferson City metro’s $74K median household income. It grades A− overall, ranked 36th of 247 in Missouri. On the plus side, its schools outperform 84% of the state's. On hazard risk, just 25 of Missouri’s 419 towns do better. California's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 95% of U.S. towns. On history, just 34 of Missouri’s 419 towns do better.
Where California beats most towns.
Moniteau County Courthouse SquareEach subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Missouri), ordered by how far California is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,427 in 1880, 4,498 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1869 and 2 maps from 1952 on.
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in California, 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 California.
California pairs an A− overall with homes cheaper than the Missouri norm and pairs an A− for schools with modest home prices.
Its A− for schools comes with an A for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $248K.
Its public schools are run by the Moniteau Co. R-I school district. Its three schools are below. The largest public high school is California High, with 439 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Elem.Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 504 | B+ |
| California HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 439 | B+ |
| California MiddleTop results in townGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 394 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MO on state tests and graduation
About one in 5 of California’s working residents works in town. Since 2013, California has added 192 jobs, to 1,491 in 2023. California’s average trip to work is 25 minutes, above Missouri’s towns (22 minutes) and close to U.S. towns (25 minutes).
| California | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 21% | 13% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $64,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
In the comparison, California comes above both the Missouri town median (30%) and the median of U.S. towns (25%). California beats the Missouri average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 12% of adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance in California.
| California | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 30% | 25% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 9.4% | 8.1% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 38% | 35% |
| What stands out | California | MO |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 11.7% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 72% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
California has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 88°, January nights drop to 21° and about 10 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
California grades A− overall with a typical home of about $248K, below the Missouri typical value; only 11 of the 55 Missouri towns graded A− or better can say that. Homes are within reach (about $248K for the typical one, A for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 21 miles.
California’s median rent is $756 a month. The typical California home is worth about $248,000, up 4.2% in a year, 7% below the Missouri typical home.
| California | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $756 a month | $972 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 70% | 64% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
0.0 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Proctor Park, at 37 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Proctor Park | — | 37 |
| 2. California Sports Complex | — | 19 |
| 3. City Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of California; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 California residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
5 places in California on the National Register of Historic Places.
5 notable people were born in California.
City in Missouri, U.S.
California is a city in and the county seat of Moniteau County, Missouri, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 4,498. It is the largest city in Moniteau County and the third largest city in the Jefferson City metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. California grades A− overall, better than 83% of U.S. towns and #36 of 247 in Missouri. It grades C for health and A− for schools.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
5 notable people were born here, including George Howard Williams and Clarence Strei.
