City profile · Missouri · Census ACS 2023

Sikeston, MO

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

16,231
Residents
$53,203
Median income
$158,100
Median home
$930
Median rent (state)

Sikeston - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Sikeston lands in the 25th percentile for household income and the 5th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

25th
percentile, household income
29th
percentile, home value
9th
percentile, median rent
5th
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: Sikeston, MO

16,231 people live in Sikeston, Missouri - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $53,203 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 12.3%. Typical homes in Sikeston are valued around $158,100, and the median resident age is 37.0 years. 24.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 56.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 15 residential building permits were authorized in Sikeston (Growing), up 7% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Sikeston's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 4655.0 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not 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. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $930 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $219 across Missouri, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 80.1 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

16,231 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Missouri

Median Household Income

$53,203 /yr

Poverty 12.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Missouri average

How does Sikeston compare to other US cities?

Here's how Sikeston 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 29% pricier than other cities
Median rent 9% pricier than other cities
Safety 5% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Missouri, Sikeston ranks #213 of 234 Missouri cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Sikeston against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Missouri only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Missouri-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Sikeston toward the top of Missouri's cities

Among the 875 Missouri cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Sikeston ranks #219 - the 75th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Sikeston only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#417 of 842
50th percentile in Missouri
Median Gross Rent
#448 of 875
47th percentile in Missouri
Median Home Value
#276 of 833
67th percentile in Missouri
Poverty Rate
#343 of 875
60th percentile in Missouri
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#219 of 875
75th percentile in Missouri

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Missouri only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

25thIncome percentile
5thSafety percentile

25th percentile nationally for median household income · 5th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Sikeston's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Sikeston'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 37 Avg. percentile National median
Sikeston'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 Sikeston's home value compares nationally

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

$158,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 71% 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%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Sikeston $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 - Sikeston, MO Sikeston, MO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sikeston, 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 Sikeston, MO median $53,203/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%
Sikeston, 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 Sikeston, MO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.5%

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

Population
16,231
Median Income
$53,203
Median Home Value
$158,100
Median Age
37.0
Poverty Rate
12.3%
Labor force participation
56.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4655.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1029.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3625.4
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 →
15,900 residents16,000 residents16,100 residents16,200 residents16,300 residents 202020212022202320242025 16,265 residents 15,983 residents ▼ -1.7%
Sikeston's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
15
housing units authorized
Single-Family
7
detached homes
Multifamily
8
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 14
2020 23
2021 18
2022 33
2023 22
2024 15

Permit volume increased 7% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
80.5%
Carpool
14.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.8%
Work from Home
3.1%
Other
1.1%

Based on 6,986 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 Sikeston sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$930/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
80.1 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Missouri

Poplar Bluff
16,243 people
Lemay
16,431 people
Grain Valley
15,967 people
Overland
15,762 people
Hannibal
16,825 people
Jackson
15,532 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sikeston's 16,231 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Welby, CO
16,232 people
Griffith, IN
16,228 people
Hewitt, TX
16,244 people
Dickson, TN
16,246 people
Kings Park, NY
16,249 people
Fairview Heights, IL
16,255 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sikeston's $53,203 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Thompson Falls, MT
$53,203 median income
New Straitsville, OH
$53,203 median income
Gans, OK
$53,203 median income
Elyria, OH
$53,204 median income
Providence, KY
$53,208 median income
North Alamo, TX
$53,195 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sikeston, 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 Sikeston, MO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 67.7% 24.9% 7.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.8% White 67.7% Black or African American 24.9% Asian 0.4% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 7.0% 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 Sikeston 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
Sikeston (this city) 16,231 $53,203
Poplar Bluff 16,243 $42,035
Lemay 16,431 $59,026
Grain Valley 15,967 $87,266
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MO FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sikeston, MO?

What is the population of Sikeston, MO? +

16,231 people live in Sikeston, MO according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Sikeston, the typical household earns $53,203 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sikeston? +

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

Sikeston has a total crime rate of 4655.0 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 Sikeston, MO? +

Sikeston's median home value sits at $158,100, 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

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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.