CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Poplar Bluff

Missouri · 16,996 residents · 13.1 sq mi

Time machine

VIEWING

COMPARE TO

Part of the Poplar Bluff micropolitan area

The short version

Poplar Bluff is home to 16,996 people in Missouri. That trails the Missouri median by roughly 44%. 26.8% of people here live below the federal poverty line. The typical home is worth $32,800. Households take in $14,868 at the median, 51% less than the US figure. About 12% of adults have finished a four-year degree.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 35.9

US median: 33.0

Less educated

12% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 14%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

16,996

+2%vs 2000

vs 16,651 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

35.9

−7%vs 2000

vs 38.7 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

13.1 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202416K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 57.2%(1,222)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97.4%(1,259)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 146.6%(1,122)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.1%(1,206)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 245.9%(1,000)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.6%(2,489)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4413%(2,205)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 548.4%(1,427)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 6410.1%(1,718)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 7410.5%(1,777)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 846.9%(1,178)

US avg: 4%

85 and over2.3%(393)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$14,868

−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $22,068 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$9,100

−35%vs 2000

vs $13,996 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

26.8%

+2.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 24.4% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$32,800

−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $50,100 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$247

−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $341 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

55.9%

+1.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 54.8% in 2000

44.1% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic86.4%(14,384)

Black9.6%(1,605)

Hispanic / Latino1.3%(224)

Asian0.5%(85)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic90.6%(15,394)

Black8.4%(1,421)

Hispanic / Latino0.7%(122)

Asian0.5%(85)

Other0.6%(96)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican1.2%(200)

Central American0.4%(58)

Honduran0.4%(58)

South American0.3%(42)

Colombian0.3%(42)

Puerto Rican0.2%(25)

Spaniard0.1%(24)

Asian origin

Filipino0.6%(96)

Vietnamese0.3%(54)

Pacific Islander origin

Chamorro0.1%(22)

Ancestry

German12.7%(2,065)

Irish11.6%(1,878)

English10.2%(1,659)

American9.7%(1,577)

Polish2.5%(405)

Scottish2.3%(370)

West Indian2.3%(369)

Jamaican1.8%(300)

French1.8%(296)

Italian1.7%(270)

Scotch-Irish1.5%(238)

Dutch0.8%(133)

+ 16 more ancestry groups with data

British0.8%(132)

Haitian0.8%(130)

Swedish0.7%(116)

Croatian0.5%(81)

Arab0.4%(73)

Syrian0.4%(73)

Subsaharan African0.4%(71)

Hungarian0.4%(69)

Welsh0.1%(23)

Czech0.1%(19)

Lithuanian0.1%(11)

Norwegian0%(8)

Portuguese0%(8)

Nigerian0%(8)

Russian0%(7)

Canadian0%(4)

RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest American population · Largest Polish population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

11.8%

−0.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 12.2% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

58.1%

−9.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 67.9% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

4.1%

−2.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 6.2% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

13.7 min

+31%vs 2000

vs 10.4 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married41.1%(2,591)

Married43.4%(2,736)

Widowed1.8%(111)

Divorced13.8%(873)

Women 15+

Never married28.5%(1,947)

Married41.5%(2,831)

Widowed12.7%(865)

Divorced17.4%(1,186)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

15.2%

−0.7 ptssince 2013

from 15.9% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

33.8%

−3.8 ptssince 2020

from 37.6% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

10.0%

−2.1 ptssince 2020

from 12.1% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

25.2%

−0.7 ptssince 2020

from 25.9% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

36.4%

+2.1 ptssince 2020

from 34.3% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

3.7%

−0.5 ptssince 2020

from 4.2% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

42.9%

−7.4 ptssince 2020

from 50.3% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

55.7%

+2.7 ptssince 2020

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)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)13.4%(153)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era46.4%(529)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War2.2%(25)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Drill deeper