Census-designated place · Barry County, Missouri

Shell Knob, Missouri

Shell Knob is a census-designated place in Barry County, Missouri. It has 1,486 residents. Shell Knob, Missouri has a quality-of-life score of 19 out of 100 (very low), ranking #12,669 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Missouri it ranks #345 of 375 cities and towns. It ranks best on effective property tax rate (low), drinking water violations (low) and time spent in the emergency room (low). It ranks worst on distance to an Amtrak station (high), traffic deaths (high) and dental care shortage (high).

19Very low

Quality-of-life score: #12,669 of 15,651 cities and towns
Missouri: #345 of 375 in MO
Population: 1,486 (2020-2024)
Land area: 9 mi²
Density: 156.8 /mi²
FIPS code: 2967232

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 73 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety37#9,893/15,637
Economy17#12,912/15,631
Housing72#4,213/14,977
Health18#12,824/15,609
Healthcare15#13,358/15,650
Environment33#10,419/15,453
Education30#10,986/15,649
Infrastructure20#12,598/15,650
Community40#9,412/15,651
Leisure & amenities38#9,742/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Shell Knob, Missouri ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Barry County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Effective property tax rate · low0.49%
88/100Missouri 0.89%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Drinking water violations · low0
86/100Missouri 0United States 02024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteBarry County value
Time spent in the emergency room · low126 min
84/100Missouri 161 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesBarry County value
Social associations · high13.3 /10k
84/100Missouri 11.5 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteBarry County value
Grocery stores · high2.2 /10k
81/100Missouri 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsBarry County value
Rent-burdened households · low44.7%
79/100Missouri 45.6%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070

Weaknesses

Distance to an Amtrak station · high140 mi
5/100Missouri 33 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauBarry County value
Traffic deaths · high31.9 /100k
6/100Missouri 16.2 /100kUnited States 12.3 /100k2020-2024National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationProvisional dataBarry County value
Dental care shortage · high18.0
6/100Missouri 9.4United States 5.7Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationBarry County value
Reading scores · low2.67
8/100Missouri 2.98United States 3.052019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteBarry County value
Average weekly wage · low$930
9/100Missouri $1,278United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsBarry County value
Primary care shortage · high17.0
9/100Missouri 10.5United States 6.2Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationBarry County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
1,091 (2015-2019) → 1,486 (2020-2024)
+36%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Child poverty rateImproving
74.7% (2015-2019) → 22.2% (2020-2024)
−52 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Poverty rateImproving
29.7% (2015-2019) → 14.7% (2020-2024)
−15 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Rent as share of incomeWorsening
19.5% (2015-2019) → 28.9% (2020-2024)
+9.4 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Median household incomeImproving
$38,080 (2015-2019) → $54,925 (2020-2024)
+44%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Average commute timeImproving
34.3 min (2015-2019) → 20.9 min (2020-2024)
−39%5 yearsCensus table B08013US 26.9 min → 26.4 min

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Shell Knob, Missouri improved on 1 of 8 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 7 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved1

Household income+44%$38,080 → $54,925

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 8 measures

Change of every measure of Shell Knob, Missouri between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Bachelor's degree or higher	27.3%2015-2019	25.0%2020-2024	−2.3 points	Within the margin of error	15%
Broadband subscriptions	78.0%2015-2019	81.9%2020-2024	+3.9 points	Within the margin of error	25%
High school diploma or higher	96.8%2015-2019	89.9%2020-2024	−6.8 points	Within the margin of error	3%
Home price to income ratio	5.2×2015-2019	5.9×2020-2024	+0.7×	Within the margin of error	37%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4662015-2019	0.4012020-2024	−0.065	Within the margin of error	89%
Median household income	$38,0802015-2019	$54,9252020-2024	+44%	Improved	79%
Poverty rate	29.7%2015-2019	14.7%2020-2024	−15 points	Within the margin of error	97%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Shell Knob, Missouri five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Shell Knob, Missouri in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

No place that looked like Shell Knob, Missouri five years ago has more measures that improved than declined, with a higher standing among its peers today.

