The Town FilesSullivan, Missouri
City in Franklin County · population 6,906 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $163,200
- Household income
- $63,370
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 8 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 39.4
Sullivan is a city of 6,906 people in Franklin County, Missouri. The median home is worth $163,200, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better transit than 76% of Missouri towns.
How Sullivan 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 Sullivan is worth $163,200, above the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $63,370, which is more affordable than 58% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $919 a month. 62.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sullivan | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $163,200 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $919 | $855 |
| Median household income | $63,370 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 62.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Sullivan
| People | Sullivan | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.4 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.9% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.4% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.1% | — |
| Work from home | 5.4% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 21.8 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.7% | 88.7% |
Weather in Sullivan
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 22.9°F. About 45.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.1 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 50 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 101 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sullivan since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on May 11, 2016 about 2.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 14, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 55 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 8, 2015.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| 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 |
| June 2, 2017 | Flood | DR-4317: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| January 21, 2016 | Flood | DR-4250: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Franklin County
Franklin County had 39,312 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,695 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Sullivan itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Public schools in Sullivan
6 public schools with 2,323 students, about 12.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SULLIVAN SR. HIGH | 9-12 | 708 | 15.4 |
| SULLIVAN PRIMARY | PK-2 | 491 | 10.9 |
| SULLIVAN MIDDLE | 6-8 | 423 | 12.8 |
| SULLIVAN ELEM. | 3-5 | 396 | 10.2 |
| SPRING BLUFF ELEM. | K-8 | 221 | 11.6 |
| STRAIN-JAPAN ELEM. | PK-8 | 84 | 12.0 |
Towns near Sullivan
- St. Clair, MO13.1 mi · 4,791 people · home $157,700
- Cuba, MO16.6 mi · 3,181 people · home $136,600
- Union, MO18.0 mi · 12,348 people · home $205,200
- Owensville, MO20.4 mi · 2,757 people · home $139,800
- Villa Ridge, MO23.2 mi · 2,601 people · home $166,600
- Washington, MO24.8 mi · 14,500 people · home $231,800
- Gray Summit, MO26.9 mi · 3,055 people · home $170,500
- St. James, MO28.4 mi · 3,935 people · home $142,000
Sullivan questions
Is Sullivan, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sullivan scores better for retirees than 42% of Missouri towns and quieter than 51%. 20.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.4).
How much does a house cost in Sullivan?
The median owner-occupied home in Sullivan is valued at $163,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,370, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $919 a month.
What is the weather like in Sullivan?
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 22.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.0 inches of precipitation a year and 8.1 inches of snow.
Does Sullivan get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sullivan since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on May 11, 2016. 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)