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CITY · 2020 ACS

Poplar Bluff

Missouri · 16,225 residents · 13.1 sq mi
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The short version

With 16,225 people, Poplar Bluff is a city in Missouri. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 12% of adults. Owners hold 47% of the housing stock. 26.6% of people here live below the federal poverty line. That trails the Missouri median by roughly 38%. The typical home is worth $104,300, having more than doubled since 2000.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 37.3
US median: 38.8
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 39%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

16,225
−3%since 2000
from 16,651 in 2000
1990 – 2025
37.3
−4%since 2000
from 38.7 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
13.1 sq mi
Population, 19902024
16K16K17K17K17K19902000201020202024Poplar Bluff
202416K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 57.1%(1,154)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.3%(1,021)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.7%(1,090)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 197.3%(1,179)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.1%(1,149)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.6%(2,048)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.6%(1,878)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5410.8%(1,749)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6412.4%(2,015)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 749.9%(1,600)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.5%(898)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.7%(444)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$35,603
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $22,068 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$20,461
+46%since 2000
from $13,996 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
17.4%
+7.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
26.6%
+2.1 ptssince 2000
from 24.4% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information17.5%
US avg: 11.1%
Retail trade14%
US avg: 10%
Wholesale trade6.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services5.4%
US avg: 6.6%
Finance & insurance3.9%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical3.3%
US avg: 4.7%
Public administration2.8%
US avg: 4.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.4%
US avg: 1.7%
Manufacturing1.4%
US avg: 0.5%
Transportation & warehousing0.8%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.8%
Arts, entertainment, food0.1%
US avg: 2%
Construction0%
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$104,300
+39%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $50,100 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$646
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $341 in 2000
US average: $1,124
46.7%
−8.1 ptssince 2000
from 54.8% in 2000
53.3% rent
2.48 people
+9%since 2009
from 2.27 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
2.9
−2%since 2009
from 3.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic86.4%(14,384)
Black9.6%(1,605)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(224)
Asian0.5%(85)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic76.5%(12,410)
Black11.5%(1,865)
Hispanic / Latino2.8%(461)
Asian0.9%(144)
Other5.7%(920)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.7%(293)
Colombian0.2%(34)
Cuban0.2%(28)
Honduran0.1%(21)
Asian origin
Pakistani1.5%(248)
Korean0.1%(22)
Filipino0.1%(22)
Vietnamese0.1%(22)
Chinese0%(3)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(23)
Ancestry
American13%(2,200)
Irish12.6%(2,143)
German12.6%(2,140)
English6.6%(1,128)
French1.8%(300)
Italian1.7%(291)
Welsh1.5%(260)
West Indian1.3%(221)
Haitian1.1%(181)
Scottish1%(175)
Jamaican1%(172)
Polish1%(169)
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch1%(168)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(111)
Austrian0.5%(78)
Swedish0.3%(50)
Danish0.2%(42)
British0.2%(29)
Croatian0.1%(16)
Slovene0.1%(16)
Swiss0.1%(15)
Finnish0.1%(13)
Canadian0.1%(10)
Section 05

Education

11.5%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 12.2% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
82.4%
+14.4 ptssince 2000
from 67.9% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
4.0%
−2.2 ptssince 2000
from 6.2% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

14.6 min
+40%since 2000
from 10.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
78.6%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 81.3% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
15.6%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 17.1% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

8.3%
−1.8 ptssince 2011
from 10.1% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
49.9%
−5.2 ptssince 2011
from 55.1% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
58.0%
US average: 73.3%
20.0%
−6.0 ptssince 2009
from 26.1% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

47.7%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 46.1% in 2009
52.3%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 53.9% in 2009
1.9%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
13.2%
−2.7 ptssince 2013
from 15.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
83.1%
US average: 91.9%
73.2%
US average: 86.2%
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

13.2%
−2.7 ptssince 2013
from 15.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
37.6%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
12.1%
US average: 13.7%
25.9%
US average: 17.6%
34.3%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
4.2%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
50.3%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
53.0%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)18.2%(219)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)10.3%(124)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era48.3%(580)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War6.3%(76)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II3.6%(43)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 1,202 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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Poplar Bluff, Missouri?

Poplar Bluff, Missouri has about 16,225 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Poplar Bluff, Missouri?

The typical household in Poplar Bluff, Missouri earns about $35,603 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 $104,300, and the typical rent is about $646 a month.

How educated are people in Poplar Bluff, Missouri?

About 11.5% 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 26.6% 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 771 residents, a change of about -5 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →