City profile · Missouri · Census ACS 2023

Ferguson, MO

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Ferguson - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

18,350
Residents
$46,106
Median income
$99,300
Median home
$1,218
Median rent (state)

Ferguson - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Ferguson lands in the 14th percentile for household income and the 6th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

14th
percentile, household income
9th
percentile, home value
38th
percentile, median rent
6th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Ferguson, MO

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 18,350 residents in Ferguson, a small town within Missouri. The typical household in Ferguson brings in $46,106 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 21.1%. Ferguson's housing stock carries a median value of $99,300, and the median resident age is 36.0 years. About 21.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 58.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits). Ferguson's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 4210.8 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Missouri run below the national norm: the state registers 90.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,218 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Missouri run around $219, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 98.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

18,350 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Missouri

Median Household Income

$46,106 /yr

Poverty 21.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Missouri average

How does Ferguson compare to other US cities?

Where Ferguson sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 14% higher than other cities
Home value 9% pricier than other cities
Median rent 38% pricier than other cities
Safety 6% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Missouri alone, Ferguson ranks #202 of 234 Missouri cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Ferguson's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Missouri, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

14thIncome percentile
6thSafety percentile

14th percentile nationally for median household income · 6th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Ferguson's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Ferguson's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 32 Avg. percentile National median
Ferguson's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Ferguson's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$99,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 91% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Ferguson $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Ferguson, MO Ferguson, MO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Ferguson, MO-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Ferguson, MO median $46,106/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Ferguson, MO's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Ferguson, MO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 21.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
18,350
Median Income
$46,106
Median Home Value
$99,300
Median Age
36.0
Poverty Rate
21.1%
Labor force participation
58.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4210.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
712.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3498.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
17,800 residents18,000 residents18,200 residents18,400 residents18,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 18,480 residents 17,953 residents ▼ -2.9%
Ferguson's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
71.0%
Carpool
4.1%
Public Transit
6.0%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
14.5%
Other
3.3%

Based on 8,175 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Missouri - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$72
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$219
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Missouri state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Missouri state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Ferguson sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,218/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
98.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Missouri

Manchester
18,189 people
Spanish Lake
18,183 people
Creve Coeur
18,643 people
Concord
18,028 people
Farmington
17,999 people
Lake St. Louis
17,538 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Ferguson's 18,350 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Brook Park, OH
18,359 people
New River, AZ
18,365 people
Ronkonkoma, NY
18,368 people
Berea, OH
18,330 people
Bellwood, IL
18,373 people
North Aurora, IL
18,375 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Ferguson's $46,106 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Fountain City, IN
$46,106 median income
Chaparral, NM
$46,102 median income
Forest, OH
$46,111 median income
Hilda, SC
$46,111 median income
Browerville, MN
$46,100 median income
Fruitland, NC
$46,113 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Ferguson, MO Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Ferguson, MO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 25.7% 69.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.5% White 25.7% Black or African American 69.9% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.9% Two or more races 2.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Ferguson compares to nearby Missouri cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Ferguson (this city) 18,350 $46,106
Manchester 18,189 $92,839
Spanish Lake 18,183 $51,125
Creve Coeur 18,643 $119,454
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MO FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Ferguson, MO?

What is the population of Ferguson, MO? +

Ferguson, MO has a population of 18,350 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Ferguson, MO? +

Median annual household income in Ferguson runs $46,106, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Ferguson? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Ferguson; the closest available measure is the Missouri state average, a cost of living index of 90.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Missouri vary by metro area.

Is Ferguson, MO safe? +

Ferguson has a total crime rate of 4210.8 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Ferguson, MO? +

The median home value in Ferguson is $99,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.