15 Slow-Paced Small Towns In Missouri Where Life Is Still Simple

Many of us live in big or medium-sized cities where life is fast-paced. There's the commute, work, driving kids to multiple after-school activities... It's a harried, hectic lifestyle. Imagine if you lived in one of these quiet, slow-paced, small Missouri towns, where everyone looks out for each other. You can send the kids out the door to walk to their piano lessons or play in the park. You can skip the commute to work from home on your farm, ranch or home-based business. Feeling jealous? Check out these towns!

1. Benton

The tiny town of Benton encompasses only a half square mile, but the 867 people who call it home love it.

2. Birch Tree

The 668 people who live in Birch Tree love it for its small-town feel. It’s a great place to raise a family.

3. Gainesville

The 773 people who live in Gainesville enjoy the benefits of the 61-acre Gainesville School District campus that includes the high school, junior high and elementary schools.

4. Golden City

Golden City got its start as a stop for the Butterfield Stagecoach. Today, its 760 residents participate in the Golden Harvest Days and the BBQ festival.

5. Grant City

Grant City is the county seat of Worth County. It might be slow-paced, but its 821 residents like it that way.

6. Lancaster

Lancaster, the County Seat of Schuyler County, has 717 residents. It’s never been a big town; it’s the perfect small town.

7. New Florence

New Florence only has 751 residents, so it’s a quiet, slow-paced town. The town is just an hour from both St. Louis and Columbia, so while they enjoy the small-town life, larger cities are nearby.

8. New London

The county seat of Ralls County, New London has just 981 residents. It’s a quiet, sleepy town, but it’s just 10 miles from Hannibal.

9. Oregon

Oregon might be a small town with only 814 residents, but there’s plenty to do there. It’s the county seat of Hold County.

10. Osceola

Osceola started as a small trading post; now it’s a charming small town with 916 folks who enjoy the proximity of Truman Lake and the quaint Main Street.

11. Pasadena Hills

Pasadena City is one of the oldest established towns in St. Louis County. It includes several open spaces and is on the National Register of Historic Places. 924 people call it home.

12. Pineville

You’ll find Pineville at the junction of the Elk River, Little Sugar Creek and Big Sugar Creek. It has 788 citizens and boasts an extension facility of the University of Missouri.

13. Pilot Grove

Pilot Grove has several historic homes. It’s a rural haven for the 762 people who live there, who also enjoy the local rodeo, Harvest Festival and community pool.

14. Van Buren

Van Buren’s 826 citizens have the benefit of living next to the picturesque Current River. The wildlife is plentiful and the living is simple.

15. Walnut Grove

Walnut Grove might be a small town with less than 600 people, but it’s home to the Lady Tigers Basketball champions.

Do you live in any of these small towns?