The Town FilesLawson, Missouri
City in Ray County · population 2,541 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $186,000
- Household income
- $65,941
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 19 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 32.8
Lawson is a city of 2,541 people in Ray County, Missouri. The median home is worth $186,000, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks easier by car than 90% of Missouri towns, better for families than 84% of Missouri towns, quieter than 73% of Missouri towns.
How Lawson 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 Lawson is worth $186,000, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $65,941, which is more affordable than 47% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $1,005 a month. 72.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lawson | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $186,000 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $1,005 | $855 |
| Median household income | $65,941 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 72.3% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in Lawson
| People | Lawson | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.8 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.1% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 32.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.4% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.7% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 9.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 14.9% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.8% | 88.7% |
Weather in Lawson
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
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lawson since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 4, 1977 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 28, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 97 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 31, 1987.
Severe weather in Ray County since 1996
Ray County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4612: 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 |
| May 20, 2019 | Flood | DR-4435: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Ray County
Ray County had 4,007 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,361 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Lawson itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Lawson
4 public schools with 1,153 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOUTHWEST ELEM. | PK-4 | 393 | 13.1 |
| LAWSON HIGH | 9-12 | 369 | 15.4 |
| LAWSON MIDDLE | 5-8 | 352 | 14.7 |
| WATKINS MILL PARK CAMP | 6-12 | 39 | 4.9 |
Towns near Lawson
- Excelsior Springs, MO6.5 mi · 10,553 people · home $186,800
- Kearney, MO9.1 mi · 10,404 people · home $298,400
- Liberty, MO17.0 mi · 30,167 people · home $283,300
- Richmond, MO17.1 mi · 6,013 people · home $142,600
- Smithville, MO18.9 mi · 10,406 people · home $290,600
- Pleasant Valley, MO20.4 mi · 2,743 people · home $202,000
- Buckner, MO20.8 mi · 2,945 people · home $197,600
- Cameron, MO21.5 mi · 8,513 people · home $193,500
Lawson questions
Is Lawson, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lawson scores better for retirees than 33% of Missouri towns and quieter than 73%. 15.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.8).
How much does a house cost in Lawson?
The median owner-occupied home in Lawson is valued at $186,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,941, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,005 a month.
What is the weather like in Lawson?
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 Lawson get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lawson 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)