Is Goodman a good place to live?
Goodman’s best subject grade is an A− for cost of living; its weakest is a D− for health. Of the 171 Missouri towns we compare, none has a lower property crime rate than Goodman. The median household income is $54K, and 16% of residents live below the poverty line. Only 2 of the 171 Missouri towns we compare have a lower violent crime rate than Goodman. Only 15 of Missouri’s 419 towns score lower on the outdoors. Goodman has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Goodman stand out
Where Goodman beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
1,320 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
How Goodman grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Missouri), ordered by how far Goodman is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Moving to Goodman: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Goodman, 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.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Goodman.
On CDC estimates, Goodman is less healthy than 95% of U.S. towns
Goodman beats the Missouri average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17. 23% of adults smoke cigarettes in Goodman, against 17% in Missouri’s towns and 14% across U.S. towns. 37% of adults get no exercise outside work in Goodman.
| Goodman | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 17% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 30% | 25% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 19% | 17% |
| What stands out | Goodman | MO |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing food insecurity | 21.7% | 13.7% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 12.2% | 8.4% |
| More uninsured adults | 12.6% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
On state tests, Goodman’s schools beat 55% of Missouri districts
Its public schools are run by the Neosho School District. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goodman Elem.Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 272 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MO on state tests and graduation
With 0.2 jobs for every working resident, most of Goodman’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Goodman for work: only 2% work in town. 17% of residents live below the poverty line in Goodman, above both the Missouri town median (14%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Since 2013, Goodman has lost 459 jobs, to 97 in 2023.
| Goodman | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.9% | 13% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $54,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Goodman
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 73% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The typical home in Goodman is valued at about $203K
The typical Goodman home is worth about $203,000, up 4.9% in a year, 24% below the Missouri typical home. 81% of Goodman households own their home.
| Goodman | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 81% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $863 a month | $971 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
In Goodman, expect four seasons and hot summers
Goodman has chilly winters and warm summers. The July high in Goodman is 90°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Crime reported in Goodman
Goodman's reported crime rate is well below Missouri's. No violent crimes were reported in 2025.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Property crime per 1,000 residents
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Everything we know about Goodman
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Goodman
About 3 of every 100 Goodman residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
98% of working residents leave Goodman for work
Where Goodman’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Goodman
City in Missouri, United States
Goodman is a city in McDonald County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,202 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,250 ft
- ZIP code
- 64843
- Area code
- 417
Questions about Goodman
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Goodman, MO expensive?
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−.