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Poplar Bluff, MO
Key Indicators
A quick look at key numbers
Population
16,254
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
Median Age
37.3
years ∙ half population younger than 37.3, half older
Diversity Index
36.9%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Nativity
1.4%
foreign-born population
Geographic Context
Location, size, and surroundings
About
Poplar Bluff is a city within Butler County, Missouri, United States.
Co-ordinates
DEC36.763259° N, 90.413953° W
DMS36° 45′ 47.73″ N, 90° 24′ 50.23″ W
Population Density & area
1,204/sq mi
(464.4/km²)
Demographics & Living
Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition
Population Composition
Key characteristics of the population
Sex Distribution
48.2%
male
Male
48.2%
Female
51.8%
males per 100 females
Poplar Bluff
92.9
Butler County
95.2
Missouri
97.2
Nativity
1.4%
foreign-born population
% Foreign-born
Poplar Bluff
1.4%
Butler County
0.8%
Missouri
4.5%
Age Distribution
How the population is spread across age groups
Median Age
37.3
years ∙ half population younger than 37.3, half older
Dependency ratio
77.2
dependents per 100 working-age adults
Poplar Bluff
77.2
Butler County
74.7
Missouri
67.3
AGE DISTRIBUTION
Distribution of age group
Median age
| Poplar Bluff | Butler County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age Group | |||
| Children (Under 18) | 23.5% | 23.3% | 22.3% |
| Working age (18-64) | 56.4% | 57.2% | 59.8% |
| Senior (65+) | 20.1% | 19.5% | 17.9% |
| Dependency ratio | |||
| Total dependency ratio | 77.2 | 74.7 | 67.3 |
| Child dependency ratio | 41.6 | 40.7 | 37.4 |
| Old-age dependency ratio | 35.6 | 34 | 29.9 |
Racial & Ethnic Composition
Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares
Race & Ethnicity
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
36.9%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Poplar Bluff
36.9%
Butler County
25.6%
Missouri
40%
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 Poplar Bluff population
| Poplar Bluff | Butler County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.4% | 2.5% | 5.2% |
| Mexican | 1.2% | 1.5% | 3.2% |
| Puerto Rican | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Cuban | 0% | 0% | 0.1% |
| Other Hispanic / Latino | 1% | 0.8% | 1.4% |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 97.6% | 97.5% | 94.8% |
| One race | 90.3% | 91.7% | 90% |
| White | 78.5% | 85.9% | 76.3% |
| Black or African American | 9.1% | 4.7% | 10.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 0.9% | 0.4% | 2.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0.1% |
| Some Other Race | 1.3% | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races (Multiracial) | 7.3% | 5.8% | 4.8% |
Household & Families Composition
Household size, type, and family structure
Household structure
56.7%
family
Family
56.7%
Non family
43.3%
% family households
Poplar Bluff
56.7%
Butler County
59.2%
Missouri
62.1%
Average household size
2.41
persons per household
Household & Family COMPOSITION
Households
Percentage of Poplar Bluff population
| Poplar Bluff | Butler County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total households | 6,504 | 16,594 | 2,508,227 |
| Average houshold size | 2.41 | 2.48 | 2.4 |
| Family households | 3,689 | 9,820 | 1,558,009 |
| Average family size | 3.14 | 3.19 | 3.03 |
| Married couple family | 2,334 | 6,997 | 1,166,368 |
| Other families | 1,355 | 2,823 | 391,641 |
| Male householder | 280 | 969 | 115,975 |
| Female householder | 1,075 | 1,854 | 275,666 |
| Non-family households | 2,815 | 6,774 | 950,218 |
| One-person households | 2,568 | 5,694 | 781,034 |
| Male householder | 947 | 2,310 | 351,809 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 255 | 786 | 107,203 |
| Female householder | 1,621 | 3,384 | 429,225 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 930 | 2,045 | 215,073 |
| Other living arrangements | 247 | 1,080 | 169,184 |
Housing Profile
Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens
Total housing units
7,711
housing units
Poplar Bluff
7,711
Butler County
19,303
Missouri
2,825,287
Occupancy status
84.3%
occupied
Occupied
84.3%
Vacant
15.7%
vacancy rate
Poplar Bluff
15.7%
Butler County
14%
Missouri
11.2%
Housing Characteristics
How the housing supply is structured and used
Types of Housing unit
76.6%
Single family houses
Median Year Built
1974
Half of houses were built before 1974, and half after.
Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.
Housing Characteristics
Units, rooms & bedrooms
Physical characteristics of housing units
| Poplar Bluff | Butler County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooms per unit | |||
| Median rooms | 5.1 | 5.4 | 5.7 |
| 1–3 rooms | 11.8% | 9.2% | 11.5% |
| 4–6 rooms | 63.2% | 60.2% | 53.4% |
| 7+ rooms | 24.9% | 30.6% | 35% |
| Bedrooms | |||
| No bedroom / studio | 1.2% | 1.7% | 2% |
| 1 bedroom | 11.1% | 7.6% | 9.7% |
| 2 bedrooms | 35.2% | 29.4% | 26.1% |
| 3 bedrooms | 39% | 44.1% | 41.3% |
| 4+ bedrooms | 13.6% | 17.1% | 20.9% |
| At a glance | |||
| Median year built | 1974 | 1982 | 1979 |
| Total housing units | 7,711 | 19,303 | 2,825,287 |
Occupancy Profile
Who is inside and how they use it
Homeownership
53.1%
owners
Renter-occupied
46.9%
Owner-occupied
53.1%
homeownership rate
Poplar Bluff
53.1%
Butler County
64.6%
Missouri
68.1%
Average household size
2.44
Owner-occupied
2.37
Renter-occupied
owner-occupied average size
Poplar Bluff
2.44
Butler County
2.57
Missouri
2.54
Housing Characteristics
Occupied unit characteristics
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Poplar Bluff | Butler County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total occupied units | 6,504 | 16,594 | 2,508,227 |
| Year moved in | |||
| 2020 or later | 27.8% | 24.8% | 24.7% |
| 2010 to 2019 | 38% | 38.6% | 40% |
| 2000 to 2009 | 15.3% | 17.4% | 16.5% |
| 1999 or earlier | 18.9% | 19.2% | 18.8% |
| Occupants per room | |||
| 1.00 or fewer | 97.9% | 97.6% | 98.3% |
| 1.01 to 1.50 | 1.3% | 1.7% | 1.2% |
| 1.51 or more | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Vehicles availability | |||
| No vehicles | 14.1% | 8.3% | 6.6% |
| 1 vehicle | 42.9% | 35.7% | 33% |
| 2 vehicles | 30% | 35.2% | 37.5% |
| 3 or more vehicles | 13% | 20.7% | 22.8% |
| House heating fuel used | |||
| Gas | 35.4% | 29.9% | 57.7% |
| Electricity | 63.6% | 67.8% | 38.8% |
| Solar | 0% | 0% | 0.1% |
| Fuel oil, kerosene etc | 0% | 0% | 0.2% |
| All other fuels | 0.3% | 1.8% | 2.8% |
| No fuel used | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Selected characteristics | |||
| Lacking complete plumbing | 0.3% | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Lacking complete kitchen | 1.2% | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| No telephone service available | 1% | 1.3% | 0.9% |
Housing Value
What owner-occupied units are worth
Median home value
$119,800
owner-occupied units
Housing Cost Burden
31.9%
of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened
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
| Poplar Bluff | Butler County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property value | |||
| Median Value | $119,800 | $145,100 | $230,300 |
| Under $100,000 | 39.7% | 30.7% | 15.9% |
| $100,000 - $200,000 | 37.2% | 37.6% | 25.7% |
| $200,000 - $300,000 | 15.2% | 20.7% | 24.1% |
| $300,000 - $500,000 | 5.4% | 8.5% | 23.6% |
| $500,000 - $1,000,000 | 2.4% | 2.1% | 9.1% |
| $1,000,000 and more | 0% | 0.5% | 1.6% |
| Owner-occupied households | |||
| With a mortgage | 56.4% | 51.1% | 60.2% |
| Without a mortgage | 43.6% | 48.9% | 39.8% |
| Median monthly owner costs | |||
| With a mortgage | $1,002 | $1,074 | $1,524 |
| Without a mortgage | $424 | $428 | $546 |
| Gross rent | |||
| Median rent | $760 | $780 | $1,033 |
Education Profile
How educated is the community and how education pays off
Adults with a college degree
14.4%
of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher
