Located along Interstate 70 Odessa's historic downtown is home to a range of boutique shops and restaurants.

The city is host to the annual Puddle Jumper Days town fair,[5] the Odessa Rodeo,[6] a Christmas lighting ceremony[7] and various other community events held throughout the year.

[9] The Odessa Ice Cream Company Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

[11] Odessa is located roughly 45 minutes from downtown Kansas City and approximately three hours from St. Louis.

26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Facilities include a community building, swimming pool, pavilion, picnic shelter, outdoor basketball and tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, a rodeo arena, and two playground areas.

[16] Lake Venita, located in Dyer Park, offers outstanding fishing, dock and a half mile paved walking trail.

It is managed under a cooperative agreement between the Missouri Department of Conservation and the City of Odessa.

The site includes a privy, boat ramp and dock, a pavilion and picnic areas.

[18] The City of Odessa is governed by a mayor and six-member board of aldermen.

[23] As Lafayette County's largest newspaper The Odessan[24] is published weekly providing local coverage of news and sports in the communities of Odessa, Bates City, Mayview, Wellington, Napoleon and Lafayette County.