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These Are The 10 Smartest Cities In Missouri

By John McLean
Feb. 2, 2016
Last Modified and Fact Checked on: Feb. 11, 2026

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Discover the 10 Most Intelligent Cities in Missouri for 2026

When choosing a location to live or work, the intellect of the surrounding community is an important consideration for many individuals. This factor significantly influences the overall experience within a workplace, impacting both personal and professional growth.

Identifying cities with a highly educated population is beneficial for both employers and employees. To assist you in this endeavor, Zippia has analyzed the latest data to highlight the cities in Missouri that stand out for their intelligence.

Curious about how we assess a city’s intellectual capacity? We relied on demographic data from the Census Bureau to pinpoint key indicators of intelligence.

We focused on two primary criteria: the percentage of adults (age 25 and older) who possess at least a high school diploma and the percentage of teenagers (ages 16-20) who are high school dropouts. By analyzing these factors across the 128 largest cities in Missouri, we derived a list of the brightest cities in the Show-Me State:

  1. Glendale
  2. Des Peres
  3. Dardenne Prairie
  4. Lake St. Louis
  5. Chesterfield
  6. Town and Country
  7. Sunset Hills
  8. Webster Groves
  9. Brentwood
  10. Wildwood

Continue reading to explore why these cities excel academically, or scroll to the end for a comprehensive chart detailing all the cities included in our analysis.

For additional insights about Missouri, check out:

How We Identified Missouri’s Smartest Cities

Before diving into the analysis, we established that we would focus on cities with populations exceeding 5,000 and sufficient data for all criteria.

This approach gave us a pool of 128 cities in Missouri.

We evaluated the following criteria to identify the top contenders in terms of intelligence:

Our data is sourced from the most recent American Community Survey conducted by the Census Bureau.

We believe these criteria effectively reflect the current educational landscape and highlight the potential for improving educational outcomes in the next generation. Importantly, a significant majority of students—approximately 80%—graduate from high school today.

To rank the cities, we assigned scores from 1 to 128 for each criterion, with 1 being the “smartest” in any given category.

We calculated the average rank across all criteria, with the city achieving the highest overall score being crowned the “Smartest City in Missouri.”

If your city didn’t make the top 10, scroll down to view the complete chart. Otherwise, read on to discover how these top cities have achieved their status.

1. Glendale

Population: 5,926
Adults Without High School Diploma: 0.0%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Glendale has graduated at the top of the class, earning the title of the smartest city in Missouri with virtually no high school dropouts and a completely educated adult population.

2. Des Peres

Population: 8,443
Adults Without High School Diploma: 1.5%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

With a population of around 8,443 and an impressively low dropout rate, Des Peres secures the #2 position, reflecting its success in educational attainment.

3. Dardenne Prairie

Population: 12,116
Adults Without High School Diploma: 1.8%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Dardenne Prairie takes the bronze with a population exceeding 12,000 and a commendably low dropout rate, highlighting its commitment to education.

4. Lake St. Louis

Population: 14,759
Adults Without High School Diploma: 1.8%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Ranked #4, Lake St. Louis boasts excellent educational statistics, with a minimal dropout rate and just over 1.8% of adults lacking a high school diploma.

5. Chesterfield

Population: 47,651
Adults Without High School Diploma: 2.3%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

The largest city on our list, Chesterfield defies the stereotype that larger cities struggle with education, demonstrating a low dropout rate and a 2.3% rate of adults without a high school diploma.

6. Town and Country

Population: 10,890
Adults Without High School Diploma: 2.3%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Town and Country ranks #6 with no high school dropouts and just over 2% of adults lacking a high school diploma, showcasing its educational strengths.

7. Sunset Hills

Population: 8,523
Adults Without High School Diploma: 2.4%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

The residents of Sunset Hills, numbering around 8,523, claim the #7 spot, with only 2.4% of the population missing a high school diploma.

8. Webster Groves

Population: 23,084
Adults Without High School Diploma: 2.5%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Webster Groves ranks #8, with an impressive educational profile that includes a very low dropout rate and only 2.5% of adults lacking a high school diploma.

