What it's like to live in Sikeston
Sikeston is a small city in Missouri with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Sikeston deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, hot summers, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Hot summers
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Sikeston compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Sikeston
Based on Sikeston's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,782
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $35,640 a year
- 46% of Sikeston renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$33,760
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $16,880
- Homes cost 2.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 37% below US
$891/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $891 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $168,800. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $168,800 · 46% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.0% county unemployment
Unemployment in Scott County is 4.0%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Scott County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 217% above US
1043 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 2811/100k · Sikeston Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 40% below US
16 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 15.7 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 90°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 30°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 24% below US
28% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 28%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, 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 Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail (58 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Sikeston's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($891/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Sikeston
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