Emma, Missouri Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 270, Emma's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Emma is a small community located in Missouri, within Lafayette County. The total population is 270. It ranks as the 666th most populous out of 1,062 Census-designated places in Missouri.

Age Demographics

The median age in Emma is 36.8 years. This is 6% lower than the state median of 39.0 years. With 30.4% of the population under 18, Emma has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Emma is $81,667. This is 16% higher than the state median of $70,702. It is also 1% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.0%. This is 76% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Emma, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $124,300. Housing costs are 46% lower than the state median of $230,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.5x, Emma is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 89.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 32% higher than the state average of 68.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Emma has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 93.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 5.2%.

Education

15.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 52% lower than the state rate of 32.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 87.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Emma, Missouri is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Missouri state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,062 Census-designated places in Missouri. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.