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Cost of living, pay and housing

39.34° N · 94.16° W · GEOID 2980767

Wood Heights

Ray County, Missouri · part of the Kansas City, MO metro

Limited data population under 5,000

MissouriWood Heights, MOWood HeightsWood Heights

The short answer

Wood Heights is home to 784 people. Median household income is $89,688 a year and median rent is $1,446 a month, 19.3% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $212,800, about 2.4x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$1,446
6% above the median place
Median household income
$89,688
12% above the median place
Median home value
$212,800
33% below the median place
Unemployment
3.4%
30% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Wood Heights

  • 0% of residents were born outside the US, fewer than in 99% of the 1,842 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 94 Missouri places.
  • Owning with a mortgage costs about $107 a month less than the median rent, which is rarer than in 96% of places its size. It is the 3rd-lowest of 140 Missouri places.
  • 95% of homes are owner-occupied, more than in 96% of places its size. It is the 3rd-highest of 140 Missouri places.
  • Between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, rent rose 9.2% a year while household income rose 4.7%, so rent outran pay by more than in 86% of places its size.
  • The median home is worth 2.4 years of the median household's income, fewer than in 88% of places its size.
01

Moving to Wood Heights

Ray County gains about 3.5 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in1,281
Moved out1,214
Net+67

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Clinton County, MO3755−18
Carroll County, MO45

Within Missouri, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within MissouriOther states

Income per tax return

Arrivals$55K
Leavers$48K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Ray County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
5.7% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 0.4% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Ray County report $54,900 a year in income on average; those leaving, $47,700, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$57,800 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,446 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,339 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $212,800.
Getting to work
32 minutes each way on average; 10.6% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
McHenry, IL matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
0.4%
81% below the median place
Income of households moving out8
$47,693
32% below the median place
Income of households moving in8
$54,902
22% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureWood HeightsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure5.7%1% below
Moved from another state1County figure0.4%81% below
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure3.5above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$54,90222% below
Income of households moving out8County figure$47,69332% below
02

What it costs to live here

Homeownership is 94.5%, 42% above the median place.

Wood Heights19.3%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$57,840
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
19.3%
5% below the median place
Home price to income
2.4x
38% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
19%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$77,500
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Wood Heights, $1,446 a month, and local prices for everything else (93.7 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Wood Heights.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Wood Heights? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Homeownership1
94.5%
42% above the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$1,339
28% below the median place
Property tax paid (median)1
$1,828
44% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureWood HeightsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,4466% above
Rent to income119.3%5% below
Property tax rate10.9%5% below
Home price to income12.4x38% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure92.58% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,5464% below
HUD area median income4County figure$113,4006% above
Property tax paid (median)1$1,82844% below
Median home value1$212,80033% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure6.0%90% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure52.7%2% above
Homeownership194.5%42% above
Renters paying 30%+1County figure42.0%17% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,33928% below
Vacant homes1County figure8.2%16% above
Median year built119760% below
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Mean commute1
32 min
30% above the median place
Income per person1
$33,634
16% below the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureWood HeightsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$89,68812% above
Income per person1$33,63416% below
Unemployment1County figure3.4%30% below
Average annual pay6County figure$48,51126% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure2.4%35% below
Jobs6County figure4,03597% below
Poverty rate1County figure12.6%17% above
Mean commute132 min30% above
Works from home1County figure10.6%15% below
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Born abroad is 0.0%, below the median place (median 8.8%).

Born abroad1
0.0%
below the median place (median 8.8%)
Median age1
44.6
14% above the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
23.4%
27% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Homes with broadband89.8% −3%
Household size2.7 +7%
High school or higher93.7% +1%
No health insurance7.0% +9%
All 9 people measures
MeasureWood HeightsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population17846646th largest
Population change since 20207-0.3%below (median 1.1%)
Median age144.614% above
Bachelor's or higher123.4%27% below
High school or higher193.7%1% above
Household size12.77% above
Born abroad10.0%below (median 8.8%)
No health insurance17.0%9% above
Homes with broadband189.8%3% below
05

Life in Wood Heights

6 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars9.9 −52%
Shops19.9 −34%
Arts, recreation and fitness2.6 −37%
Doctors' offices and clinics9.5 −53%
Child care centers2.2 −4%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Restaurants and bars per 10k9
9.9
52% below the median place
Shops per 10k9
19.9
34% below the median place
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9
9.5
53% below the median place
All 9 schools and local life measures
MeasureWood HeightsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure1233% above
Public school students11County figure3,42330% below
Students per teacher11County figure12.817% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure9.952% below
Shops per 10k9County figure19.934% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure2.637% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure9.553% below
Child care centers per 10k9Metro figure2.24% below
National Register listings10County figure654% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Hurricane risk is 0.0, below the median place (median 70.7).

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Wood Heights. Larger places are fetched first.

Hurricane risk13
0.0
below the median place (median 70.7)
Natural hazard risk13
44.4
52% below the median place
Good air days14
49.3%
28% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureWood HeightsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure88°F1% above
January average low12County figure19°F23% below
Average temperature12County figure54°F2% below
Annual precipitation12County figure40.2 in8% below
Natural hazard risk13County figure44.452% below
Hurricane risk13County figure0.0below (median 70.7)
Tornado risk13County figure57.929% below
Wildfire risk13County figure55.010% below
Heat wave risk13County figure70.622% below
Median air quality index14Metro figure5119% above
Good air days14Metro figure49.3%28% below
08

Wood Heights in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 20% of the median income in 2030, up from 19% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,446/mo (2024)$1,890/mo$1,550 to $2,300/mo+4.5%
Median household income$89,688 (2024)$113,000$95,500 to $133,500+3.9%
Median home value$212,800 (2024)$314,000$228,000 to $433,000+6.7%
Population745 (2025)750720 to 780+0.1%

The median home would be worth 2.8 years of the median income in 2030, against 2.4 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Wood Heights

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
McHenry, IL$1,553$86,315Compare
East Haven, CT$1,528$94,628Compare
Moody, AL$1,553$86,627Compare
Moss Bluff, LA$1,324$92,036Compare
Moss Bluff, LAMoody, ALEast Haven, CTMcHenry, ILWood Heights, MOWood HeightsMcHenryEast HavenMoodyMoss BluffWood HeightsMcHenryEast HavenMoodyMoss Bluff

Common questions

Is Wood Heights a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. 0% of residents were born outside the US, fewer than in 99% of the 1,842 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 94 Missouri places. Owning with a mortgage costs about $107 a month less than the median rent, which is rarer than in 96% of places its size. It is the 3rd-lowest of 140 Missouri places. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Wood Heights expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 19.3% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $212,800.

What salary do you need to live in Wood Heights?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $57,840 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Wood Heights?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are McHenry, IL, East Haven, CT, Moody, AL and Moss Bluff, LA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  12. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  13. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  14. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Wood Heights with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Wood Heights itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/wood-heights-missouri

Citytistics. “Wood Heights, Missouri.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/wood-heights-missouri/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.