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Several local communities rank high in survey of family-friendly Missouri cities

Dwight Widaman

Missouri boasts a number of great places to raise a family, but its two largest cities are not among them. Kansas City ranked 71st in a recent WalletHub survey, while St. Louis brought up the rear.

The survey compared more than 80 of the state’s biggest cities across 21 key indicators of family-friendliness. The dataset ranges from housing affordability to quality of school system to unemployment rate. Although Kansas City scored high on options for family life and fun, the grades for other categories fared poorly.

Several suburbs, however, did much better:

While St. Louis hit the bottom of the list, many surrounding suburbs ranked at the top. Dardenne Prairie was first, followed by Eureka, Wentzville, Webster Groves and Wildwood rounding out the top five.

(See the full list of Missouri cities below)

Overall, WalletHub praised Missouri for its family friendliness:

“Combining Midwestern sensibility with Southern charm, Missouri balances urban and rural traits well with its richly diverse culture, economy and landscape. Two major U.S. cities, Kansas City and St. Louis, border the eastern and western sides of the state, while a popular tourist destination, the mountainous Ozark region, dominates its southern half. The plains to the north are perhaps what many outsiders imagine when Missouri comes to mind. But each of these areas serves an important role and contributes heavily to the state’s strong economy.

“Missouri boasts the 15th lowest unemployment in the United States, while personal-income growth remains healthy. And with the fourth-lowest cost of living in the United States, affordability in Missouri puts more money back in parents’ pockets — perhaps to save for a comfortable retirement in the state or invest in long-term educational goals for their children. Missouri is home to several of the best and cheapest colleges and universities in the Midwest.”

Here’s the complete Missouri Cities List

Overall Rank
(1 = Best)		 City Total Score ‘Family Life & Fun’ Rank ‘Education, Health & Safety’ Rank ‘Affordability’ Rank
1 Dardenne Prairie, MO 70.34 54 42 1
2 Eureka, MO 69.83 24 8 5
3 Wentzville, MO 68.21 22 13 14
4 Webster Groves, MO 67.66 27 7 8
5 Wildwood, MO 67.34 37 48 4
6 Fort Leonard Wood, MO 67.27 1 3 69
7 O’Fallon, MO 67.11 35 23 6
8 Chesterfield, MO 66.26 64 5 12
9 St. Peters, MO 65.78 67 30 3
10 Ballwin, MO 65.21 60 9 11
11 Creve Coeur, MO 65.13 57 24 2
12 Raymore, MO 64.18 45 16 20
13 Lee’s Summit, MO 63.96 40 26 27
14 Clayton, MO 63.53 36 11 18
15 Town and Country, MO 63.19 82 4 7
16 Kirkwood, MO 62.86 62 20 13
17 St. Charles, MO 62.56 31 29 21
18 Crestwood, MO 62.35 71 12 9
19 Grain Valley, MO 62.20 18 17 44
20 Liberty, MO 61.07 39 36 26
21 Lake St. Louis, MO 60.18 76 22 16
22 Nixa, MO 58.96 33 6 49
23 Warrensburg, MO 58.53 10 21 43
24 Republic, MO 58.44 21 14 53
25 Columbia, MO 58.34 14 35 39
26 Manchester, MO 58.16 66 33 25
27 Maryland Heights, MO 57.98 48 46 31
28 Jackson, MO 57.93 52 2 51
29 Ozark, MO 57.78 50 10 52
30 Blue Springs, MO 57.35 46 47 33
31 Webb City, MO 57.26 32 18 37
32 Jefferson City, MO 56.93 19 44 34
33 Kirksville, MO 56.87 26 19 23
34 Concord, MO 56.24 70 65 28
35 Farmington, MO 55.81 58 15 50
36 Marshall, MO 54.31 11 27 58
37 Maryville, MO 54.12 34 1 76
38 Troy, MO 53.25 51 28 64
39 Harrisonville, MO 53.10 17 43 66
40 Florissant, MO 52.55 59 53 22
41 St. Joseph, MO 52.23 8 61 47
42 Washington, MO 51.84 63 45 48
43 Excelsior Springs, MO 51.70 47 41 38
44 Oakville, MO 51.67 84 70 24
45 Rolla, MO 51.66 5 34 72
46 Belton, MO 51.62 42 62 35
47 Joplin, MO 51.51 6 69 68
48 Cape Girardeau, MO 50.88 43 38 57
49 St. Ann, MO 50.86 44 50 19
50 Affton, MO 50.78 80 76 17
51 Mexico, MO 50.31 55 25 40
52 Moberly, MO 50.27 41 51 29
53 Gladstone, MO 49.90 73 52 36
54 Hazelwood, MO 49.77 77 64 15
55 Neosho, MO 49.26 13 49 75
56 Lemay, MO 49.18 29 60 46
57 Old Jamestown, MO 49.08 85 80 10
58 Lebanon, MO 48.77 4 56 74
59 Carthage, MO 48.64 2 67 67
60 Fulton, MO 48.57 16 39 60
61 Bolivar, MO 48.55 49 31 79
62 Arnold, MO 48.33 74 37 54
63 Hannibal, MO 48.15 23 58 59
64 Festus, MO 47.93 79 32 65
65 Bridgeton, MO 46.61 68 71 32
66 Raytown, MO 46.27 56 78 41
67 Independence, MO 45.90 53 68 55
68 West Plains, MO 45.80 28 40 78
69 Grandview, MO 45.80 25 77 71
70 University City, MO 44.88 75 59 62
71 Kansas City, MO 44.48 9 79 61
72 Mehlville, MO 44.29 83 83 42
73 Poplar Bluff, MO 43.36 12 54 82
74 Sedalia, MO 43.14 20 72 73
75 Springfield, MO 43.04 7 82 81
76 Branson, MO 43.00 3 74 84
77 Overland, MO 42.69 72 63 45
78 Union, MO 42.45 61 55 77
79 Sikeston, MO 40.74 15 57 80
80 Spanish Lake, MO 39.46 30 73 63
81 Bellefontaine Neighbors, MO 36.33 81 81 30
82 Kennett, MO 35.15 69 66 83
83 Ferguson, MO 34.26 78 75 56
84 Jennings, MO 31.13 65 85 70
85 St. Louis, MO 28.25 38 84 85

