Ozark and Republic receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Ozark
Republic
Opportunity
80 · Top 7%
vs74 · Top 16%
Growth
72 · Top 14%
vs70 · Top 17%
Climate
72 · Top 40%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
52 · Bottom 44%
vs74 · Top 32%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 19%
vs92 · Top 27%
Schools
93 · Top 2%
vs85 · Top 7%
Access
90 · Bottom 42%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
63 · Top 44%
vs59 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Ozark | Republic | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,417 | 19,829 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,182 | $65,729 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,257 | $33,803 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,845/sq mi | 1,233/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $254,800 | $211,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,097 | $1,123 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.6% | 60.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.0% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.7% | 26.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 17.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 180 | 310 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.0 | 15.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -1.6% | -29.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.5" | 44.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 26.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.8 | 33.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.18 | 14.94 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 60.8% | 57.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 64.5% | 61.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 35.4% | 39.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Ozark
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, tornado, strong wind.
Republic
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, earthquake.
Full profiles: Ozark, MO · Republic, MO · How this is calculated: methodology