countyscore

Best Counties for Retirement in Missouri 2026

115 counties ranked by health care, safety, tax burden, and affordability.

Top 5 Retirement Counties in Missouri

1Osage County
67.2
2Reynolds County
66.2
3Cole County
54.8
4Ralls County
61.9
5St. Clair County
59.1

All 115 Retirement-Ranked Counties in Missouri

RankCountyPersona ScoreOverall Score
1Osage County, MO7067.2
2Reynolds County, MO6866.2
3Cole County, MO6654.8
4Ralls County, MO6461.9
5St. Clair County, MO6359.1
6Wright County, MO6364.2
7Putnam County, MO6262.9
8Scotland County, MO6260.6
9Mercer County, MO6162.8
10DeKalb County, MO6155.9
11Caldwell County, MO6164.7
12Greene County, MO6154.4
13Knox County, MO6166
14Lewis County, MO6062.1
15Maries County, MO6064
16Gentry County, MO6057.1
17Douglas County, MO6060.8
18Chariton County, MO6061.3
19Linn County, MO6061.9
20Moniteau County, MO5959.1
21Andrew County, MO5953.8
22Sullivan County, MO5962.4
23Iron County, MO5959.3
24Holt County, MO5957.5
25Hickory County, MO5957.8
26Carroll County, MO5958.1
27Gasconade County, MO5959.2
28Ozark County, MO5860.2
29Shelby County, MO5860.1
30Oregon County, MO5760
31Worth County, MO5759.2
32Scott County, MO5754
33Shannon County, MO5661.3
34Monroe County, MO5558.6
35Lafayette County, MO5556.2
36Ste. Genevieve County, MO5454
37Harrison County, MO5450.3
38Pulaski County, MO5449.8
39Pike County, MO5454.6
40Cooper County, MO5456.7
41Howard County, MO5352.4
42Dallas County, MO5359
43Perry County, MO5347.2
44Livingston County, MO5352.7
45Miller County, MO5354.3
46Macon County, MO5352.6
47Morgan County, MO5353.7
48Montgomery County, MO5253.4
49St. Charles County, MO5248.2
50Nodaway County, MO5250.3
51Atchison County, MO5258.3
52Carter County, MO5257.5
53Clark County, MO5155.1
54Stone County, MO5152.2
55Webster County, MO5150
56Clay County, MO5045.5
57Daviess County, MO5053.5
58Benton County, MO5050.4
59Platte County, MO4945.2
60Camden County, MO4948.6
61Ripley County, MO4949.8
62Audrain County, MO4951.2
63Lincoln County, MO4845
64Dent County, MO4855.5
65Clinton County, MO4847.7
66Texas County, MO4750.3
67Bollinger County, MO4754.3
68Madison County, MO4646
69Schuyler County, MO4655.5
70Lawrence County, MO4645.6
71Wayne County, MO4650
72Warren County, MO4543.2
73Grundy County, MO4551
74Washington County, MO4551.4
75Johnson County, MO4444.9
76Stoddard County, MO4447.1
77Randolph County, MO4449.9
78Franklin County, MO4442.5
79Newton County, MO4442.6
80Henry County, MO4344.5
81Cape Girardeau County, MO4342.6
82Polk County, MO4344.3
83Cedar County, MO4345.4
84Howell County, MO4349.1
85Barry County, MO4245.9
86Saline County, MO4242.8
87Jefferson County, MO4240.4
88Bates County, MO4245.2
89Boone County, MO4239.5
90Dade County, MO4044.1
91McDonald County, MO4044.7
92Ray County, MO3942.2
93Taney County, MO3942.2
94Laclede County, MO3843.7
95Phelps County, MO3843
96Pettis County, MO3841.1
97Adair County, MO3844.3
98Jackson County, MO3735.7
99Marion County, MO3742.3
100Barton County, MO3644.6
101Cass County, MO3633.2
102Vernon County, MO3642
103Dunklin County, MO3640.9
104Callaway County, MO3639.7
105Christian County, MO3538.5
106St. Francois County, MO3337.3
107St. Louis County, MO3336.6
108Butler County, MO3237.9
109New Madrid County, MO3138.1
110Crawford County, MO3140.7
111Buchanan County, MO3031.1
112Jasper County, MO3032
113Mississippi County, MO2835.4
114Pemiscot County, MO2534.6
115St. Louis city, MO2326.2

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best county for retirement in Missouri?

Based on our analysis of health care access, safety, property taxes, and cost of living, Osage County ranks as the top retirement county in Missouri with a retirement score of 70.

How many counties in Missouri are ranked for retirement?

We rank 115 counties in Missouri for retirement suitability, scoring each on health care access (35%), safety (30%), property tax (20%), and cost of living (15%).

Also Browse Missouri Counties For

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Retirement Rankings by State

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Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019-2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.