With diverse landscapes and natural beauty, Missouri is home to many scenic communities that are a paradise for artists and photographers. Some of these, like Lee’s Summit, St. Louis, Columbia and Lake Ozark made the above list and stand out as popular destinations where artists can capture stunning shots in tranquil lake landscapes.

Longview Beach is one of the busiest in the Kansas City metro.

Lee’s Summit is located southeast of Kansas City and features several lakes that provide compelling backdrops for photography. The city is also popular with artists. With its extensive coastline and calm waters, Longview Lake offers spectacular sunrise and sunset photography. Scenic Powell Gardens, with its beautiful landscape and water features, is also a must-see for photographers. Lee’s Summit is also known for numerous area neighborhoods built around stunning lakes, including Raintree, Winnabego and Lakewood.

Known for the famous Gateway Arch, St. Louis has several beautiful lakes. The stunning waterways and lush forest parks are popular spots for nature photography. Surrounded by scenic parklands, Cleves Cour Lake is the perfect blend of natural beauty and recreational activities, making it the ideal place to capture the essence of St. Louis.

Lake Doniphan, Missouri. Submitted Photo.

Columbia, home to the University of Missouri, is blessed with beautiful lakes that attract artists. With its tranquil lake and surrounding green spaces, Stevens Lake Park offers plenty of beautiful photo opportunities. With its unique geological features and flowing creek, Rock Bridge Memorial State Park is also a popular spot for photographers looking to capture Missouri’s natural beauty.

Located in the heart of the Ozark Mountains, Lake of the Ozarks is a popular destination for both photography and nature lovers. Surrounded by rolling hills, rocky cliffs and lush forests, the vast Lake of the Ozarks offers breathtaking landscapes and breathtaking sunsets for an unforgettable photography experience.

While these communities are known for their quality of life, for many, it is the lake settings that set them apart. With tranquil sunsets, serene water reflections, and a harmonious blend of nature and city life, these destinations offer residents and others the freedom to unleash their creativity and capture unforgettable shots. provides a great canvas.

Cover Photo:  Bill Cobb, SkylineScenes

–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice

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