Washington County, Missouri Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Washington County is located in Missouri with a total population of 23,483. It is the 47th most populous county out of 115 in Missouri. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Washington County is 40.2 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Washington County is $51,886. This is 25% lower than the state median of $68,920. It is also 34% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 18.2%. This is 44% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate is 3.8%. This is 9% lower than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $118,400. Housing costs are 45% lower than the state median of $215,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Washington County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 76.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% higher than the state average of 67.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Washington County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.8% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 1.9%. The Black or African American population (1.9%) is well below the state average of 11.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 5.1%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 2.1%.

Education

12.4% 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 31.9%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 83.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Washington 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.