The Town FilesExcelsior Springs, Missouri
City in Clay County · population 10,553 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $186,800
- Household income
- $72,609
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 19 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 31
- Median age
- 35.9
Excelsior Springs is a city of 10,553 people in Clay County, Missouri. The median home is worth $186,800, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 93% of Missouri towns.
How Excelsior Springs 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 Excelsior Springs is worth $186,800, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $72,609, which is more affordable than 58% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $975 a month. 68.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Excelsior Springs | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $186,800 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $975 | $855 |
| Median household income | $72,609 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 68.2% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Excelsior Springs
| People | Excelsior Springs | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.9 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.7% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.6% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.2% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.4% | — |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.4% | 88.7% |
Weather in Excelsior Springs
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 17.2°F. About 41.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 19.4 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 37 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 128 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Excelsior Springs since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 13 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 4, 1977 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 18, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 114 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 31, 1987.
Severe weather in Clay County since 1996
Clay County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| June 30, 2011 | Flood | EM-3325: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Clay County
Clay County had 111,855 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,093 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Excelsior Springs itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Public schools in Excelsior Springs
8 public schools with 2,638 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXCELSIOR SPRINGS HIGH | 9-12 | 744 | 15.8 |
| EXCELSIOR SPRINGS MIDDLE | 6-8 | 596 | 14.2 |
| CORNERSTONE ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 459 | 13.9 |
| LEWIS ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 372 | 13.8 |
| ELKHORN ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 192 | 10.7 |
| EXCELSIOR SPRINGS EAR CHLD CTR | PK-PK | 171 | 19.0 |
| EXCELSIOR SPRINGS TECH. HIGH | 10-12 | 104 | 11.6 |
| EXCELSIOR SPRINGS CAREER CTR. | 11-12 | — | — |
Towns near Excelsior Springs
- Kearney, MO6.4 mi · 10,404 people · home $298,400
- Lawson, MO6.5 mi · 2,541 people · home $186,000
- Liberty, MO11.7 mi · 30,167 people · home $283,300
- Buckner, MO14.5 mi · 2,945 people · home $197,600
- Richmond, MO15.0 mi · 6,013 people · home $142,600
- Pleasant Valley, MO15.4 mi · 2,743 people · home $202,000
- Sugar Creek, MO16.5 mi · 3,271 people · home $136,600
- Smithville, MO18.1 mi · 10,406 people · home $290,600
Excelsior Springs questions
Is Excelsior Springs, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Excelsior Springs scores better for retirees than 32% of Missouri towns and quieter than 47%. 15.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.9).
How much does a house cost in Excelsior Springs?
The median owner-occupied home in Excelsior Springs is valued at $186,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,609, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $975 a month.
What is the weather like in Excelsior Springs?
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 17.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.2 inches of precipitation a year and 19.4 inches of snow.
Does Excelsior Springs get tornadoes?
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Excelsior Springs since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 4, 1977. 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)