9. Brentwood

Population: 8,048
Adults Without High School Diploma: 2.5%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Brentwood takes the #9 spot, dispelling the notion that smaller towns lack educational achievement, with almost no high school dropouts to report.

10. Wildwood

Population: 35,701
Adults Without High School Diploma: 2.0%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 1.4%

Wildwood rounds out the top 10 with only 1.4% of its teenage population not graduating high school and 2% of adults without a high school diploma.

And That’s How You Graduate in Style

These are the ten smartest cities in Missouri, backed by impressive educational statistics. Consider visiting these locations to experience their collective intelligence. For more information on various cities and states across the U.S., be sure to visit www.zippia.com for comprehensive insights.

Detailed List of Smartest Cities in Missouri

City Rank Population Adults Without High School Diploma Teenage High School Drop Outs
Glendale 1 5,926 0.0% 0.0%
Des Peres 2 8,443 1.5% 0.0%
Dardenne Prairie 3 12,116 1.8% 0.0%
Lake St. Louis 4 14,759 1.8% 0.0%
Chesterfield 5 47,651 2.3% 0.0%
Town and Country 6 10,890 2.3% 0.0%
Sunset Hills 7 8,523 2.4% 0.0%
Webster Groves 8 23,084 2.5% 0.0%
Brentwood 9 8,048 2.5% 0.0%
Wildwood 10 35,701 2.0% 1.4%
Ballwin 11 30,478 3.0% 0.0%
Ladue 12 8,549 0.8% 1.9%
Kearney 13 8,845 3.3% 0.0%
Greenwood 14 5,322 3.4% 0.0%
Waynesville 15 5,147 3.6% 0.0%
Parkville 16 5,811 3.7% 0.0%
Weldon Spring 17 5,496 3.8% 0.0%
Raymore 18 19,576 4.0% 0.0%
Manchester 19 18,125 2.7% 1.8%
Crestwood 20 11,934 5.4% 0.0%
Battlefield 21 5,759 5.6% 0.0%
Wentzville 22 31,591 5.5% 0.8%
Kirkwood 23 27,587 2.9% 1.9%
Maryville 24 12,018 6.1% 0.3%
Olivette 25 7,809 6.5% 0.0%
St. Peters 26 54,236 6.5% 0.0%
Carl Junction 27 7,511 6.7% 0.0%
Columbia 28 113,155 6.4% 0.9%
Eureka 29 10,375 6.9% 0.0%
Grain Valley 30 13,037 7.2% 0.0%
Clayton 31 15,912 3.1% 3.1%
Ellisville 32 9,162 4.9% 2.4%
Richmond Heights 33 8,526 3.2% 3.3%
Maryland Heights 34 27,420 8.0% 0.0%
Lee’s Summit 35 92,813 3.6% 3.2%
Odessa 36 5,237 8.2% 0.0%
Hazelwood 37 25,671 8.6% 0.0%
Nixa 38 19,821 6.1% 2.4%
O’Fallon 39 81,978 5.6% 3.0%
Willard 40 5,395 9.4% 0.0%
Smithville 41 8,791 6.7% 2.6%
Creve Coeur 42 17,841 2.7% 5.8%
Warrensburg 43 19,548 6.4% 3.4%
Union 44 10,517 9.9% 0.9%
Washington 45 13,982 9.7% 1.6%
Pleasant Hill 46 8,173 9.1% 2.2%
Jefferson City 47 43,184 9.6% 1.9%
Blue Springs 48 53,053 5.9% 4.9%
Oak Grove 49 7,747 12.2% 0.0%
Republic 50 15,222 6.0% 5.5%
