Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 2,782, settled in 1853. 2.8 times the library visits per person than the typical Missouri town.
Montgomery City gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $242K for a typical one, or 3.7 years of the county’s $66K median household income. It grades C+ overall, ranked 141st of 247 in Missouri. The low prices come with trade-offs. The median household income is $58K, and 18% of residents live below the poverty line, and CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 78% of the country. Montgomery City's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 96% of U.S. towns. 24% of working residents work locally in Montgomery City, where Missouri’s towns sit at 13% and U.S. towns at 8%.
Where Montgomery City beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Missouri), ordered by how far Montgomery City is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,165 in 1880, 2,811 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2026 and 2 maps from 1940 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Montgomery City, 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.
Ordered by what stands out in Montgomery City.
Montgomery City trades lower home prices for longer drives to work, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and trades workers with Columbia and other neighbors.
Against the 8,174 U.S. towns with household incomes like Montgomery City’s, it is less healthy than 63%, so its C− isn’t only a matter of income.
32% of Montgomery City adults get no exercise outside work. Montgomery City beats the Missouri average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 19% of Montgomery City adults smoke cigarettes.
| Montgomery City | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 30% | 25% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 22% | 19% |
| What stands out | Montgomery City | MO |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 9.7% | 8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by Montgomery Co. R-II. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery City Elem.Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 326 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MO on state tests and graduation
Montgomery City has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 88° and January nights drop to 20°.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 66% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Montgomery City has about as many jobs (1,144) as working residents, but only 292 people both live and work here.
About one in 4 of Montgomery City’s working residents works in town. The average trip to work in Montgomery City is 26 minutes. Since 2013, Montgomery City has added 59 jobs, to 1,144 in 2023.
| Montgomery City | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $58,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Montgomery City's reported crime rate is well below Missouri's. Montgomery City’s property crime rate is 6.1 per 1,000 residents. 8 violent crimes were reported in 2025.
| Montgomery City | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 6.1 per 1,000 residents | 12.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.9 per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Homes are within reach (about $242K for the typical one, A− for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 29 miles.
Typical home values rose 11% in the year to September 2026.
| Montgomery City | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $767 a month | $972 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 66% | 64% | 73% |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Just 7 of its 2,193 acres are conserved, so there is little public open land in Montgomery City itself; its outdoors grade is C−.
0.1 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Colbert Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Montgomery City; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Montgomery City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
City in Missouri, U.S.
Montgomery City is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,811 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Montgomery City grades C+ overall, better than 36% of U.S. towns and #141 of 247 in Missouri. It grades C− for health and C+ for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a C−.
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−.