City profile · Missouri · Census ACS 2023

Liberal, MO

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

776
Residents
$53,333
Median income
$76,700
Median home
$888
Median rent (state)

Liberal - the verdict

Nationally, Liberal sits in the 25th percentile for household income and the 54th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

25th
percentile, household income
3rd
percentile, home value
4th
percentile, median rent
54th
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: Liberal, MO

Liberal is a small town in Missouri, home to 776 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $53,333 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.1%. Home values in Liberal run a median of $76,700, and the median resident age is 40.9 years. 19.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 51.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Liberal reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1252.0 crimes per 100,000 residents, below 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: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Missouri at 90.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $888 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Missouri run around $219, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 43.6 out of 100 (Low).

Population

776 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Missouri

Median Household Income

$53,333 /yr

Poverty 5.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Missouri average

How does Liberal compare to other US cities?

Here's how Liberal stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 25% higher than other cities
Home value 3% pricier than other cities
Median rent 4% pricier than other cities
Safety 54% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Missouri and the picture shifts: Liberal ranks #104 of 234 Missouri cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

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 Liberal'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.

25thIncome percentile
54thSafety percentile

25th percentile nationally for median household income · 54th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Liberal's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Liberal'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 59 Avg. percentile National median
Liberal'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 Liberal's home value compares nationally

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

$76,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 97% 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. Liberal $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 - Liberal, MO Liberal, MO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Liberal, 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 Liberal, MO median $53,333/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%
Liberal, 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 Liberal, MO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 19.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 51.8%

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

Population
776
Median Income
$53,333
Median Home Value
$76,700
Median Age
40.9
Poverty Rate
5.1%
Labor force participation
51.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
19.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1252.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
469.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
782.5
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
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
630 residents635 residents640 residents 202020212022202320242025 631 residents 638 residents ▲ +1.1%
Liberal's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
82.8%
Carpool
11.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.1%
Work from Home
3.7%

Based on 326 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 Liberal sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$888/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
43.6 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Missouri

La Belle
777 people
Lake Timberline
773 people
Stewartsville
781 people
Velda Village Hills
771 people
Wood Heights
783 people
New Florence
784 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Liberal's 776 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Pickensville, AL
776 people
Rockford, AL
776 people
Freelandville, IN
776 people
Farmersville, PA
776 people
Riceville, TN
776 people
Beckville, TX
776 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Liberal's $53,333 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Hoopa, CA
$53,333 median income
Junction City, IL
$53,333 median income
Norwich, KS
$53,333 median income
Kincheloe, MI
$53,333 median income
Maybee, MI
$53,333 median income
Randall, MN
$53,333 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Liberal, 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 Liberal, MO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 88.8% 8.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.2% White 88.8% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 2.7% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 8.3% 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 Liberal 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
Liberal (this city) 776 $53,333
La Belle 777 $35,074
Lake Timberline 773 $26,838
Stewartsville 781 $73,906
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MO FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Liberal, MO?

What is the population of Liberal, MO? +

776 people live in Liberal, MO according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Liberal households earn a median of $53,333 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Liberal? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Liberal; 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 Liberal, MO safe? +

Liberal has a total crime rate of 1252.0 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Liberal, MO? +

Homes in Liberal carry a median value of $76,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, 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.