Festus, Missouri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Festus, Missouri
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Festus, Missouri
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Location of Festus, Missouri
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| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| County | Jefferson |
| Incorporated | 1887 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council government |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.91 sq mi (15.29 km2) |
| • Land | 5.91 sq mi (15.29 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 512 ft (156 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 12,706 |
| • Density | 2,151.74/sq mi (830.83/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
63028
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| Area code(s) | 636 |
| FIPS code | 29-24094 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2394763 |
Festus is a lively city located in Jefferson County, Missouri, in the United States. It's a suburb of the bigger city, St. Louis. In 2020, about 12,706 people called Festus home.
Contents
Geography and Climate
Festus is located just west of the famous Mississippi River. Major roads like I-55 and US routes 61 and 67 help people travel to and from the city.
The city covers about 5.71 square miles (14.79 square kilometers) of land.
Weather in Festus
Festus experiences a variety of weather throughout the year. Summers are generally warm, and winters are cold. The city gets a good amount of rain, especially in spring and early summer. Snowfall is common in winter, but it's usually not too heavy.
| Climate data for Festus, Missouri (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1934–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 80 (27) |
89 (32) |
91 (33) |
93 (34) |
96 (36) |
108 (42) |
116 (47) |
110 (43) |
105 (41) |
97 (36) |
87 (31) |
78 (26) |
116 (47) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 66.0 (18.9) |
72.0 (22.2) |
79.4 (26.3) |
85.6 (29.8) |
89.3 (31.8) |
93.7 (34.3) |
97.3 (36.3) |
97.1 (36.2) |
92.6 (33.7) |
86.1 (30.1) |
76.0 (24.4) |
67.3 (19.6) |
99.1 (37.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 41.0 (5.0) |
46.3 (7.9) |
56.3 (13.5) |
67.8 (19.9) |
76.2 (24.6) |
84.6 (29.2) |
88.4 (31.3) |
87.2 (30.7) |
80.6 (27.0) |
69.6 (20.9) |
56.0 (13.3) |
45.1 (7.3) |
66.6 (19.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 31.7 (−0.2) |
35.8 (2.1) |
44.9 (7.2) |
55.8 (13.2) |
65.0 (18.3) |
73.6 (23.1) |
77.8 (25.4) |
76.3 (24.6) |
68.9 (20.5) |
57.6 (14.2) |
45.5 (7.5) |
35.8 (2.1) |
55.7 (13.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 22.3 (−5.4) |
25.3 (−3.7) |
33.6 (0.9) |
43.8 (6.6) |
53.8 (12.1) |
62.6 (17.0) |
67.2 (19.6) |
65.4 (18.6) |
57.1 (13.9) |
45.5 (7.5) |
35.1 (1.7) |
26.5 (−3.1) |
44.9 (7.2) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 2.9 (−16.2) |
7.2 (−13.8) |
16.3 (−8.7) |
28.8 (−1.8) |
39.4 (4.1) |
51.6 (10.9) |
57.8 (14.3) |
55.0 (12.8) |
43.0 (6.1) |
29.7 (−1.3) |
19.7 (−6.8) |
9.7 (−12.4) |
−0.6 (−18.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −27 (−33) |
−20 (−29) |
−13 (−25) |
17 (−8) |
27 (−3) |
37 (3) |
43 (6) |
40 (4) |
28 (−2) |
16 (−9) |
−2 (−19) |
−19 (−28) |
−27 (−33) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.68 (68) |
2.51 (64) |
4.00 (102) |
4.91 (125) |
4.76 (121) |
4.74 (120) |
3.83 (97) |
3.59 (91) |
3.38 (86) |
2.83 (72) |
3.54 (90) |
2.80 (71) |
43.57 (1,107) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 2.1 (5.3) |
2.7 (6.9) |
1.1 (2.8) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.6 (1.5) |
2.5 (6.4) |
9.2 (23) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 7.6 | 7.1 | 10.2 | 10.1 | 11.5 | 9.4 | 8.2 | 7.1 | 6.6 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 8.0 | 101.4 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 1.7 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 5.9 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
History of Festus
Festus started as a new town next to an older one called Crystal City. It was founded in 1878 by W. J. Adams.
How Festus Got Its Name
The town was first called "Tanglefoot." This name came from stories about people from the local glass factory who sometimes had trouble walking home through the brush. Later, it was called Limitville.
Finally, the name "Festus" was chosen. Some say it was named after a banker from St. Louis named Festus J. Wade. Others believe a preacher simply opened the Bible and pointed to the name "Festus" in the Book of Acts. The City of Festus officially became a city in 1888. It grew into one of the biggest towns in the county. A post office has been open in Festus since 1883.
One of the people who helped start Festus was John Brierton. He was the great-grand-uncle of John Bruton, who was the prime minister of Ireland. In 1995, John Bruton visited Festus and his family's grave in De Soto, Missouri.
Population and People
Festus has grown quite a bit over the years. Here's how its population has changed:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 1,335 | — | |
| 1900 | 1,250 | −6.4% | |
| 1910 | 2,556 | 104.5% | |
| 1920 | 3,348 | 31.0% | |
| 1930 | 4,085 | 22.0% | |
| 1940 | 4,620 | 13.1% | |
| 1950 | 5,199 | 12.5% | |
| 1960 | 7,021 | 35.0% | |
| 1970 | 7,530 | 7.2% | |
| 1980 | 7,574 | 0.6% | |
| 1990 | 8,105 | 7.0% | |
| 2000 | 9,660 | 19.2% | |
| 2010 | 11,602 | 20.1% | |
| 2020 | 12,706 | 9.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Who Lives in Festus?
The 2020 United States census counted 12,706 people living in Festus. Most residents, about 88%, are white. Other groups include Black or African-American (3.18%), Native American (0.32%), and Asian (0.64%). About 7.15% of people are from two or more races. Around 3% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.
Many households in Festus have families. About 30.7% of households have children under 18. The average household has 2.5 people, and the average family has 3.0 people.
The median age in Festus is 36.6 years old. This means half the people are younger than 36.6 and half are older. About 21.4% of the population is under 18.
Religious Beliefs in Festus
Festus is home to people with many different religious beliefs. This includes Christians, Muslims, Pagans, and Jews. While a large part of the population identifies as non-believers, many people in Festus are Christians. Among Christians, Baptists, Catholics, and Lutherans are common groups.
Education in Festus
Festus has several schools for students of all ages.
Public Schools
The Festus R-VI School District manages the public schools in the area. This includes Festus High School, where older students attend.
Private Schools
There are also private schools in Festus:
- St. Pius X High School
- Our Lady Catholic School (for students in kindergarten through 8th grade)
- Twin City Christian Academy (for students in kindergarten through 12th grade)
Public Library
Festus also has a public library, the Festus Public Library. It's a great place to borrow books and learn new things.
News and Transportation
Local News and Media
To stay updated on what's happening in Festus, people can read the Jefferson County Leader newspaper. There's also a local radio station, KJFF (1400 AM).
Getting Around Festus
Festus is connected by important roads:
Interstate 55
U.S. Route 61
U.S. Route 67
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The city also has its own airport, the Festus Memorial Airport.
See also
In Spanish: Festus (Misuri) para niños
