Parma Aerial, 2016
Parma’s story
126 years in pictures
Census counts: 905 in 1910, a peak of 1,241 in 1920, 555 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2016 and 3 maps from 1940 on.
- 1900Parma is settled
ParmaMO
A town of 506, settled in 1900.
Photo: Zachhedrick · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
506
2025 Census estimate · −9.2% since 2020
Typical home
$65K
+3.8% in a year
Household income
$64K
median
Median age
37.9
years
Jobs based here
37
A commuter town
Is Parma a good place to live?
28% of residents live below the poverty line in Parma, above both Missouri’s towns (14%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). No town among the 227 in Missouri we compare has a lower midpoint home value than Parma. Parma has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
506 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Parma: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Parma, and how to reach them.
PowerUnion Electric13.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterParma PWS2 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Parma’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 hereNew MadridNew Madrid County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2021
ZIP code6387063870 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 Parma.
Housing
Parma stands out in Missouri and nationally: the median rent there is lower
62% of households own their home in Parma. In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 3.8%. The typical home value locally is about $65,000, up 3.8% in a year, 75% below the Missouri typical home.
$65KZillow home value
| Parma | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $575 a month | $971 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 62% | 64% | 73% |
Typical home value
Parma$65K
Missouri$265K
+3.8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
The FEMA risk score in Parma is higher than in most of Missouri or the rest of the country
Federal disaster aid has reached households in Parma after 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2024. FEMA puts nearly two thirds of the town’s expected hazard losses down to earthquakes, and 8% to inland flooding. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 93% of U.S. communities.
93risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingHeat waves
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
With 0.2 jobs for every working resident, most of Parma’s workers commute out
The top destinations are Portageville (14%), New Madrid (7%) and Dexter (7%). Most people who work leave Parma to do it: just 2% work in town. Jobs based locally fell to 37 in 2023, 146 fewer than in 2013. For Parma, the average commute is 20 minutes.
2%work in town
| Parma | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.8% | 13% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $64,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Parma2%
Portageville14%
New Madrid7%
Dexter7%
Sikeston7%
20 mi
median commute distance
37
jobs based in Parma
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in Parma
Only 9 of the 248 Missouri towns we compare have a higher typical July afternoon high than Parma. July afternoons reach 90°, January nights drop to 28° and about 7 inches of snow falls in a winter.
7″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter30–47°
Spring49–70°
Summer69–89°
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
Health
How healthy Parma is
In Parma, 35% of adults feel lonely. Of 32 CDC measures, Parma beats the Missouri average on 2 and trails it on 22. Among adults locally, 24% smoke cigarettes and 21% have diabetes. Only 5 of the 248 Missouri towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Parma.
| Parma | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 22% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 17% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 12% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Missouri
2 better8 too close to call22 worse
| What stands out | Parma | MO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.3% | 16.3% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82% | 77.2% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 29.7% | 13.7% |
Mercy Hospital Stoddard
16 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 Parma
16pages on Parma
The big questions
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Parma; the nearest are
Three Rivers CollegeCommunity college · Public · Poplar Bluff35.8 mi$4,950 in-state tuitionSoutheast Missouri State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Cape Girardeau50.9 mi$9,903 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Parma residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Parma for work
Where Parma’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
37jobs based in Parma
2%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Parma
City in Missouri, United States
Parma is a city in New Madrid County, Missouri, United States. The population was 555 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1900
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 279 ft
- ZIP code
- 63870
- Area code
- 573
Questions about Parma
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Parma, MO a good place to live?
Parma has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.