Cardwell-Cafe-mo, 2018
Cardwell’s story
131 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2018.
- 1895Cardwell is settled
CardwellMO
A town of 529, settled in 1895.
Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
Population
529
2025 Census estimate · −6% since 2020
Median home value
$39K
Census ACS
Household income
$23K
median
Median age
23.5
years
Jobs based here
75
A commuter town
Is Cardwell a good place to live?
57% of residents live below the poverty line in Cardwell, above both Missouri’s towns (14%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). No town among the 248 in Missouri we compare has a higher January low than Cardwell. Cardwell has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
529 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 Cardwell: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cardwell, and how to reach them.
PowerPemiscot-Dunklin Elec CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCardwell PWSNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Cardwell’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 hereDunklinDunklin County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2015
ZIP code6382963829 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 Cardwell.
Natural hazards
Cardwell faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by earthquakes
Since 1998, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Cardwell. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 83% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 52% come from earthquakes and 15% from inland flooding. Federal aid has come to Cardwell households in 3 declared disasters; the latest was in 2025.
83risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingDrought
4
paid flood claims since 1998
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Cardwell has 0.4 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work
Cardwell’s average commute is 16 minutes, where Missouri’s towns sit at 22 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Employers in Cardwell shed 23 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 75. Half commute less than 12 miles. The top destinations are Paragould (21%), Kennett (6%) and Buffalo Township (5%).
8%work in town
| Cardwell | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 7.7% | 13% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Cardwell8%
Paragould21%
Kennett6%
Buffalo Township5%
Clay Township4%
12 mi
median commute distance
75
jobs based in Cardwell
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
A typical July afternoon in Cardwell is hotter than in the typical Missouri or U.S. town
Cardwell has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 90°, January nights drop to 30° and about 4 inches of snow falls in a winter.
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter32–49°
Spring50–71°
Summer69–89°
Fall50–72°
Nov 6
typical first frost
Mar 26
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Compared with most of Missouri and the rest of the country, more of Cardwell’s adults get no exercise outside work
Among 248 Missouri towns, just 8 have a higher share of adults who say their health is fair or poor than Cardwell. In Cardwell, just over a quarter of adults smoke cigarettes.
| Cardwell | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 22% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 17% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 15% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 30% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Missouri
0 better9 too close to call23 worse
| What stands out | Cardwell | MO |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 34.2% | 15.8% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 25.9% | 13.7% |
| More adults with COPD | 14.3% | 8% |
Arkansas Methodist Medical Center
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
Housing
Homes in Cardwell sell for about $55K
Cardwell: 37% of households live in a home they own. The median rent for Cardwell comes to $767 a month.
$55Kmedian sale price
| Cardwell | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 37% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $767 a month | $971 a month | $1,185 a month |
1
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cardwell
15pages on Cardwell
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Cardwell; the nearest are
Crowley's Ridge CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Paragould, AR16.4 mi$16,670 tuitionArkansas Northeastern CollegeCommunity college · Public · Blytheville, AR23.1 mi$2,570 in-state tuitionArkansas State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Jonesboro, AR26 mi$8,090 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Cardwell residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
A commuter town
92% of working residents leave Cardwell for work
Where Cardwell’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
75jobs based in Cardwell
8%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Cardwell
City in Missouri, United States
Cardwell is a city in southwest Dunklin County, Missouri, United States. The 2024 recorded population is 526. The community was named after Frank Cardwell, an Arkansas banker who lent money to the town's founders. The current mayor of Cardwell is Denise Latting and the current aldermen are Cody Todd, Dustin Lee and Winnia Cohea. Lisa Vowels serves as the City Clerk.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 246 ft
- ZIP code
- 63829
- Area code
- 573
Questions about Cardwell
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Cardwell, MO a good place to live?
Cardwell has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.