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Living in
Marshall.
About
Life in Marshall
If you're considering Marshall as your next home, here's what day-to-day life actually looks like: you're moving to a county seat of about 13,700 people where the cost of living is genuinely affordable—median home values hover around $147,900 and rent averages $761 a month, which means your paycheck stretches further than it would in most places. The job market is stable with a 3.6% unemployment rate, and Missouri Valley College anchors the local economy and community culture, bringing a steady stream of students and creating a college-town vibe without overwhelming the place. Summers here are hot and humid (it's a hot-summer humid continental climate), so if you're sensitive to heat and sticky weather, that's a real trade-off to consider, though winters are milder than northern Missouri.
Marshall at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
30.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.1%
Foreign-Born
9.0%
Broadband Internet
86.2%
of households
Population Growth
-0.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics9.0% foreign-born, most often from El Salvador
Who lives in Marshall: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Marshall, the largest foreign-born group is from El Salvador (52.1%), and 11.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.7%
of residents
65 and Older
14.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.7%
of households
Married Couples
40.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.77
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 26% below MO average
Rent, home values, and income in Marshall
In Marshall, rent runs 26% below the MO average, and home values are 36% below the MO average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
19.1%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,236
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
65.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1971
median year built
Vacant Homes
14.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $198,908 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below MO average
Unemployment in Marshall
Unemployment in Saline County, which includes Marshall, is 0.4 percentage points lower than the MO average.
Unemployment rate
Marshall: Saline County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Saline County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Marshall Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute14.5 min avg
How Marshall residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Marshall, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 83% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 56 mi
Columbia Regional Airport (COU)
Regional airport · few flights122k passengers boarded in 2025
- 82 mi
Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
Medium hub5.6M 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 69% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Marshall runs 69% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
101.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
594.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Marshall Police Department
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 4 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
51.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Saline County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Saline County, which includes Marshall, the most common type is drought, with 4 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | Not estimated |
| 2024 | 2 | Hail | Not estimated |
| 2023 | 13 | Drought | None reported |
| 2022 | 11 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 3 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2020 | 1 | Tornado | None reported |
| 2019 | 8 | Flood | None reported |
| 2018 | 8 | Drought | $50,000 |
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
Saline County, county-wide
Air Quality37 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Boone County, MO (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 49 miles from Marshall) is typically good — 231 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
37
Good Days
231
per year
Moderate Days
17
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Boone County, MO (49 mi away)
Climate86°F summers, 22°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Marshall has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 22°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/43°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
40°/22°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
39.7"
Annual Snowfall
8.1"
Hot Days/Year
34
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
115
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
104
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°F | 19°F | 1.46" |
| Feb | 42°F | 23°F | 1.90" |
| Mar | 54°F | 32°F | 3.00" |
| Apr | 65°F | 43°F | 4.39" |
| May | 75°F | 54°F | 5.47" |
| Jun | 84°F | 64°F | 5.10" |
| Jul | 88°F | 67°F | 4.63" |
| Aug | 86°F | 65°F | 3.88" |
| Sep | 79°F | 56°F | 4.04" |
| Oct | 67°F | 45°F | 3.20" |
| Nov | 53°F | 33°F | 2.64" |
| Dec | 41°F | 24°F | 2.06" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Marshall
Marshall has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
7.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Fitzgibbon Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
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.
Education13.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Marshall
Marshall's student/teacher ratio is 13.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 25.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
25.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Marshall
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,443 students · in-state tuition $24,200 · 32% graduate · median earnings $50,364 (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: Harry S Truman National Historic Site, 72 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Marshall
Marshall has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Harry S Truman National Historic Site (72 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Harry S Truman National Historic Site
National Historic Site
72 mi awayPublic Libraries in Marshall
Marshall Public Library
214 N Lafayette Ave, Marshall
Cities Near Marshall
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Marshall?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Marshall FAQ
Is Marshall, Missouri affordable?⌄
Marshall's median rent is $761/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $54,437/year. Median home value is $147,900.
Is Marshall, Missouri safe?⌄
Marshall's violent crime rate was 102 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 595 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Marshall, Missouri?⌄
Saline County, which includes Marshall, has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Marshall, Missouri?⌄
The cost of living in Marshall is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $761/month and median household income is $54,437/year. The median home value is $147,900. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Marshall, Missouri?⌄
The average commute in Marshall is 15 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