MetaMO
A town of 182, settled in 1903.
Is Meta a good place to live?
Meta has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Meta stand out
Where Meta beats most towns.
182 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Meta: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Meta, 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 Meta.
A job hub: Meta has 3.6 jobs for every working resident and draws in 314 commuters
Half of commuters travel less than 18 miles. Jobs in Meta grew by 260 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 314. The town’s typical household income is $43,000, against $62,000 in Missouri’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns. The top destinations are Jefferson City (41%), Westphalia (6%) and Linn (6%).
| Meta | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $43,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 14% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
High risk in Meta, with inland flooding at the top
Meta’s natural-hazard score from FEMA is 79 of 100. Nearly three fifths of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by heat waves at 14%. One claim on flood insurance has been paid out locally since 2015.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Expect four seasons and hot summers in Meta
A winter brings about 9 inches of snow, with January nights at 23° and July afternoons at 89°.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Meta is
Among adults in Meta, 23% have been diagnosed with depression. Against the Missouri average, Meta comes out ahead on 4 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 1. The share of adults in Meta who feel lonely is 29%, below both the Missouri town median (32%) and the median of U.S. towns (33%). Two figures for adults in the town: 16% report frequent mental distress, 9.1% worry about having enough food.
| Meta | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 19% | 17% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 9.1% | 15% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 22% | 19% |
| What stands out | Meta | MO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.1% | 13.7% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.1% | 9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.5% | 8.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Meta stands out in Missouri and nationally: the median rent there is lower
A typical home in Meta is worth about $262,000, up 10% in a year, close to the Missouri typical home. Nearly three quarters of Meta households own their home.
| Meta | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $544 a month | $971 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 74% | 64% | 73% |
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Meta City Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Everything we know about Meta
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Meta; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Meta residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
Every workday, about 314 people come to Meta for work
Where Meta’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Meta
City in Missouri, United States
Meta ( MEE-tə) is a city in Osage County, Missouri, United States. The population was 180 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Jefferson City, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area and is also the world headquarters of Diamond Pet Foods.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 646 ft
- ZIP code
- 65058
- Area code
- 573
Questions about Meta
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Meta, MO a good place to live?
Meta has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.