West PlainsMO
A town of 12,441, settled in 1832. Public schools that outperform most of Missouri.
Population
12,441
+1.7% since 2010
Typical home
$228K
+6.5% in a year
Household income
$44K
median
Jobs based here
9,011
A job hub
What makes West Plains stand out The 3 things West Plains does most differently from other towns.
2014 · West Plains Washington Avenue · Wikimedia Commons
West Plains’s story
194 years in pictures
6 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 7 places on the National Register.
Explore the history →
College town
Missouri State University-West Plains calls West Plains home
Residents weigh in
West Plains is #254 of 256 in MO for “Closest to a top hospital”. Fair?
Agree Disagree
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In the news: West Plains Downtown Stroll Precedes Dolly & Porter Days → What do families love about West Plains’s schools? → What’s your favorite trail or park in West Plains? → How do you get to work from West Plains? →
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar. Add an event
The data Ordered by what stands out in West Plains. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
West Plains’s public schools outperform 69% of Missouri districts The public schools West Plains’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 69% of Missouri’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
B+ School Grade
Outdoors
1.7% of West Plains is conserved land 13 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves.
#25 for trails in MO
Green: conserved land · dashed: trails · numbers: the places below 1.7%
conserved · 148 of 8,484 acres
13 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
Biggest places to walk Trails Acres 1. James Monroe Memorial Park 2.4 mi 72 2. Heart of the Ozarks Fairgrounds 1.4 mi 27 3. People's Park 0.4 mi 9
Work & commute
About half of working residents work right in West Plains 53% of West Plains’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Springfield (6%), Willow Springs (2%) and Jefferson City (1%). Half commute less than 3 miles.
53% work in town
Where working residents work In West Plains 53%
Springfield 6%
Willow Springs 2%
Jefferson City 1%
Rolla 1%
3 mi
median commute distance
9,011
jobs based in West Plains
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Health
Healthier than 8% of U.S. towns West Plains beats the Missouri average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 19.
D Health Grade
32 measures vs. Missouri
What stands out West Plains MO More older adults who have lost all their teeth 25.7% 15.8% More adults with COPD 12.9% 8% More adults facing food insecurity 21.1% 13.7%
Ozarks Healthcare
0.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
21st
percentile among MO towns
Housing
A typical West Plains home is worth about $228K The typical West Plains home is worth about $228,000, up 6.5% in a year, 15% below the Missouri typical home.
$228K Zillow home value
Typical home value West Plains $228K
Missouri $268K
Market temperature
Balanced A seller's market Buyer’s Seller’s +6.5%
value change, 1 year
Safety
Less crime per resident than 22% of U.S. towns West Plains reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 78% report less.
C− Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents West Plains 2.7
Missouri 4.3
U.S. 3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents West Plains 14.6
Missouri 16.9
U.S. 15.5
22nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
29th
percentile among MO towns
35
violent crimes reported in 2025
188
property crimes reported in 2025
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 73% of U.S. communities.
73 risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
73 High risk Lower Higher Inland flooding Earthquakes Tornadoes
54
paid flood claims since 1979
11
federal disasters paid out here
Climate
Four seasons, hot summers West Plains has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 9 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
9″ snow a winter
Typical low → high °F Winter 26–47°
Spring 44–68°
Summer 64–87°
Fall 45–70°
Oct 21
typical first frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
A job hub Every workday, about 6,504 people come to West Plains for work Where West Plains’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
6% → Springfield Springfield 6%
2% → Willow Springs Willow Springs 2%
1% → Jefferson City Jefferson City 1%
1% → Rolla Rolla 1%
1% → Mountain Grove Mountain Grove 1%
1% → Thayer Thayer 1%
West Plains · 53% stay
9,011 jobs based in West Plains
53% of working residents work in town
3 mi median commute distance
How do you get to work from West Plains?
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from West Plains 12 notable people were born in West Plains.
See all 12 →
West Plains is a city in and the county seat of Howell County, Missouri, United States. The population was 12,184 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia , licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Established 1832
Population 12,184
Area 13 sq mi
Elevation 1,004 ft
ZIP code 65775
Area code 417 Copyright © 2026 TownTapestry · Stitching communities together · In loving memory of John Cullinane whose interest in maps and discovering new places was contagious. Share TownTapestry to support usBrowse by state · Privacy · Terms 
