Rolling hills, a nearby lake and UFO sightings draw people to Piedmont
Piedmont is tucked deep within the Ozark Foothills Region, where oak, pine and hickory trees cover rolling hills. The Wayne County town is just minutes from hunting grounds, Sam A. Baker State Park and Clearwater Lake. This natural location and decades-old UFO sightings draw tourists and a few homebuyers to the community. “It’s a small, remote town, so we don’t get many new people, but if we do, it’s because of how beautiful the area is,” says Sara Phillips, a lifelong resident who manages the Piedmont Area Chamber of Commerce. Home to about 2,000 residents, Piedmont also has a tight-knit feel, which was especially on display after a tornado in March 2025 damaged parts of the town. “We all really sprang into action to help our neighbors,” Phillips says. “That’s just what the people who live here are like.”
House prices are less than the national median
Piedmont’s oldest homes include farmhouses and bungalows dating back to the late 1800s. Mid-20th-century ranch styles and early 2000s New Traditionals are also common. Houses near the center of town often sit on smaller lots, while properties on the outskirts may have farmland with livestock and produce crops. Fixer-uppers and smaller homes can cost between $30,000 and $150,000. Newer houses typically range from about $260,000 to around $400,000. The median single-family home price is nearly $135,000, significantly lower than the national median.
Piedmont is recovering after the 2025 tornado
Along with locals, FEMA and Red Cross assisted Piedmont’s recovery after the 2025 tornado. Properties on the outskirts of town experienced the most significant damage. “Some farmers lost their barns, and a few docks around Clearwater Lake were totally wiped out,” Phillips says. Road repairs and debris cleanup are underway, and Phillips says these efforts are going well. “We did a pretty good job at getting the worst of it handled quickly,” she says. Tornado sirens are tested on the first Wednesday of each month.
Clearwater Lake, a state park and hunting land is nearby
Marinas, campgrounds and sand beaches surround the 1,630-acre Clearwater Lake, less than 8 miles west of Piedmont. “Just about everybody here owns some sort of boat to take out on the water,” Phillips says. As boaters and kayakers cruise across the lake, they may see people water skiing or fishing for largemouth bass and crappie. Sam A. Baker State Park, about 15 miles northeast, sits on the St. Francis River, another popular canoeing, fishing and floating spot. Several wildlife management areas known for deer and turkey hunting are within 10 miles. “Piedmont survives on tourists from all those places,” Phillips says. “They don’t typically rent houses in town, but they eat at our restaurants and shop at our stores.”
Piedmont has several other recreational spaces, including a public library and Handy Park, which features a basketball court and playground equipment. McKenzie Creek Greenway is an empty plot that hosts community events, like the Ozark Heritage Festival, held every October since 1977. Throughout the weekend, visitors can enjoy food trucks, an antique tractor display and a BB gun shooting competition.
UFOs are part of Piedmont’s culture
In 1973, more than 500 residents reported seeing UFOs flying over town, drawing national attention and prompting scientific investigations. Thanks to these sightings, Piedmont is now known as the UFO Capital of Missouri. “People here still claim to see aliens and flying saucers to this day,” Phillips says. The Piedmont UFO Fest celebrates this legacy in April with a nighttime parade and a 5K race, dubbed the Alien Abduction Dash. Visitors are encouraged to dress like aliens for both days of the event. “UFOs are controversial, but they’re part of our culture at this point,” Phillips says.
Clearwater High is known for its softball team.
Clearwater R-I School District serves Piedmont. Kids can attend Clearwater Elementary, which Niche grades a B-minus, and Clearwater Middle, which earns a C. They may continue to B-minus-rated Clearwater High, where the softball program has won several tournaments. “We’ve been good for years, and we keep getting better,” Phillips says. “The whole town roots for them.”
Pies, hotcakes and custard are served at Piedmont’s local restaurants
Construction warehouses, offices and a few locally owned restaurants line Main Street. Pie is served by the slice at Robbi’s Zephyr Café, which also has hotcake stacks and chicken-fried steak on the menu. Lines form outside Gooch’s, an ice cream shack with soft serve, smoothies and custard. Town & Country is the community’s only grocery store, and the Piedmont Farmers Market is every Friday and Saturday between May and September. It’s held across the street from Friendship Baptist Church, one of several houses of worship in town.
U.S Route 67 and state Route 34 connect to bigger cities
Piedmont is a car-dependent community with easy access to several highways. U.S. Route 67 leads to bigger cities, like Poplar Bluff and Fredericktown, each about 45 miles away. These places have hospitals, big box grocery stores and downtown districts. A 77-mile drive east on state Route 34 reaches Cape Girdeau, home to the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport.
