Ripley County, Missouri Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Ripley County is located in Missouri with a total population of 10,708. It is the 82nd most populous county out of 115 in Missouri. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ripley County is 40.7 years. This is 4% higher than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Ripley County is $42,037. This is 41% lower than the state median of $70,702. It is also 48% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 24.8%. This is 97% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 3.7%. This is 8% lower than the state rate of 4.0%. The median home value is $119,600. Housing costs are 48% lower than the state median of $230,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Ripley County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 79.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 16% higher than the state average of 68.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Ripley County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.5%. The Black or African American population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 10.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 2.1%.

Education

12.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 61% 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 82.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Ripley County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Missouri and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.