The Town FilesBethany, Missouri
City in Harrison County · population 2,915 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $121,700
- Household income
- $48,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 43.8
Bethany is a city of 2,915 people in Harrison County, Missouri. The median home is worth $121,700, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 97% of Missouri towns, better for retirees than 78% of Missouri towns, more walkable than 71% of Missouri towns.
How Bethany ranks
Percentile among Missouri towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Missouri towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bethany is worth $121,700, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $48,375, which is more affordable than 63% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $700 a month. 56.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bethany | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $121,700 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $700 | $855 |
| Median household income | $48,375 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 56.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bethany
| People | Bethany | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.1% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.5% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.1% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 15.3% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 17.7 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.2% | 88.7% |
Weather in Bethany
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 15.6°F. About 39.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.2 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 132 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bethany since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 29, 2004 about 3.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 28, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 77 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 15, 2026.
Severe weather in Harrison County since 1996
Harrison County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4929: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4490: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3482: Covid-19 |
| July 9, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4451: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 7, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4238: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Harrison County
Harrison County had 2,475 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,474 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Bethany itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Public schools in Bethany
5 public schools with 790 students, about 10.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOUTH HARRISON ELEM. | K-4 | 279 | 9.3 |
| SOUTH HARRISON HIGH | 9-12 | 266 | 14.8 |
| SOUTH HARRISON MIDDLE | 5-8 | 245 | 13.6 |
| SOUTH HARRISON EARLY CHILD CTR | PK-PK | — | — |
| NORTH CENTRAL CAREER CTR. | 7-12 | — | — |
Towns near Bethany
- Trenton, MO26.0 mi · 5,609 people · home $99,500
Bethany questions
Is Bethany, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bethany scores better for retirees than 78% of Missouri towns and quieter than 27%. 26.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.8).
How much does a house cost in Bethany?
The median owner-occupied home in Bethany is valued at $121,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,375, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $700 a month.
What is the weather like in Bethany?
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 15.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.1 inches of precipitation a year and 21.2 inches of snow.
Does Bethany get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bethany since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 29, 2004. The typical Missouri town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)