Scores by category

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

Safety53#7,402/15,637
Economy16#13,136/15,631
Housing48#7,852/14,977
Health17#12,920/15,609
Healthcare22#12,210/15,650
Environment70#4,683/15,453
Education32#10,616/15,649
Infrastructure7#14,504/15,650
Community37#9,834/15,651
Leisure & amenities37#9,828/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Slater, Missouri ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Saline 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

Time spent in the emergency room · low84 min
99/100Missouri 161 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesSaline County value
Pharmacies · high3.0 /10k
96/100Missouri 2.1 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsSaline County value
Homicide rate · low0.0 /100k
94/100Missouri 7.7 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataSaline County value
Students per teacher · low11.5×
90/100Missouri 12.7×United States 15.2×2024National Center for Education StatisticsSaline County value
Drought exposure · low5%
86/100Missouri 33%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAASaline County value
Drug overdose deaths · low8.8 /100k
86/100Missouri 18.0 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimateProvisional dataSaline County value

Weaknesses

Broadband subscriptions · low77.6%
2/100Missouri 89.3%United States 91.0%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B28002
Poverty rate · high34.0%
6/100Missouri 12.2%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Adult smoking · high21.9%
7/100Missouri 19.5%United States 16.1%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Average weekly wage · low$916
7/100Missouri $1,278United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsSaline County value
Median household income · low$39,479
7/100Missouri $71,583United States $81,6042020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19013
Arts, entertainment and recreation · low1.7 /10k
8/100Missouri 4.6 /10kUnited States 5.5 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsSaline County value

Trends

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

Child poverty rateWorsening
22.4% (2015-2019) → 55.4% (2020-2024)
+33 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Poverty rateWorsening
17.5% (2015-2019) → 34.0% (2020-2024)
+16 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
59.8% (2015-2019) → 71.8% (2020-2024)
+12 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Uninsured residents (under 65)Worsening
9.8% (2015-2019) → 16.9% (2020-2024)
+7 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%
Median household incomeImproving
$32,115 (2015-2019) → $39,479 (2020-2024)
+23%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Unemployment rateImproving
6.0% (2015-2019) → 1.9% (2020-2024)
−4.1 pts5 yearsCensus table B23025US 3.7% → 4.0%

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, Slater, Missouri improved on 0 of 14 measures with a comparison and declined on 2. 12 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.

Improved0

No measure improved by more than its margin of error.

Declined2

Child poverty+33 points22.4% → 55.4%
Poverty+16 points17.5% → 34.0%

All 14 measures

Change of every measure of Slater, Missouri between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	17.4 min2015-2019	20.4 min2020-2024	+3.0 min	Within the margin of error	20%
Bachelor's degree or higher	13.5%2015-2019	13.7%2020-2024	+0.2 points	Within the margin of error	28%
Broadband subscriptions	77.5%2015-2019	77.6%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Within the margin of error	9%
Child poverty rate	22.4%2015-2019	55.4%2020-2024	+33 points	Declined	1%
Effective property tax rate	1.03%2015-2019	0.92%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	38%
High school diploma or higher	81.6%2015-2019	79.8%2020-2024	−1.9 points	Within the margin of error	16%
Home price to income ratio	2.0×2015-2019	2.2×2020-2024	+0.2×	Within the margin of error	71%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4322015-2019	0.4682020-2024	+0.036	Within the margin of error	23%
Median household income	$32,1152015-2019	$39,4792020-2024	+23%	Within the margin of error	39%
Poverty rate	17.5%2015-2019	34.0%2020-2024	+16 points	Declined	1%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	32.9%2015-2019	33.0%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Within the margin of error	54%
Rent-burdened households	59.8%2015-2019	71.8%2020-2024	+12 points	Within the margin of error	19%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	9.8%2015-2019	16.9%2020-2024	+7 points	Within the margin of error	6%

“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 Slater, Missouri five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Slater, 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.

