City profile · Missouri · Census ACS 2023

West Alton, MO

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

511
Residents
$128,438
Median income
$156,300
Median home
$1,218
Median rent (state)

West Alton - the verdict

Nationally, West Alton sits in the 90th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

90th
percentile, household income
29th
percentile, home value
38th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: West Alton, MO

West Alton is a small town in Missouri, home to 511 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in West Alton brings in $128,438 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.8%. West Alton's housing stock carries a median value of $156,300, and the median resident age is 36.7 years. 21.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 71.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

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 $1,218 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 98.7 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

511 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Missouri

Median Household Income

$128,438 /yr

Poverty 0.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Missouri average

How does West Alton compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 90% higher than other cities
Home value 29% pricier than other cities
Median rent 38% pricier than other cities

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

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 West Alton'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.

90thIncome percentile

90th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How West Alton's home value compares nationally

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

$156,300 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. West Alton $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 - West Alton, MO West Alton, MO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not West Alton, 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 West Alton, MO median $128,438/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%
West Alton, 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 West Alton, MO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 71.2%

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

Population
511
Median Income
$128,438
Median Home Value
$156,300
Median Age
36.7
Poverty Rate
0.8%
Labor force participation
71.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.9%

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
350 residents352 residents354 residents356 residents358 residents 202020212022202320242025 357 residents 354 residents ▼ -0.8%
West Alton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
89.4%
Carpool
0.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
10.3%

Based on 263 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 West Alton 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

New Melle
510 people
Union Star
510 people
Smithton
509 people
Matthews
506 people
Ridgeway
525 people
Beverly Hills
495 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to West Alton's 511 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Dobbins, CA
511 people
Fall River Mills, CA
511 people
Pumpkin Center, CA
511 people
Groton Long Point, CT
511 people
Toomsboro, GA
511 people
Basalt, ID
511 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to West Alton's $128,438 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Union Beach, NJ
$128,400 median income
Panther Valley, NJ
$128,484 median income
Auburn Lake Trails, CA
$128,500 median income
Manhattan, IL
$128,375 median income
Disputanta, VA
$128,517 median income
Stanford, IN
$128,356 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - West Alton, 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 West Alton, MO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 98.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.0% White 98.0% Black or African American 1.6% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 0.4% 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 West Alton 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
West Alton (this city) 511 $128,438
New Melle 510 $103,750
Union Star 510 $57,907
Smithton 509 $51,875
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MO OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about West Alton, MO?

What is the population of West Alton, MO? +

The population of West Alton, MO stands at 511 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in West Alton, MO? +

West Alton households earn a median of $128,438 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in West Alton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for West Alton; 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.

What is the median home value in West Alton, MO? +

Homes in West Alton carry a median value of $156,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.