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Missouri›Macon County
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EthelMO

A town of 47, settled in 1890.

Population
47
2025 Census estimate · +0% since 2020
Median age
75.4
years
Land area
0 sq mi

Is Ethel a good place to live?

Ethel has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

47 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Elmer · 7 miNew Cambria · 8 miSouth Gifford · 10 miBaker Township · 10 miBucklin Township · 11 miBucklin · 11 mi
Getting set up

Moving to Ethel: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Ethel, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →
PowerUnion Electric13.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterChariton Linn County Pwsd 3No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet1 providers82% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Ethel’s trash rules yet
SchoolsMacon County R-IV School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereMaconMacon County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2017
ZIP code6353963539 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 Ethel.

Climate

The climate in Ethel brings four seasons and pleasant summers

July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 18° and about 19 inches of snow falls in a winter.

19″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter21–39°
Spring42–63°
Summer64–85°
Fall44–65°
Oct 28
typical first frost
Apr 8
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageEthel’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 87°, January lows 18°Rain & snow19″ of snow a winter · 41 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+0.8° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazards

Natural hazards: high risk in Ethel, mostly inland flooding

Expected damage from storms and floods is higher here than in just over three fifths of U.S. communities. One declared disaster, in 2004, has brought federal aid to Ethel households.

61risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
61High riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
1
federal disasters paid out here
Full pageEthel’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesHigh riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters1 federal disaster · Paid out in EthelGet ready1 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Health

How healthy Ethel is

Among adults in Ethel, 17% report frequent mental distress. Of 32 CDC measures, Ethel beats the Missouri average on 1 and trails it on 9. Also worth knowing: 34% of Ethel adults get no exercise outside work, where Missouri’s towns sit at 30% and U.S. towns at 25%. In Ethel, 17% of adults report frequent physical distress, and 41% have high blood pressure.

EthelMissouri townsU.S. towns
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)34%30%25%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)17%15%14%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)41%37%35%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)19%17%14%
32 measures vs. Missouri
1 better22 too close to call9 worse
What stands outEthelMO
More adults treating high blood pressure80.7%77.2%
More older adults who have lost all their teeth25.2%15.8%
Macon County Samaritan Memorial Hospital
17.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
Full pageEthel’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsMore adults who get no exerciseHospitals & doctors nearby17.6 miles to an ER · Macon County Samaritan Memorial HospitalHow adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distressEvery CDC estimateBetter than MO on 1 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Ethel

14pages on Ethel
The big questions
HealthBetter than MO on 1 of 32 CDC measuresNatural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 61% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
PlacesLibraryLa Plata Public LibraryColleges
The story
HistorySettled 1890Famous people1 born in EthelTown Hall & politicsClimate87° summer highs · 19″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookZIP code 63539Town SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Ethel; the nearest are

Truman State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Kirksville22 mi$9,838 in-state tuitionMoberly Area Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Moberly36.2 mi$4,110 in-state tuition

About 2 of every 100 Ethel residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

About Ethel

Town in Missouri, United States

Ethel is a town in Macon County, Missouri, United States. The population was 41 at the 2020 census, down from 62 in 2010.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
0.2 sq mi
Elevation
830 ft
ZIP code
63539
Area code
660

Questions about Ethel

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Ethel, MO a good place to live?

Ethel has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.