For comparison, Slater, Missouri itself moved −8 points in standing on average over the same 10 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

2,066 residents (±299)

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: 50–59 men (−4.1 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

2,066 residents (±299)

Slater, Missouri
Missouri share

White72%1,497
Black14%†291
Hispanic or Latino9.0%†186
Asian2.6%†53
American Indian and Alaska Native0.0%0
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races1.9%†39

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Other or two or more races (−7.4 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 B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

1,433 residents (±213)

Slater, Missouri
Missouri share

No high school diploma20%†290
High school or GED45%650
Some college14%†200
Associate degree6.8%†97
Bachelor's degree7.8%†112
Graduate degree5.9%†84

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Some college (−9.3 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 B15003View 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.

Income

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

Household income

759 households (±145)

Slater, Missouri
Missouri share

Under $25k42%†319
$25k–50k18%†133
$50k–75k8.7%†66
$75k–100k11%†86
$100k–150k14%†110
$150k–200k5.9%†45
$200k or more0.0%0

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $25k–50k (−16.3 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

759 households (±145)

Slater, Missouri
Missouri share

Own53%405
Rent47%†354

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

337 households (±132)

Slater, Missouri
Missouri share

Under $75070%†236
$750–1,00020%†66
$1,000–1,5005.6%†19

Home values

405 homes (±101)

Slater, Missouri
Missouri share

Under $150k67%272
$150k–250k20%†79
$250k–400k8.6%†35

Age of homes

1,012 homes (±129)

Slater, Missouri
Missouri share

2010 or later5.7%†58
2000–20091.7%†17
1980–199916%†164

Size of homes

1,012 homes (±129)

Slater, Missouri
Missouri share

Studio2.5%†25
1 bedroom13%†132
2 bedrooms36%368

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

730 workers (±165)

Slater, Missouri
Missouri share

Drive alone85%620
Carpool3.6%†26
Public transit0.0%0
Walk7.7%†56
Bike0.0%0
Work from home2.3%†17
Other1.5%†11

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Drive alone (+25.4 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 B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

713 workers (±166)

Slater, Missouri
Missouri share

Under 15 min53%†381
15–29 min30%†213
30–44 min7.3%†52

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

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Marshall, MO

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 Saline County, the county holding most of Slater's residents.

Saline County has 451 employer establishments, 195 for every 10,000 residents (0.78× the US rate of 248; 0.80× Missouri's), with 6,906 paid employees at an average annual pay of $43,432. The Census Bureau also counts 1,362 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 451; 1,362 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 195; US 248 · Missouri 244
Paid employees: 6,906
Average annual pay: $43,432; US $68,342

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

Restaurants and other eating places	34	14.7	0.80×Fewer than typical	434	$17,454	15
Ambulatory health care services	28	12.1	0.58×Fewer than typical	235	$54,617	34
Religious organizations	22	9.5	1.71×More than typical	80	$24,225	—
Automotive repair and maintenance	18	7.8	1.54×More than typical	68	$40,162	37
Specialty trade contractors	18	7.8	0.50×Fewer than typical	78	$50,731	144
Gasoline stations	16	6.9	2.13×More than typical	148	$25,162	—
Limited-service restaurants	16	6.9	0.86×About typical	309	$16,887	4
Banks and credit unions	15	6.5	2.01×More than typical	186	$54,543	—
Services to buildings and dwellings	14	6	0.90×About typical	46	$48,935	121
Full-service restaurants	13	5.6	0.73×Fewer than typical	109	$19,578	7
Truck transportation	13	5.6	1.11×About typical	66	$59,470	51
Landscaping services	12	5.2	1.48×More than typical	30	$42,100	49

Rank places for an industry Open Saline County

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 23,156 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 $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Slater, Missouri: $0 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $0
Per resident: $0; US $1,994
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; 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

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

14.8FY2023

What was bought

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 Slater, Missouri, so they do not add up across cities.

Slater, Missouri's figures are part of those of Saline County, MO ($38.3K in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

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

See federal money in Saline 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.

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

House

Mark AlfordR-MO-4 · 100% of residentsWith party 97%Missed 1.6%

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.

Saline County46100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Marshall, MO42

Other cities and towns in Saline 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
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
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/2968204