Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 720, founded in 1857.
27% of residents live below the poverty line in Clarence, against 14% in Missouri’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Only 4 of the 248 Missouri towns we compare have a lower median household income than Clarence. Clarence has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 444 in 1870, a peak of 1,400 in 1920, 738 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1971 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Clarence, 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 Clarence.
The typical Clarence home is worth about $178,000, up 9.8% in a year, 33% below the Missouri typical home. Clarence’s median rent is $638 a month, where Missouri’s towns sit at $971 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month.
| Clarence | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $638 a month | $971 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 66% | 64% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Clarence has chilly winters and warm summers. Only 4 of the 248 Missouri towns we compare have a lower July high than Clarence.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The top destinations are Macon (15%), Shelbina (11%) and Moberly (8%). Half commute less than 12 miles. Clarence’s average trip to work is 22 minutes.
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 63% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Clarence beats the Missouri average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12. 18% of adults report frequent physical distress in Clarence.
| Clarence | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 30% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 37% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 14% |
| What stands out | Clarence | MO |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 11.7% | 8% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.7% | 6.8% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4.9% | 3.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Clarence; the nearest are
About 5 of every 100 Clarence residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Missouri.
City in Missouri, United States
Clarence is a city in western Shelby County, Missouri, United States. The population was 738 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Clarence has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.