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Living in
Fulton.
About
Life in Fulton
Fulton is a community of 12,611 people in Missouri. The median household income is $51,429, median rent runs about $831 per month, and median home values are around $155,900. Unemployment is low at 3.3%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Fulton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
13.9%
Foreign-Born
1.6%
Broadband Internet
88.2%
of households
Population Growth
+2.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.6% foreign-born, most often from Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire)
Who lives in Fulton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Fulton, the largest foreign-born group is from Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire) (25.5%), and 1.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.2%
of residents
65 and Older
15.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
40.9%
of households
Married Couples
34.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.30
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 19% below MO average
Rent, home values, and income in Fulton
In Fulton, rent runs 19% below the MO average, and home values are 32% below the MO average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
42.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
24.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
88.0
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,416
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
48.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1969
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $249,581 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below MO average
Unemployment in Fulton
Unemployment in Callaway County, which includes Fulton, is 0.6 percentage points lower than the MO average.
Unemployment rate
Fulton: Callaway County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Callaway County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Fulton Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute18.4 min avg
How Fulton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Fulton, most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 75% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 15 mi
Columbia Regional Airport (COU)
Regional airport · few flights122k passengers boarded in 2025
- 85 mi
St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
Medium hub7.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 47% below national average
Crime rates for 2024
Violent crime in Fulton runs 47% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
193.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (363 national, 2024)
Property Crime Rate
1,110.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,767 national, 2024)
Fulton Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 6 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
63.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Callaway County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Callaway County, which includes Fulton, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 6 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $125,000 |
| 2024 | 6 | Hail | $22,000 |
| 2023 | 11 | Hail | $5,000 |
| 2022 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1,000 |
| 2021 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $27,000 |
| 2020 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.0M |
| 2018 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Callaway County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Callaway County, which includes Fulton, is typically good.
Median AQI
41
Callaway County, county-wide
Climate84°F summers, 23°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Fulton has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and cold winters (avg low 23°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/43°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
66°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
40°/23°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
44.3"
Annual Snowfall
18.9"
Hot Days/Year
29
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
116
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
108
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°F | 20°F | 2.40" |
| Feb | 42°F | 24°F | 2.24" |
| Mar | 53°F | 33°F | 3.14" |
| Apr | 65°F | 43°F | 4.81" |
| May | 73°F | 53°F | 5.16" |
| Jun | 82°F | 62°F | 4.51" |
| Jul | 86°F | 66°F | 4.51" |
| Aug | 85°F | 64°F | 4.03" |
| Sep | 78°F | 56°F | 4.19" |
| Oct | 66°F | 44°F | 3.73" |
| Nov | 53°F | 33°F | 3.06" |
| Dec | 41°F | 24°F | 2.48" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Fulton
Fulton has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
12.1%
of residents
Center for Behavioral Medicine
Psychiatric
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education12.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Fulton
Fulton's student/teacher ratio is 12.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 21.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
13
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
21.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Fulton
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,300 students · in-state tuition $31,630 · 54% graduate · median earnings $48,405 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 638 students · in-state tuition $36,200 · 56% graduate · median earnings $57,881 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: New Philadelphia National Historic Site, 79 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Fulton
Fulton has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being New Philadelphia National Historic Site (79 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
New Philadelphia National Historic Site
National Historic Site
79 mi awayUlysses S Grant National Historic Site
National Historic Site
89 mi awayGateway Arch National Park
National Park
96 mi awayPublic Libraries in Fulton
Callaway County Public Library
710 Court Street, Fulton
Cities Near Fulton
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Fulton?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Fulton FAQ
Is Fulton, Missouri affordable?⌄
Fulton's median rent is $836/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $51,429/year. Median home value is $155,900.
Is Fulton, Missouri safe?⌄
Fulton's violent crime rate was 193 per 100,000 residents in 2024, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 363/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1110 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Fulton, Missouri?⌄
Callaway County, which includes Fulton, has an unemployment rate of 3.4%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Fulton, Missouri?⌄
The cost of living in Fulton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $836/month and median household income is $51,429/year. The median home value is $155,900. About 43% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Fulton, Missouri?⌄
The average commute in Fulton is 18 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from