United States › Missouri › Poplar Bluff CITY
Poplar Bluff Missouri · 16,295 residents (2025 est.) · 13.1 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
With 16,254 people, Poplar Bluff is a city in Missouri. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 14% of adults. That trails the Missouri median by roughly 41%. The typical home is worth $119,800, having more than doubled since 2000. 1% of people here were born outside the United States. Owners hold 53% of the housing stock.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 37.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 31%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 16,651 in 2000
16,295 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,237 / sq mi
−4%since 2009
from 1,289 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
16K 16K 17K 17K 17K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Poplar Bluff Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $41,941
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $22,068 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,996 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 24.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.480 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5%
Public administration 4.3%
Transportation & warehousing 1.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.7%
Education & health services 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$119,800
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $50,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$760
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $341 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 54.8% in 2000
46.9% rent
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.27 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 25.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 52.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.0 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 86.4%(14,384)
Hispanic / Latino 1.3%(224)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 78.5%(12,759)
Hispanic / Latino 2.4%(395)
from 38 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
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data from 12.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 67.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 17.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 55.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 58.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 26.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 26.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 15.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 64.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 83.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 73.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 41.1%(2,591)
Women 15+
Never married 28.5%(1,947)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 37.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 34.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 50.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 53.0% 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) 14%(160)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.4%(153)
Share of the 1,139 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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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Poplar Bluff, Missouri? Poplar Bluff, Missouri has about 16,254 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Poplar Bluff, Missouri? The typical household in Poplar Bluff, Missouri earns about $41,941 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Poplar Bluff, Missouri expensive? In Poplar Bluff, Missouri, the median home is worth about $119,800, and the typical rent is about $760 a month.
How educated are people in Poplar Bluff, Missouri? About 14.4% of adults age 25 and over in Poplar Bluff, Missouri hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Poplar Bluff, Missouri? About 20.8% of people in Poplar Bluff, Missouri live below the federal poverty line.
Has Poplar Bluff, Missouri grown since 1990? Yes, Poplar Bluff, Missouri has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 742 residents, a change of about -4 percent over that period.
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