Lithium Baptist Church, 2014
Lithium’s story
142 years in pictures
Census counts: 93 in 1900, a low of 9 in 1990, 92 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2014 and 5 maps from 1915 on.
- 1884Lithium is settled
LithiumMO
Home to 30 people, the town was settled in 1884.
Is Lithium a good place to live?
63% of residents live below the poverty line in Lithium, where Missouri’s towns sit at 14% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. No town among the 248 in Missouri we compare has a higher age of the median resident than Lithium. Lithium has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
30 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Lithium: who provides what
Lithium is unincorporated, so Perry County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerCitizens Electric Corporation15.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPerry County Pwsd 2No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesPerry CountyPerry County provides services here
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 herePerryPerry County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2019
ZIP code6377563775 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 Lithium.
Natural hazards
Lithium has a very high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Expected losses in Lithium break down as 34% from inland flooding and 19% from earthquakes. The natural-hazard score from FEMA here is 86 of 100.
86risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesStrong wind
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
12″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–44°
Spring45–67°
Summer66–87°
Fall46–69°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 19
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Lithium is
In Lithium, 18% of adults smoke cigarettes, and 26% have been diagnosed with depression. The share of adults in Lithium who sleep under 7 hours: 41%.
| Lithium | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 36% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 25% | 23% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Missouri
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Lithium | MO |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 20.5% | 15.8% |
Mercy Hospital Perry
6.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lithium
13pages on Lithium
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Lithium; the nearest are
Mineral Area CollegeCommunity college · Public · Park Hills32.8 mi$5,660 in-state tuitionSouthern Illinois University-CarbondaleUniversity or college · Public · Carbondale, IL37.2 mi$13,334 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Lithium residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
About Lithium
Unincorporated community in Missouri, U.S.
Lithium is a census-designated place and former village located in Perry County, Missouri, United States. The population was 92 at the 2020 census. The 2000 Census found Lithium to have zero residents; an Associated Press article, quoted a local resident who said that about 50 people lived there and speculated that they may have been counted as part of Perry County's rural population.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 381 ft
Questions about Lithium
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lithium, MO a good place to live?
Lithium has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.