Lawrence County, Missouri

County in MO, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

38,593

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

38.8

years ∙ half population younger than 38.8, half older

Diversity Index

24.8%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

3.5%

foreign-born population

96.5%Native

3.5% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Lawrence County is a county in Missouri, United States.

Location

County in MO, US

Co-ordinates

DEC37.106611° N, 93.830542° W

DMS37° 06′ 23.80″ N, 93° 49′ 49.95″ W

Population Density & area

63.08/sq mi (24.36/km²)

Total Area

613.4 sq mi (1,588.6 km²)

Land Area

611.8 sq mi (1,584.4 km²) · 99.74%

Water Area

1.6 sq mi (4.2 km²) · 0.26%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

50.3% male

Male 50.3%

Female 49.7%

males per 100 females

Lawrence County 101.2

Missouri 97.2

United States 98

Nativity

3.5%

foreign-born population

96.5%Native

3.5% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Lawrence County 3.5%

Missouri 4.5%

United States 14.1%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

38.8

years ∙ half population younger than 38.8, half older

Lawrence County

38.8

Missouri

United States

38.9

Dependency ratio

77.1

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Lawrence County 77.1

Missouri 67.3

United States 64.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Lawrence County	Missouri	United States
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	25.4%	22.3%	22%
Working age (18-64)	56.5%	59.8%	60.8%
Senior (65+)	18.1%	17.9%	17.2%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	77.1	67.3	64.4
Child dependency ratio	45	37.4	36.1
Old-age dependency ratio	32.1	29.9	28.3

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

86.2%

Black

0.3%

Asian

0.5%

Hispanic

8.5%

Other

4.5%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

24.8%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Lawrence County 24.8%

Missouri 40%

United States 61.4%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Lawrence County population

	Lawrence County	Missouri	United States
Hispanic or Latino	8.5%	5.2%	19.3%
Mexican	6.9%	3.2%	11.3%
Puerto Rican	0.9%	0.4%	1.8%
Cuban	0%	0.1%	0.8%
Other Hispanic / Latino	0.6%	1.4%	5.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino	91.5%	94.8%	80.7%
One race	88%	90%	76.4%
White	86.2%	76.3%	57.4%
Black or African American	0.3%	10.9%	11.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0.4%	0.2%	0.5%
Asian	0.5%	2.1%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0.1%	0.2%
Some Other Race	0.7%	0.4%	0.6%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	3.5%	4.8%	4.3%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

67.8% family

Family 67.8%

Non family 32.2%

% family households

Lawrence County 67.8%

Missouri 62.1%

United States 64.2%

Average household size

2.6

persons per household

Lawrence County

2.6

Missouri

2.4

United States

2.53

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Lawrence County population

	Lawrence County	Missouri	United States
Total households	14,602	2,508,227	129,227,496
Average houshold size	2.6	2.4	2.53
Family households	9,906	1,558,009	82,990,528
Average family size	3.15	3.03	3.14
Married couple family	7,499	1,166,368	60,637,388
Other families	2,407	391,641	22,353,140
Male householder	731	115,975	6,572,819
Female householder	1,676	275,666	15,780,321
Non-family households	4,696	950,218	46,236,968
One-person households	3,920	781,034	37,140,836
Male householder	1,790	351,809	16,871,444
Senior (65+) living alone	777	107,203	5,225,110
Female householder	2,130	429,225	20,269,392
Senior (65+) living alone	1,144	215,073	10,089,070
Other living arrangements	776	169,184	9,096,132

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

16,303

housing units

Lawrence County 16,303

Missouri 2,825,287

United States 143,775,355

Occupancy status

89.6% occupied

Occupied 89.6%

Vacant 10.4%

vacancy rate

Lawrence County 10.4%

Missouri 11.2%

United States 10.1%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

80.1%

Single family houses

80.1%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

9.7%

Mobile homes

9.7%

Boat, RV, van, etc

0.6%

Median Year Built

1980

Half of houses were built before 1980, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

13.8%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

22.1%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

39.1%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

24.9%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Lawrence County	Missouri	United States
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	5.7	5.7	5.5
1–3 rooms	8.7%	11.5%	15.1%
4–6 rooms	58%	53.4%	51.6%
7+ rooms	33.3%	35%	33.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	1.5%	2%	2.9%
1 bedroom	6.6%	9.7%	10.9%
2 bedrooms	25.3%	26.1%	25%
3 bedrooms	48.6%	41.3%	38.7%
4+ bedrooms	18%	20.9%	22.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1980	1979	1981
Total housing units	16,303	2,825,287	143,775,355

