Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Because it does well by almost any measure. Palmyra earns an A, ranked 10th of 247 in Missouri. A typical home costs about $247K, 3.9 years of the Hannibal area’s $64K median household income, and it is more walkable than 82% of U.S. towns. Its lowest mark, a B−, is in health. Only 38 of Missouri’s 419 towns score higher on hazard risk. Palmyra's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 96% of U.S. towns. Only 24 of Missouri’s 419 towns score higher on history.
Where Palmyra beats most towns.
Gardner House
Census counts: 1,265 in 1850, 3,613 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1860 and 3 maps from 1949 on.
7 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Missouri), ordered by how far Palmyra is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Palmyra, 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 Palmyra.
Palmyra pairs an A overall with homes cheaper than the Missouri norm and has commutes shorter than most of Missouri.
Its public schools are run by the Palmyra R-I school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Palmyra High, with 331 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmyra Elem.Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 452 | A− |
| Palmyra HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 331 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MO on state tests and graduation
In the comparison, Palmyra comes above the Missouri town median (2.1%) and near the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). 1.1 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Flower City Park, at 203 acres.
| Palmyra | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 6% | 2.1% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Flower City Park | 0.2 mi | 203 |
| 2. Hinds Park | — | 6 |
| 3. Public Square | 0.2 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Palmyra has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 19° and about 13 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 67% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Palmyra since 2013.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The average commute for its 1,668 working residents takes 17 minutes, against 23.5 across Missouri.
Most working residents leave Palmyra for work: only 19% work in town. Palmyra’s average trip to work is 17 minutes, against 22 minutes in Missouri’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. 5.4% of Palmyra residents live below the poverty line.
| Palmyra | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 5.4% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 19% | 13% | 8% |
| Median household income | $70,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The violent crime rate in Palmyra is 0 per 1,000 residents. Palmyra's reported crime rate is well below Missouri's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Palmyra | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.7 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 11.4 per 1,000 residents | 14 | 11.5 |
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Missouri average. 27% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across Missouri.
| Palmyra | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.8 years | 38.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 19% | 17% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 27% | 22% | 29% |
47% women, 53% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4 points. Across Missouri, 50.7% of residents are women.
| Palmyra | MO | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.7% | 11.9% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.2% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.3% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.2% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 16.1% | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.2% | 13% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.4% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.9% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.4% | 8.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 36.6% | 30.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 18.1% | 20.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.5% | 8.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16.7% | 19.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.7% | 12.6% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,600, single groups can be off by several points
Palmyra grades A overall with a typical home of about $247K, below the Missouri typical value; only 11 of the 55 Missouri towns graded A− or better can say that.
The typical Palmyra home is worth about $247,000, up 4.3% in a year, 7% below the Missouri typical home. Palmyra’s median rent is $843 a month.
| Palmyra | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $843 a month | $972 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 72% | 64% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Palmyra beats the Missouri average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 30% of adults feel lonely in Palmyra.
| Palmyra | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 19% | 17% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 15% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 38% | 36% |
| What stands out | Palmyra | MO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.1% | 13.7% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.7% | 9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.9% | 8.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Palmyra. Close and well known come first.
13 mi CaveMark Twain Cave
11 mi MuseumMark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum
31 mi National Historic SiteNew Philadelphia National Historic Site
11 mi MuseumJohn Wood MansionMark Twain Cave: Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2 · Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum: Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2 · New Philadelphia National Historic Site: Nyttend, Public domain · John Wood Mansion: Smallbones, Public domain
4 within 15 miles of the center of Palmyra
About 5 of every 100 Palmyra residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Missouri.
7 places in Palmyra on the National Register of Historic Places.
8 notable people were born in Palmyra.
City in Missouri, U.S.
Palmyra is a city in and the county seat of Marion County, Missouri, United States. The population was 3,613 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Hannibal Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Yes, by almost any measure. Palmyra grades A overall, better than 92% of U.S. towns and #10 of 247 in Missouri. It grades B− for health and B+ for schools.
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−.
8 notable people were born here, including Skylar Thompson and El Dorado Jones.
