United States › Missouri › Carthage CITY
Carthage Missouri · 15,895 residents (2025 est.) · 12.1 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Carthage is a city of 15,574 people in Missouri. This skews young, with a median age of 32.2. The poverty rate is 27.2%, above the 12.5% national rate. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 22% of adults. The typical home is worth $146,800, having more than doubled since 2000. 53% of homes are owner-occupied.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 32.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 40%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 12,668 in 2000
15,895 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,288 / sq mi
+14%since 2009
from 1,126 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
10K 12K 13K 15K 16K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Carthage Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $51,328
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,557 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,281 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 19.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.471 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Transportation & warehousing 5.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.8%
Public administration 3.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.6%
Education & health services 0.5%
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$146,800
+40%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $57,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$975
+32%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $406 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 63.7% in 2000
47.0% rent
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.78 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 54.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.4 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 81.7%(10,351)
Hispanic / Latino 12.5%(1,589)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 59.7%(9,295)
Hispanic / Latino 34.5%(5,378)
from 54 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 9 more ancestry groups with data from 14.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 72.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 78.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 7.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 6.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 14.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 59.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 63.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 23.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 14.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 16.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 21.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 63.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 84.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 72.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 27.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 38.7%(2,050)
Women 15+
Never married 27.4%(1,773)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 21.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 37.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 12.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 29.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 46.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 40.1% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 43.7%(276)
Share of the 632 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Carthage, Missouri? Carthage, Missouri has about 15,574 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Carthage, Missouri? The typical household in Carthage, Missouri earns about $51,328 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Carthage, Missouri expensive? In Carthage, Missouri, the median home is worth about $146,800, and the typical rent is about $975 a month.
How educated are people in Carthage, Missouri? About 22.1% of adults age 25 and over in Carthage, Missouri hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Carthage, Missouri? About 27.2% of people in Carthage, Missouri live below the federal poverty line.
Has Carthage, Missouri grown since 1990? Yes, Carthage, Missouri has grown since 1990. The population has added about 4,827 residents, a change of about 45 percent over that period.
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