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Living in
Sikeston.
About
Life in Sikeston
Living in Sikeston means embracing a small-town pace in a place where your money actually stretches—the cost of living is genuinely low, and a median home value around $169,000 with rent averaging $891 a month makes homeownership realistic for a lot of people. The job market centers around a few solid anchors: Unilever, Missouri Delta Medical Center, Walmart, and the school system provide steady employment, though this isn't a booming economy—unemployment is reasonable at 4.0%, but you're not going to find the career diversity of a larger city. What keeps people here is a real community feel; you've got 16 parks including a solid recreation complex with fishing, pickleball, and sports facilities, plus cultural offerings like the Sikeston Little Theater (the oldest performing arts group between St.
Sikeston at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.2%
Foreign-Born
1.3%
Broadband Internet
92.8%
of households
Population Growth
-1.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.3% foreign-born, most often from France
Who lives in Sikeston: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Sikeston, the largest foreign-born group is from France (29.1%), and 2.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.3%
of residents
65 and Older
21.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
37.1%
of households
Married Couples
39.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.33
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 14% below MO average
Rent, home values, and income in Sikeston
In Sikeston, rent runs 14% below the MO average, and home values are 27% below the MO average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
45.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.4%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,148
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
60.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1975
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $162,639 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for MO
Unemployment in Sikeston
Unemployment in Scott County, which includes Sikeston, is close to the MO average.
Unemployment rate
Sikeston: Scott County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Scott County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Sikeston Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute15.7 min avg
How Sikeston residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Sikeston, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 84% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 24 mi
Cape Girardeau Regional Airport (CGI)
Regional airport · few flights10k 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 217% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Sikeston runs 217% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
1,043
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,810.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Sikeston Police Department
Natural DisastersStrong Wind most common — 34 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
80.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Scott County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Scott County, which includes Sikeston, the most common type is strong wind, with 34 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34 | Dense Fog | $16.2M |
| 2024 | 43 | Dense Fog | $1.6M |
| 2023 | 31 | Strong Wind | $481,000 |
| 2022 | 40 | Dense Fog | $16,000 |
| 2021 | 26 | Strong Wind | $24,000 |
| 2020 | 23 | Strong Wind | $28,000 |
| 2019 | 37 | Thunderstorm Wind | $346,000 |
| 2018 | 39 | Strong Wind | $43,000 |
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.
11 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Scott County, county-wide
Air Quality21 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Stoddard County, MO (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 20 miles from Sikeston) is typically good — 12 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
21
Good Days
12
per year
Moderate Days
0
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Stoddard County, MO (20 mi away)
Climate90°F summers, 30°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Sikeston has hot summers (avg high 90°F) and cold winters (avg low 30°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
70°/49°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
90°/69°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
47°/30°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
49.6"
Annual Snowfall
3.1"
Hot Days/Year
56
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
74
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
97
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 28°F | 3.68" |
| Feb | 49°F | 31°F | 4.25" |
| Mar | 59°F | 39°F | 4.96" |
| Apr | 71°F | 49°F | 5.50" |
| May | 81°F | 59°F | 4.74" |
| Jun | 89°F | 68°F | 4.26" |
| Jul | 91°F | 71°F | 3.87" |
| Aug | 90°F | 68°F | 3.32" |
| Sep | 84°F | 60°F | 3.21" |
| Oct | 73°F | 49°F | 3.57" |
| Nov | 58°F | 39°F | 4.20" |
| Dec | 48°F | 32°F | 4.08" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Sikeston
Sikeston has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
12.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Missouri Delta Medical Center
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.
Education13.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Sikeston
Sikeston's student/teacher ratio is 13.2:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 27.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
27.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail, 58 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Sikeston
Sikeston has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail (58 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
58 mi awaySte. Geneviève National Historical Park
National Historical Park
80 mi awayOzark National Scenic Riverways
National Scenic Riverways
94 mi awayFort Donelson National Battlefield
National Battlefield
96 mi awayPublic Libraries in Sikeston
Sikeston Public Library
121 E North St, Sikeston
Cities Near Sikeston
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Sikeston?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Sikeston FAQ
Is Sikeston, Missouri affordable?⌄
Sikeston's median rent is $891/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $58,915/year. Median home value is $168,800.
Is Sikeston, Missouri safe?⌄
Sikeston's violent crime rate was 1043 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2811 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Sikeston, Missouri?⌄
Scott County, which includes Sikeston, has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Sikeston, Missouri?⌄
The cost of living in Sikeston is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $891/month and median household income is $58,915/year. The median home value is $168,800. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Sikeston, Missouri?⌄
The average commute in Sikeston is 16 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