2026 · Buckner City Hall · Wikimedia Commons
Buckner’s story
151 years in pictures
2 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
- 1875Buckner is settled
- 2004MOMap-doton-Buckner
- 2026Buckner City Hall
BucknerMO
A town of 2,914, settled in 1875. Public schools that outperform most of Missouri.
Photo: Rowen Hansen · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
2,914
−4.3% since 2010
Typical home
$208K
+1.1% in a year
Household income
$87K
median
Median age
32.5
years
Jobs based here
427
A commuter town
What makes Buckner stand out
The 3 things Buckner does most differently from other towns.
B−School Grade
Schools
#101 for schools in MO
of 226 towns
School Grade B−.
1 miof trails
Outdoors
#98 most conserved land in MO
0.5 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves
2.5% of the town is conserved land.
100 U.S. towns● Buckner
Health
59% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than MO on 4 measures, worse on 5.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Buckner for work
Where Buckner’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
427jobs based in Buckner
4%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Buckner’s report card
SchoolsB−Beats 49% of MO districtsOutdoors1 miof trails · 2.5% conservedHealthC+Healthier than 41% of U.S. townsCommute17 miHalf of commuters travel lessHazards27/100Low risk of storm & flood damageHousing$208K22% below the MO typical homeClimate88°/20°Summer high · winter low · 13″ snowSafetyC+Less crime than 39% of U.S. towns
Now in Buckner
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Buckner is #250 of 256 in MO for “Lowest depression”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Buckner’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →70°
Clear
H 69° · L 46°
Local news
All →- Inside the quiet KC nature sanctuary that transformed into Rob Riggle’s latest thrillerKCTV · Sep 22
- Buckner police searching for three suspects after multiple vehicles stolenFOX4KC.com · Aug 9
- Buckner man charged after child tests positive for fentanylKCTV · Jul 16
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Buckner. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Buckner’s public schools outperform 49% of Missouri districts
The public schools Buckner’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 51% of Missouri’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buckner Elem. | K–4 | 327 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MO on state tests and graduationAll 1 schools →
Outdoors
2.5% of Buckner is conserved land
0.5 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves.
2.5%conserved
2.5%
conserved · 29 of 1,139 acres
0.5 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
#98
most conserved land in MO
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Heisler Park | 0.5 mi | 24 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Health
Healthier than 41% of U.S. towns
Buckner beats the Missouri average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5.
C+Health Grade
32 measures vs. Missouri
4 better23 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Buckner | MO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 12.7% | 15.8% |
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 10.1% | 12.1% |
| More binge drinkers | 19.5% | 16.3% |
St. Mary's Medical Center
8.3 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
70th
percentile among MO towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Buckner
Most working residents leave Buckner for work: only 4% work in town. The top destinations are Kansas City (22%), Independence (12%) and Blue Springs (8%). Half commute less than 17 miles.
4%work in town
Where working residents work
In Buckner4%
Kansas City22%
Independence12%
Blue Springs8%
Lee's Summit6%
17 mi
median commute distance
427
jobs based in Buckner
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 27% of U.S. communities.
27risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHeat waves
14
paid flood claims since 1979
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Housing
A typical Buckner home is worth about $208K
The typical Buckner home is worth about $208,000, up 1.1% in a year, 22% below the Missouri typical home.
$208KZillow home value
Typical home value
Buckner$208K
Missouri$268K
+1.1%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Climate
Four seasons, hot summers
Buckner has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 13 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
13″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter23–42°
Spring44–65°
Summer66–86°
Fall45–67°
Oct 27
typical first frost
Apr 10
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 39% of U.S. towns
Buckner reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 61% report less.
C+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Buckner2.8
Missouri4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Buckner10.1
Missouri16.9
U.S.15.5
39th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
46th
percentile among MO towns
8
violent crimes reported in 2025
29
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
About Buckner
City in Missouri, United States
Buckner is a city in Jackson County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,945 at the 2020 census. For decades it was best known for TV and radio commercials promoting local automobile dealership Lasater Ford, run by the Lasater brothers, Wilson and Milton and later Halverson Ford. It is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1875
- Population
- 2,945
- Area
- 1.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 751 ft
- ZIP code
- 64016
- Area code
- 816
More about Buckner
Still missing for Buckner:upcoming events