Pilot Knob, Missouri Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 653, Pilot Knob'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

Pilot Knob is a small community located in Missouri, within Iron County. The total population is 653. It ranks as the 466th most populous out of 1,062 Census-designated places in Missouri.

Age Demographics

The median age in Pilot Knob is 47.7 years. This is 22% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. 13.2% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Pilot Knob is $44,500. This is 37% lower than the state median of $70,702. It is also 45% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.5%. This is 31% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate is 5.0%. This is 25% higher than the state rate of 4.0%. The median home value is $108,000. Housing costs are 53% lower than the state median of $230,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Pilot Knob is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 53.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 21% lower than the state average of 68.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Pilot Knob has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 87.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 0.8%. The Black or African American population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 10.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 2.1%.

Education

7.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 77% 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 85.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Pilot Knob, 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.