For comparison, Shell Knob, Missouri itself moved −6.2 points in standing on average over the same 6 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

1,486 residents (±398)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 10–19 men (+4.6 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

1,486 residents (±398)

Shell Knob, Missouri
Missouri share

White82%1,221
Black0.0%0
Hispanic or Latino8.6%†128

Education

1,270 residents (±299)

Shell Knob, Missouri
Missouri share

No high school diploma10%†128
High school or GED44%†555
Some college14%†

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

758 households (±168)

Shell Knob, Missouri
Missouri share

Under $25k21%†159
$25k–50k14%†107
$50k–75k26%†194
$75k–100k7.9%†60
$100k–150k26%†194
$150k–200k2.5%†19
$200k or more3.3%†25

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $25k–50k (−20.5 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

758 households (±168)

Shell Knob, Missouri
Missouri share

Own86%649
Rent14%†109

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

76 households (±56)

Shell Knob, Missouri
Missouri share

Under $7507.9%†6
$750–1,00025%†19
$1,000–1,50067%†51

Home values

649 homes (±154)

Shell Knob, Missouri
Missouri share

Under $150k11%†73
$150k–250k22%†144
$250k–400k42%†275

Age of homes

1,540 homes (±258)

Shell Knob, Missouri
Missouri share

2010 or later12%†190
2000–200927%†413
1980–199937%†569

Size of homes

1,540 homes (±258)

Shell Knob, Missouri
Missouri share

Studio1.1%†17
1 bedroom6.1%†94
2 bedrooms30%†455

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

536 workers (±216)

Shell Knob, Missouri
Missouri share

Drive alone59%†314
Carpool14%†76
Public transit0.0%0
Walk0.0%0
Bike0.0%0
Work from home26%†142
Other0.7%†4

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

394 workers (±201)

Shell Knob, Missouri
Missouri share

Under 15 min40%†158
15–29 min33%†130
30–44 min9.6%†38

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Barry County, the county holding most of Shell Knob's residents.

Barry County has 775 employer establishments, 219 for every 10,000 residents (0.88× the US rate of 248; 0.90× Missouri's), with 11,838 paid employees at an average annual pay of $45,740. The Census Bureau also counts 2,897 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 775; 2,897 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 219; US 248 · Missouri 244
Paid employees: 11,838
Average annual pay: $45,740; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Barry County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	56	15.8	1.02×About typical	184	$34,701	401
Restaurants and other eating places	54	15.3	0.83×About typical	774	$17,434	19
Ambulatory health care services	38	10.7	0.52×Fewer than typical	282	$57,007	73
Religious organizations	38	10.7	1.94×More than typical	242	$22,496	—
Truck transportation	37	10.5	2.07×More than typical	231	$56,576	91
Full-service restaurants	28	7.9	1.03×About typical	276	$19,797	8
Automotive repair and maintenance	26	7.4	1.46×More than typical	102	$36,745	73
Gasoline stations	24	6.8	2.09×More than typical	186	$26,978	—
Lessors of real estate	23	6.5	0.53×Fewer than typical	50	$27,480	234
Building equipment contractors	21	5.9	0.99×About typical	54	$34,352	61
Limited-service restaurants	21	5.9	0.74×Fewer than typical	468	$16,197	8
Banks and credit unions	20	5.7	1.75×More than typical	186	$51,812	—

Rank places for an industry Open Barry County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 35,373 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $3,012 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Shell Knob, Missouri: $2.03 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $3,012; +8.1% vs FY2025
Per resident: $2.03; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of the Army$3,012100%

Top recipients

JEFFERSON SHANE PAUL$3,012100%

Spending by fiscal year

0FY2019
5.3KFY2022
2.8KFY2025
3KFY2026

What was bought

Facilities & utilities$3,012100%

Top industries (NAICS)

RV parks and recreational camps · 7212$3,012100%

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Shell Knob, Missouri, so they do not add up across cities.

Shell Knob, Missouri's figures are part of those of Barry County, MO and Stone County, MO ($1.3M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.2% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Shell Knob is mostly in Barry County.

See federal money in Barry County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Shell Knob, Missouri is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Eric BurlisonR-MO-7 · 100% of residentsWith party 97%Missed 4.6%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Other cities and towns in Barry County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/2967232