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

73.9% owners

Renter-occupied 26.1%

Owner-occupied 73.9%

homeownership rate

Lawrence County 73.9%

Missouri 68.1%

United States 65.2%

Average household size

2.69

Owner-occupied

2.34

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Lawrence County 2.69

Missouri 2.54

United States 2.64

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Lawrence County	Missouri	United States
Total occupied units	14,602	2,508,227	129,227,496
Year moved in
2020 or later	22%	24.7%	24.8%
2010 to 2019	37.5%	40%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	22.8%	16.5%	16.4%
1999 or earlier	17.6%	18.8%	19.1%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	96.8%	98.3%	96.6%
1.01 to 1.50	2.1%	1.2%	2.2%
1.51 or more	1.1%	0.5%	1.2%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	6.3%	6.6%	8.4%
1 vehicle	29%	33%	33.1%
2 vehicles	35.9%	37.5%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	28.8%	22.8%	21.9%
House heating fuel used
Gas	54.9%	57.7%	51.4%
Electricity	37.7%	38.8%	41.3%
Solar	0.2%	0.1%	0.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	0%	0.2%	3.9%
All other fuels	6.8%	2.8%	2%
No fuel used	0.5%	0.4%	1.2%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.5%	0.4%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0.6%	0.8%	0.8%
No telephone service available	0.9%	0.9%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$175,100

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Lawrence County

$175,100

Missouri

$230,300

United States

$332,700

Housing Cost Burden

22.4%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

22.4%

Owners without a mortgage

12%

Renters

43.9%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Lawrence County	Missouri	United States
Property value
Median Value	$175,100	$230,300	$332,700
Under $100,000	24.5%	15.9%	11.4%
$100,000 - $200,000	32%	25.7%	15.8%
$200,000 - $300,000	24.4%	24.1%	17.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	13.6%	23.6%	26.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	4.6%	9.1%	20.9%
$1,000,000 and more	0.8%	1.6%	7.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	55.5%	60.2%	60.6%
Without a mortgage	44.5%	39.8%	39.4%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,216	$1,524	$1,963
Without a mortgage	$438	$546	$638
Gross rent
Median rent	$800	$1,033	$1,413

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

16.9%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Lawrence County 16.9%

Missouri 32.4%

United States 35.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

12.7%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Lawrence County 12.7%

Missouri 8.2%

United States 10.4%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

8,852

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

7.2%

K–12

77.6%

College / Undergraduate

12.9%

Graduate / Professional

2.3%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

21.1%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Lawrence County

21.1%

Missouri

38.1%

United States

40.9%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Lawrence County	Missouri	United States
Total enrolled (age 3+)	8,852	1,440,482	80,089,790
Nursery / preschool	7.2%	6.3%	5.7%
K–12	77.6%	69.4%	67.6%
Kindergarten	5.5%	5.1%	5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	25.6%	20.5%	19.8%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	24.3%	21.7%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	22.2%	22%	21.7%
College or graduate school	15.2%	24.3%	26.7%
College, undergraduate	12.9%	18.7%	21%
Graduate, professional school	2.3%	5.6%	5.8%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	21.1%	38.1%	40.9%
School type
Public school	83.6%	80.3%	82%
Private school	16.4%	19.7%	18%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

25,731

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

4.7%

9th-12th, no diploma

HS graduate

38.3%

Some college no degree

24.2%

Associates degree

7.9%

Bachelors degree

11.2%

Graduate or professional degree

5.7%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

59.1% · 40.9%

9th-12th, no diploma

54.8% · 45.2%

HS graduate

54% · 46%

Some college no degree

43.8% · 56.2%

Associates degree

50.1% · 49.9%

Bachelors degree

42.9% · 57.1%

Graduate or professional degree

37.4% · 62.6%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Lawrence County	Missouri	United States
Population (25+)	25,731	4,243,115	230,807,303
Less than 9th grade	4.7%	2.7%	4.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	8%	5.5%	5.7%
High school diploma or GED	38.3%	30.2%	26%
Some college, no degree	24.2%	20.8%	19.1%
Associate's degree	7.9%	8.4%	8.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	16.9%	32.4%	35.7%
Bachelor's degree	11.2%	19.8%	21.6%
Graduate or professional	5.7%	12.6%	14.1%
High School or higher	87.3%	91.9%	89.6%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$42,722

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$33,333

HS graduate

$40,738

Some college or associates

$43,088

Bachelors degree

$47,568

Graduate or professional degree

$60,634

Poverty Rate

6.8%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

18%

HS graduate

14.4%

Some college or associates

10.2%

Bachelors degree or higher

6.8%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Lawrence County	Missouri	United States
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$42,722	$49,030	$52,696
Less than high school graduate	$33,333	$32,024	$32,485
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$40,738	$38,607	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$43,088	$44,914	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$47,568	$61,818	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$60,634	$75,454	$90,720
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	18%	26.4%	24.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	14.4%	14.4%	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	10.2%	9.7%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	6.8%	4.3%	4.5%

Insights for Lawrence County, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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