Poplar Bluff
14.4%
Butler County
15.8%
Missouri
32.4%
Adults without a high school diploma
16.6%
of adults (25+) without a high school diploma
Poplar Bluff
16.6%
Butler County
15.1%
Missouri
8.2%
School Enrollment
Who is enrolled in school and at what level
School enrollment
3,452
population (age 3+) enrolled in school
College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)
19.5%
of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school
Enrollment & school type
Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split
Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school
| Poplar Bluff | Butler County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total enrolled (age 3+) | 3,452 | 9,271 | 1,440,482 |
| Nursery / preschool | 5% | 4.8% | 6.3% |
| K–12 | 79% | 76% | 69.4% |
| Kindergarten | 4.6% | 5.5% | 5.1% |
| Elementary: Grades 1–4 | 25.5% | 22.2% | 20.5% |
| Elementary: Grades 5–8 | 18.7% | 22% | 21.7% |
| High School: Grades 9–12 | 30.2% | 26.2% | 22% |
| College or graduate school | 16.1% | 19.2% | 24.3% |
| College, undergraduate | 12.9% | 16.2% | 18.7% |
| Graduate, professional school | 3.2% | 3.1% | 5.6% |
| College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds | 19.5% | 25.8% | 38.1% |
| School type | |||
| Public school | 91% | 91.3% | 80.3% |
| Private school | 9% | 8.7% | 19.7% |
Education Attainment by Level & Gender
What is the highest level of education completed among adults
Education attainment
11,049
population 25 years and over
Attainment by gender
Male vs Female
Adults (25+) · Share within each education level
Educational Attainment Overview
Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)
Highest credential completed · adults 25+
| Poplar Bluff | Butler County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (25+) | 11,049 | 28,761 | 4,243,115 |
| Less than 9th grade | 3.6% | 3.8% | 2.7% |
| 9th–12th, no diploma | 13% | 11.3% | 5.5% |
| High school diploma or GED | 42.1% | 39.3% | 30.2% |
| Some college, no degree | 19.1% | 20.5% | 20.8% |
| Associate's degree | 7.8% | 9.3% | 8.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.4% | 15.8% | 32.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 9.4% | 10.2% | 19.8% |
| Graduate or professional | 5% | 5.5% | 12.6% |
| High School or higher | 83.4% | 84.9% | 91.9% |
Earnings by education level
percentage as applicable
Median Earnings
$30,305
Median earnings for adults 25+, by level
Poverty Rate
7.1%
for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher
Outcomes by Education Level
Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)
Adults 25+
| Poplar Bluff | Butler County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median earnings | |||
| Population 25+, with earnings | $30,305 | $36,143 | $49,030 |
| Less than high school graduate | $19,959 | $21,391 | $32,024 |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | $27,210 | $30,841 | $38,607 |
| Some college or associate's degree | $33,140 | $39,392 | $44,914 |
| Bachelor's degree | $43,525 | $44,494 | $61,818 |
| Graduate or professional degree | $48,052 | $54,875 | $75,454 |
| Poverty rates | |||
| Less than high school graduate | 37.4% | 40.6% | 26.4% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 18.7% | 20.2% | 14.4% |
| Some college or associate's degree | 14.3% | 12.2% | 9.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.1% | 6.7% | 4.3% |
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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