What it's like to live in Raymore
Raymore is a small city in Missouri with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Raymore deals with a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, cold winters, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Fast-growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Raymore compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Raymore
Based on Raymore's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,606
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $52,120 a year
- 53% of Raymore renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$67,820
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $33,910
- Homes cost 3.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,303/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,303 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $339,100. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $339,100 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 16% below US
3.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 78% below US
71 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 979/100k · Raymore Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.7 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 15% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 24°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
36% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 36% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Harry S Truman National Historic Site (9 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Raymore's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,303/mo) equals 15% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and remote workers (15% of workers here already work from home).
Other places near Raymore
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