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Scott County, Missouri Demographics 2026

Scott County, Missouri has a population of 37,967, the 31st most populous county in Missouri. The median household income is $58,847 and the median home value is $143,700. The poverty rate is 14.5%.

Scott County Quick Facts

Population 37,967
Median Household Income $58,847
Median Home Value $143,700
Poverty Rate 14.5%
Unemployment Rate 3.2%
Median Age 39.4 years
Homeownership Rate 68.8%
Affordability Ratio 2.4x
Bachelor's Degree+ 21.7%
High School Graduation 86.4%
Cities/Places 15
Population 37,967 31st of 115
Median Income $58,847 15% lower than state
Poverty Rate 14.5%
Unemployment 3.2%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 21.3%
$25K-$50K 21.8%
$50K-$100K 34.4%
$100K+ 22.5%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
6.3%
$10K-$15K
5.3%
$15K-$20K
4.3%
$20K-$25K
5.3%
$25K-$30K
6.2%
$30K-$35K
5.0%
$35K-$40K
4.0%
$40K-$45K
3.1%
$45K-$50K
3.5%
$50K-$60K
7.4%
$60K-$75K
13.6%
$75K-$100K
13.4%
$100K-$125K
6.7%
$125K-$150K
4.4%
$150K-$200K
6.5%
$200K+
4.9%

Employment

3.2% Unemployment Rate State: 4.1%|National: 5.2%
60.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 68.8%
Renter 31.2%
Affordability Index Very Affordable
2.4x home value to income ratio

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

32out of 100
Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 39 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Scott County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Sikeston16,231$53,20316.6%$158,100
Chaffee3,039$41,02414.1%$120,900
Oran1,137$57,40414.8%$130,200
Miner930$52,37513.2%$132,800
Benton832$82,6794.6%$256,900
Kelso593$54,85312.0%$213,800
Morley575$44,58321.0%$59,800
Haywood City203$31,71955.2%$17,800
Blodgett182$66,87521.4%N/A
Vanduser182$42,08335.6%$66,100
New Hamburg169$73,9883.5%$270,900
Perkins149N/A4.0%$65,800
Commerce147N/A13.6%$80,500
Diehlstadt93$42,50011.8%$76,000
Lambert9N/A0.0%N/A

Population Overview

Scott County is located in Missouri with a total population of 37,967. It is the 31st most populous county out of 115 in Missouri. The county encompasses 15 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Scott County is 39.4 years. This is 1% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Scott County is $58,847. This is 15% lower than the state median of $68,920. It is also 25% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 14.5%. This is 15% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate is 3.2%. This is 23% lower than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $143,700. Housing costs are 33% lower than the state median of $215,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Scott County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 68.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 1% higher than the state average of 67.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Scott County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 81.4% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 11.2%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 2.1%.

Education

21.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 32% lower than the state rate of 31.9%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 86.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Scott County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Scott County, Missouri?

Scott County has a population of 37,967, making it the 31st most populous county in Missouri.

What is the median income in Scott County?

The median household income in Scott County is $58,847 with a poverty rate of 14.5%.

How many cities are in Scott County, Missouri?

Scott County contains 15 Census-designated places.