Missouri Zombie Survival Index: 84/100

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The three tests

Missouri scored three times

A state that handles shamblers can get erased by sprinters. Here is how Missouri performs under each outbreak model.

Walking DeadThe Walking Dead

90

Slow zombies reward distance, terrain, food and freshwater. Missouri has about 6.27 million people and 26.6 million acres in farm operations, plus 3.85 million cattle and calves and 3.3 million hogs. That resource base matters because walkers turn the apocalypse into a long endurance problem rather than a speed contest.

World War ZWorld War Z

77

Fast zombies make timing more important than raw resources. Missouri's problem is that it has two major metros rather than one, pressing in from opposite corners, and the big river crossings that make such good barriers also make excellent chokepoints when everyone needs them at once.

Last of UsThe Last of Us

86

Yes, we know they're not technically zombies. This tests whether a settlement can function for years, and Missouri is quietly excellent at it — 86 is among the strongest long-collapse scores on the board. Terrain, springs, caves and enormous food depth all point the same direction.

What helps

Ozark hills, forests, caves, river valleys and broad agricultural plains
Missouri and Mississippi rivers, Ozark springs, reservoirs, groundwater and extensive streams
26.6 million acres in farm operations
3.85 million cattle and calves
3.3 million hogs plus major corn, soybean, hay, wheat, rice, poultry and turkey production
A large diversified electric system with coal, natural gas, nuclear, wind and hydro resources
Whiteman Air Force Base, Fort Leonard Wood and Missouri National Guard forces

What hurts

St. Louis and Kansas City exposure pressing from both sides of the state
Tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, flooding, ice storms, drought and heat
Remote safety can mean thinner medicine and longer repair distances
Major corridors can become population funnels if evacuation begins late

Get away from St. Louis and Kansas City early, then favour Ozark communities with springs, farms, forests, caves, local roads and enough infrastructure to remain viable long-term.

Personal assessment

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The reason for the score

Missouri's zombie superpowers

Ozark hills, forests, caves, river valleys and broad agricultural plains define how infected move, which routes fail first and where durable communities can exist. The best refuge is the place where terrain plus food plus water plus energy plus access overlap.

1 · The Ozarks

Terrain, springs, forests, caves and low-density towns create one of the best refuge packages east of the Rockies.

2 · Agriculture

26.6 million farm acres plus 3.85 million cattle and 3.3 million hogs provide enormous food depth.

3 · Freshwater

Major rivers, reservoirs and Ozark springs give the state dependable water almost everywhere.

4 · Central logistics

Missouri is unusually well connected while organised systems still function.

The catch

Two metros, and the weather in between

Two major metros

St. Louis and Kansas City create significant first-wave pressure from both sides of the state at once.

Severe weather

Tornadoes, floods and ice storms are persistent infrastructure threats rather than occasional ones.

River crossings

Big rivers create barriers for zombies and chokepoints for people, and you need them to work both ways.

The framework

25 survival factors, scored 1–10

Every state is measured on the same 25 factors. Weighting shifts by scenario — terrain matters more against sprinters, agriculture matters more in a long collapse.

01 Population density Moderate-low density 8/10

02 Major city exposure St. Louis and Kansas City are the main exposures 6/10

03 Road escape capacity Strong road network 8/10

04 Freshwater availability Major rivers, springs and groundwater 9/10

05 Agricultural capacity 26.6 million farm acres 10/10

06 Food self-sufficiency Huge cattle, hog, grain and poultry base 10/10

07 Wilderness & remote land Large Ozark forest and rural zones 8/10

08 Natural defensive terrain The Ozarks provide excellent terrain 9/10

09 Climate survivability Generally manageable climate 7/10

10 Winter zombie suppression Moderate winter suppression 6/10

11 Natural disaster risk Tornado, flood and ice-storm exposure 5/10

12 Energy production Large diversified generation system 8/10

13 Off-grid energy potential Good wind, solar and biomass options 8/10

14 Medical resources Strong metro medicine, thinner Ozarks access 8/10

15 Military & Guard presence Whiteman, Fort Leonard Wood and Guard assets 8/10

16 Emergency management Strong statewide response capability 9/10

17 Supply & logistics Excellent central U.S. logistics 9/10

18 Infrastructure vulnerability River and grid dependencies 6/10

19 Survival resource availability Food, timber, water, wildlife and energy are excellent 10/10

20 Evacuation & refuge potential Excellent rural refuge potential 9/10

21 Natural barriers & water access Rivers, hills, caves and forests create barriers 9/10

22 Distance from population centers Large southern areas far from metros 8/10

23 Chokepoint & bridge dependency River crossings can choke, but roads are redundant 7/10

24 Hunting, fishing & foraging Elite hunting and fishing 10/10

25 Long-term settlement potential Excellent long-term potential 9/10

Tactics

What works, by scenario

Strategy	Walking Dead	World War Z	Last of Us
Rural farm or ranch with independent water	Excellent	Very good if reached early	Excellent
Small agricultural town	Very good	Good	Excellent
Remote site with no food system	Good early	Very good for isolation	Poor long-term
Major highway evacuation	Good early, bad late	Terrible late	Poor after collapse
Major metro shelter	Poor	Terrible	Poor
Distributed renewable power	Very good	Good	Excellent
Hunting and fishing supplement	Very good	Good	Very good
One-road refuge	Risky	Risky	Risky

Geography

Where to be

Best overall

Ozarks / rural south-central Missouri

The state's strongest terrain, water and food combination in one place.

Springs that run year-round
Hills, forest and caves for cover
Working farms within reach
Far from both metros at once

Runner-up

Southwest Ozark fringe away from Springfield

Excellent farms and hills, provided you stay clear of the urban core.

Third

North-central rural Missouri

Huge agricultural depth, but considerably less defensive terrain.

Where not to be

Avoid early

St. Louis metro

Population plus Mississippi crossings make a difficult fast-outbreak environment.

Avoid early

Kansas City metro

Regional population spillover and interstate traffic are the issue.

Avoid

Major floodplain refuge

A river barrier is useful right up until the river moves.

Verdict

84 out of 100 · Grade B · Rank #16

Missouri offers nearly every major resource survivors would want. It has productive farms, cattle, forests, major rivers, reservoirs, caves, the Ozarks, and a central location with extensive transportation infrastructure. The catch is population pressure from St. Louis and Kansas City, major highway corridors, tornadoes, floods, heat, and severe storms. Its rivers and roads are valuable supply routes, but they could also carry danger directly into otherwise defensible rural areas.

Walking Dead 90. World War Z 77. Last of Us 86.

Get away from St. Louis and Kansas City early, then favour Ozark communities with springs, farms, forests, caves, local roads and enough infrastructure to remain viable long-term.

See the national survey board

Method & sources

Where the numbers come from

The Zombie Survival Index is a fictional entertainment ranking that uses real public data as its inputs. Every state is scored on the same 25 factors under three outbreak models, and the overall number blends those results. All fifty states have been assessed and normalised against the same national scoring set.

U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Population Estimates and QuickFacts
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2025 State Agriculture Overview
U.S. Energy Information Administration, State Electricity Profile
State water-resource and environmental agencies
State emergency-management agencies
U.S. Department of Defense and National Guard installation sources
State wildlife, hunting and fishing agencies
NOAA and state climatology and hazard sources