City profile · Missouri · Census ACS 2023

Sedalia, MO

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

21,869
Residents
$50,668
Median income
$136,500
Median home
$978
Median rent (state)

Sedalia - the verdict

Nationally, Sedalia sits in the 20th percentile for household income and the 14th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

20th
percentile, household income
23rd
percentile, home value
18th
percentile, median rent
14th
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: Sedalia, MO

Sedalia is a small city in Missouri, home to 21,869 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $50,668 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 12.0%. Typical homes in Sedalia are valued around $136,500, and the median resident age is 36.2 years. 17.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 60.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 99 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 421% from five years earlier. Sedalia's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 3180.0 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: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Missouri scores 90.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $978 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Missouri's average monthly utility costs around $219 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 62.0 out of 100 (Moderate).

Population

21,869 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Missouri

Median Household Income

$50,668 /yr

Poverty 12.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Missouri average

How does Sedalia compare to other US cities?

Sedalia measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 20% higher than other cities
Home value 23% pricier than other cities
Median rent 18% pricier than other cities
Safety 14% 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: Sedalia ranks #191 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 Sedalia'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.

20thIncome percentile
14thSafety percentile

20th percentile nationally for median household income · 14th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Sedalia's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Sedalia'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 38 Avg. percentile National median
Sedalia'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 Sedalia's home value compares nationally

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

$136,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 77% 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%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Sedalia $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 - Sedalia, MO Sedalia, MO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sedalia, 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 Sedalia, MO median $50,668/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%
Sedalia, 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 Sedalia, MO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 17.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.1%

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

Population
21,869
Median Income
$50,668
Median Home Value
$136,500
Median Age
36.2
Poverty Rate
12.0%
Labor force participation
60.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
17.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3180.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
545.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2635.0
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
11
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
21,500 residents22,000 residents22,500 residents23,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 21,741 residents 22,621 residents ▲ +4.0%
Sedalia's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
99
housing units authorized
Single-Family
24
detached homes
Multifamily
75
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 19
2020 10
2021 95
2022 82
2023 112
2024 99

Permit volume increased 421% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
77.8%
Carpool
13.0%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
4.5%
Other
3.1%

Based on 10,177 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 Sedalia sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$978/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
62.0 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Missouri

Ozark
21,953 people
Old Jamestown
21,121 people
Arnold
20,884 people
Rolla
20,144 people
Affton
20,035 people
Webster Groves
23,771 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sedalia's 21,869 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Parsippany, NJ
21,869 people
Shelby, NC
21,868 people
Klamath Falls, OR
21,879 people
Darien, IL
21,855 people
Kailua CDP (Hawaii County), HI
21,851 people
Lino Lakes, MN
21,847 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sedalia's $50,668 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Tippecanoe, IN
$50,667 median income
Houston, MN
$50,667 median income
Blawnox, PA
$50,667 median income
Clearwater, SC
$50,669 median income
Hollygrove, WV
$50,667 median income
Cascade, ID
$50,671 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sedalia, 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 Sedalia, MO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 79.7% 9.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 15.3% White 79.7% Black or African American 3.6% Asian 1.0% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 4.9% Two or more races 9.9% 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 Sedalia 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
Sedalia (this city) 21,869 $50,668
Ozark 21,953 $69,372
Old Jamestown 21,121 $107,250
Arnold 20,884 $75,194
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MO FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sedalia, MO?

What is the population of Sedalia, MO? +

The population of Sedalia, MO stands at 21,869 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Sedalia runs $50,668, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sedalia? +

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

Sedalia has a total crime rate of 3180.0 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 Sedalia, MO? +

The median home value in Sedalia is $136,500, 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.