Pacific 51 6,047 12.4% 0.0%
Bolivar 52 10,443 12.4% 0.0%
Mexico 53 11,555 12.2% 0.9%
Liberty 54 29,806 7.0% 4.5%
Cape Girardeau 55 38,665 11.8% 1.9%
Valley Park 56 6,980 13.1% 0.0%
Shrewsbury 57 6,217 4.9% 7.1%
Ozark 58 18,369 11.5% 2.2%
St. Charles 59 66,900 8.7% 3.7%
St. Ann 60 12,988 13.2% 0.0%
Perryville 61 8,280 13.3% 0.0%
University City 62 35,226 8.1% 4.7%
Jackson 63 14,221 11.6% 2.5%
Bellefontaine Neighbors 64 10,823 13.5% 0.0%
Florissant 65 52,353 7.9% 5.2%
Belton 66 23,197 9.8% 3.6%
Webb City 67 10,985 13.9% 0.7%
Maplewood 68 7,987 7.3% 6.2%
Rolla 69 19,808 11.6% 3.5%
Raytown 70 29,520 8.7% 6.0%
Chillicothe 71 8,528 13.2% 2.2%
Clinton 72 9,014 15.4% 0.0%
Kirksville 73 17,578 13.8% 2.7%
Pevely 74 5,566 16.7% 0.0%
Branson 75 10,942 12.3% 4.2%
West Plains 76 12,176 16.3% 1.4%
Springfield 77 162,333 12.2% 4.9%
Kansas City 78 465,005 12.0% 5.8%
Black Jack 79 6,924 6.8% 9.9%
Gladstone 80 26,032 9.5% 8.1%
Bridgeton 81 11,654 7.9% 9.7%
Troy 82 11,015 10.9% 7.7%
Joplin 83 50,900 12.7% 5.6%
Sikeston 84 16,642 17.1% 2.1%
Arnold 85 21,020 12.3% 6.5%
Sedalia 86 21,429 19.6% 0.8%
Independence 87 117,160 12.7% 6.3%
Festus 88 11,740 11.5% 8.4%
Ferguson 89 21,151 13.1% 6.4%
Marshall 90 13,059 15.0% 4.3%
Moberly 91 13,898 15.2% 4.6%
Grandview 92 24,860 12.9% 7.4%
Richmond 93 5,702 14.5% 5.9%
Savannah 94 5,101 12.0% 9.3%
Nevada 95 8,318 17.2% 3.6%
Harrisonville 96 10,019 11.2% 11.9%
Trenton 97 6,058 14.1% 7.3%
Dellwood 98 5,010 11.9% 11.5%
Marshfield 99 6,789 14.0% 7.9%
St. Joseph 100 77,040 14.1% 7.9%
Boonville 101 8,320 14.3% 8.9%
St. Louis 102 318,727 16.8% 6.8%
Neosho 103 12,038 20.5% 4.1%
Macon 104 5,476 15.4% 8.7%
Overland 105 16,043 14.4% 9.9%
Bowling Green 106 5,452 22.4% 3.7%
Berkeley 107 9,120 15.5% 8.7%
Fulton 108 12,791 18.0% 6.4%
Park Hills 109 8,714 16.7% 8.1%
Sullivan 110 7,058 19.2% 6.4%
Warrenton 111 7,974 18.8% 7.0%
Hannibal 112 17,779 17.6% 7.5%
Excelsior Springs 113 11,391 16.5% 9.1%
St. John 114 6,486 15.0% 12.4%
Charleston 115 5,905 23.4% 5.3%
Jennings 116 14,730 20.4% 7.5%
Monett 117 8,935 22.7% 7.3%
Farmington 118 17,213 17.1% 13.0%
Dexter 119 7,902 20.7% 8.9%
Caruthersville 120 6,086 27.6% 7.4%
Lebanon 121 14,595 19.3% 11.0%
Cameron 122 10,008 17.2% 17.6%
De Soto 123 6,449 22.7% 8.8%
Poplar Bluff 124 17,190 21.1% 14.8%
Aurora 125 7,475 23.2% 18.1%
Kennett 126 11,002 29.2% 14.8%
Carthage 127 14,281 30.9% 24.7%
Bonne Terre 128 7,025 29.3% 44.7%
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John McLean

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