The Town FilesFestus, Missouri
City in Jefferson County · population 12,706 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $223,600
- Household income
- $73,532
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 36.7
Festus is a city of 12,706 people in Jefferson County, Missouri. The median home is worth $223,600, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks more vibrant than 79% of Missouri towns, more walkable than 75% of Missouri towns, more of a college town than 74% of Missouri towns.
How Festus 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 Festus is worth $223,600, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $73,532, which is more affordable than 36% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $922 a month. 57.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Festus | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $223,600 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $922 | $855 |
| Median household income | $73,532 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 57.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Festus
| People | Festus | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.7 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.4% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.1% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 8.5% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.5% | 88.7% |
Weather in Festus
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 22.3°F. About 43.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.2 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 38 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 105 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Festus since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 11, 2006 about 8.2 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 1 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 112 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 12, 1981.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4867: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Wildfires |
| 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 |
| June 2, 2017 | Flood | DR-4317: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 49,458 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,615 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Festus itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Public schools in Festus
10 public schools with 4,551 students, about 16.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| FESTUS ELEM. | K-3 | 1,042 | 15.1 |
| FESTUS SR. HIGH | 9-12 | 1,023 | 18.3 |
| FESTUS INTERMEDIATE | 4-6 | 800 | 19.5 |
| FESTUS MIDDLE | 7-8 | 511 | 17.0 |
| JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 323 | 14.7 |
| DANBY-RUSH TOWER MIDDLE | 6-8 | 234 | 13.0 |
| TELEGRAPH INTERMEDIATE | 3-5 | 231 | 14.4 |
| PLATTIN PRIMARY | K-2 | 219 | 12.2 |
| Festus Early Childhood Center | PK-PK | 100 | 16.7 |
| JEFFERSON R-VII PRESCHOOL | PK-PK | 68 | 22.7 |
Towns near Festus
- Crystal City, MO1.6 mi · 4,740 people · home $185,800
- Herculaneum, MO2.8 mi · 4,672 people · home $234,300
- Pevely, MO4.8 mi · 6,026 people · home $219,600
- Barnhart, MO8.1 mi · 5,832 people · home $229,200
- Hillsboro, MO8.6 mi · 3,473 people · home $221,200
- Imperial, MO9.3 mi · 4,407 people · home $228,700
- De Soto, MO9.9 mi · 6,449 people · home $160,700
- Arnold, MO14.4 mi · 20,858 people · home $220,000
Festus questions
Is Festus, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Festus scores better for retirees than 45% of Missouri towns and quieter than 18%. 15.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.7).
How much does a house cost in Festus?
The median owner-occupied home in Festus is valued at $223,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,532, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $922 a month.
What is the weather like in Festus?
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 22.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.6 inches of precipitation a year and 9.2 inches of snow.
Does Festus get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Festus since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 11, 2006. 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)