Old man, 1940
Malden’s story
149 years in pictures
Census counts: 215 in 1880, a peak of 6,096 in 1980, 3,706 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1940 and 3 maps from 1940 on.
- 1877Malden is settled
MaldenMO
A town of 3,493, settled in 1877.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
Population
3,493
2025 Census estimate · −5.7% since 2020
Typical home
$84K
+3.3% in a year
Household income
$40K
median
Median age
38.7
years
Jobs based here
1,170
Balanced
TownGrade
D
#239 of 247 in MO
Is Malden a good place to live?
Malden earns a D, 239th among Missouri's 247 graded towns, mostly because of health and incomes. On CDC estimates, its residents' health ranks in the bottom 2% nationally. The median household income is $40K, and 30% of residents live below the poverty line. What it does well: homes are within reach, about $84K for a typical one, or 1.8 years of the Kennett area’s $48K median household income. 30% of residents live below the poverty line in Malden, against 14% in Missouri’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. On hazard risk, just 19 of Missouri’s 419 towns do worse. Malden's schools rank behind 88% of the state's.
What makes Malden stand out
Where Malden beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Typical home value
Malden$84K
Missouri$265K
Cost of livingA−
More affordable than 78% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
32 measures vs. Missouri
1 better8 too close to call23 worse
| Widest gap | Malden | MO |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing food insecurity | 26.9% | 13.7% |
Worth knowing · HealthD−
Less healthy than 99% of U.S. towns
Trails MO on 23 of 32 CDC measures, beats it on 1
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
A shrinking town
Malden has shrunk 18% since 2010
4,275 counted in 2010 and 3,706 in 2020; an estimated 3,493 in 2025.
The decline has continued: down 5.7% since 2020, after 13.3% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Malden grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Missouri), ordered by how far Malden is from typical.
HealthNear the bottom of U.S. towns on CDC estimates; Mercy Hospital Stoddard 14.4 miles awayD−Open →Jobs & incomeD−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 86% of U.S. communities; earthquakes tops the listDOpen →SchoolsDOpen →Cost of livingA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.7 of 20; 8.4% of households have no car; 2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors6 miles of trails; 1% conserved landBOpen →History4 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life3.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateCold winters, 90° summer afternoons, 7″ of snow–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 38.7; 11% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Malden: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Malden, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of MaldenEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterMalden PWS1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Malden’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 code6386363863 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 Malden.
Malden has homes that are cheap against local pay and trades workers with Dexter and other neighbors, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of Missouri (mostly earthquakes).
HousingCost of living grade A−
Malden’s grade for cost of living is an A−
At 1.8 years of the Kennett area’s $48K median household income, the typical home (about $84K) costs less against local pay than in 93% of Missouri towns; that ratio is one input to its A− for cost of living. The typical value, about $84K, is 7% below its July 2021 peak.
51% of Malden households own their home. The typical Malden home is worth about $84,000, up 3.3% in a year, 68% below the Missouri typical home. Malden’s median rent is $673 a month.
$84KZillow home value
| Malden | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 51% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $673 a month | $972 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Malden$84K
Missouri$265K
+3.3%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthD−
Compared with most of Missouri and the rest of the country, more of Malden’s adults have obesity
49% of adults have obesity in Malden. Among 247 Missouri towns, just 6 have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Malden. 18% of adults have diabetes in Malden.
1%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Malden | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 22% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 17% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 38% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 12% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Missouri
1 better8 too close to call23 worse
| What stands out | Malden | MO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 12.3% | 16.3% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 26.9% | 13.7% |
Mercy Hospital Stoddard
14.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
2nd
percentile among MO towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsB
0.8% of Malden is conserved land
5.8 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. The trail density in Malden is 0.7 miles per square mile.
#47for trails in MO
| Malden | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.8% | 2.1% | 4.3% |
0.8%
conserved · 43 of 5,301 acres
5.8 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Martin Luther King Jr Park | — | 11 |
| 2. Tammy Wynette Park | — | 8 |
| 3. Malden City Park | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Earthquakes leads a very high hazard risk in Malden
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 96% of Missouri towns, with expected losses of about $1,689 per resident a year; that rating is what its D for hazard risk is built on.
Since 1998, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Malden.
86risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingTornadoes
2
paid flood claims since 1998
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Malden has four seasons and hot summers
Malden has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Among 247 Missouri towns, just 8 have a higher July high than Malden.
7″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter30–48°
Spring48–70°
Summer68–89°
Fall49–71°
Nov 3
typical first frost
Mar 29
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
About one in six working residents works right in Malden
Malden has about as many jobs (1,170) as working residents, but only 243 people both live and work here.
Most working residents leave Malden for work: only 18% work in town. Since 2013, Malden has lost 270 jobs, to 1,170 in 2023. The top destinations are Dexter (12%), Poplar Bluff (6%) and Cape Girardeau (4%).
18%work in town
| Malden | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $40,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 18% | 13% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Malden18%
Dexter12%
Poplar Bluff6%
Cape Girardeau4%
Kennett4%
19 mi
median commute distance
1,170
jobs based in Malden
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 65% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Safety
Crime reported in Malden
Malden's reported crime rate is close to Missouri's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 20 violent crimes were reported in 2024.
| Malden | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 5.8 per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.7 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 17 per 1,000 residents | 13.8 | 11.5 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Malden5.8
Missouri4.7
U.S.3.6
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Malden17
Missouri20.1
U.S.17.7
20
violent crimes reported in 2024
59
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Malden
20pages on Malden
The big questions
SchoolsDBehind 88% of MO districtsSafety5.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2024)HealthD−Better than MO on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA−$84K typical home · up 3.3% in a yearWork & commuteD−$40K median household income · 1,170 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 86% of U.S. communities · earthquakes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Malden; the nearest are
Three Rivers CollegeCommunity college · Public · Poplar Bluff26.8 mi$4,950 in-state tuitionSoutheast Missouri State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Cape Girardeau55.4 mi$9,903 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Malden residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
Famous people from Malden
4 notable people were born in Malden.
About Malden
City in southeastern Missouri
Malden is a city in the northeast corner of Dunklin County, Missouri, United States, located near the intersection of Missouri Route 25 and U.S. Route 62. The population was 3,706 at the 2020 census. Malden is within Missouri's 8th congressional district.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 7.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 292 ft
- ZIP code
- 63863
- Area code
- 573
Malden’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Malden.
Cotton Hill TownshipMalden
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MO rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malden | #239 | D | A− | — | D | D− |
| Cotton Hill Township | #232 | D | A | — | D | D− |
Malden and Cotton Hill Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Malden with a neighbor →
Questions about Malden
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Malden, MO a good place to live?
Malden grades D overall, better than 5% of U.S. towns and #239 of 247 in Missouri. It grades D− for health and D for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D−.
What is Malden, MO known for?
4 notable people were born here, including Chuck Locke and Hub Pruett.