Places › Missouri › Raytown

Living in Raytown, MO

Suburb in Missouri

Raytown is a suburb in Missouri, home to about 30,000 people, with 1.9 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly houses with yards.

Is Raytown a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 12 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $209k and rents for $1,770 a month
  • Dog-friendly: 10 dog parks within 9 mi
  • Low natural disaster risk: 7 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Weaker public schools: test results well below the US average
  • Fewer graduates: 23% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
  • Smaller job market: about 1.9 million people live within 31 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Raytown ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
30,000
1.9 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
42°F / 86°F
Average daily highs · 9″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$209k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,770/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
93
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,262
State income tax per resident · 1.31% property tax
Safety
1.8× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
7 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, tornadoes
Top-rated hospitals
12
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Poor
Tests well below US average · 15 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
23%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
MCI
25 mi away

Living in Raytown: common questions

What is the cost of living in Raytown?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $209k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,770 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 93, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Raytown?

Missouri collects about $1,262 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.31% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Raytown safe?

Violent crime is well above the national rate (1.8× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Raytown?

Public schools in Raytown test well below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 15 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Raytown?

Raytown has cold winters: winter days average around 42°F and summer days around 86°F, with roughly 9″ of snow a year.

Does Raytown get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, tornadoes and heat waves: 7 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.94 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Raytown?

The nearest major airport is MCI, about 25 mi away.

How Raytown scores

Each bar compares Raytown with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundMostly car Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureCulture & nightlife Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingVery affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceModerate pace Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityTight-knit community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingHouses with yards ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingExcellent
💸Low taxesGood
💼Job marketBelow average
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsPoor
🎓EducationBelow average
🧸Kids & familyAverage
🐕Dog-friendlyExcellent
⛰️OutdoorsBelow average
🎭CultureGood
👮SafetyHigher crime
🌪️Few natural disastersGood
☀️SunnyAverage
🌤️Mild summersGood
✈️AirportGood

Places like Raytown

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Lawrence, INSuburb62 $256k$1,910/moSafe Jeffersonville, INSuburb61 $249k$1,630/moSafe Gladstone, MOSuburb60 $257k$1,770/moSafe Huber Heights, OHSmall city60 $205k$1,650/moVery safe Sherwood, ARSuburb53 $220k$1,540/moModerate crime Independence, MOSuburb56 $219k$1,770/moModerate crime

Nearby

Lee's Summit, MOSuburb · 6 mi away64 $364k$1,770/moVery safe Independence, MOSuburb · 9 mi away56 $219k$1,770/moModerate crime Kansas City, MOBig city · 10 mi away57 $247k$1,770/moHigher crime Blue Springs, MOSuburb · 10 mi away60 $286k$1,770/moVery safe Leawood, KSSuburb · 11 mi away69 $645k$1,770/moVery safe Overland Park, KSSuburb · 14 mi away64 $360k$1,770/moNo crime data

See all the best places to live in Missouri.

Is Raytown right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.