United States › Missouri › West Plains CITY
West Plains Missouri · 12,780 residents (2025 est.) · 13.3 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
West Plains is a city of 12,441 people in Missouri. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. The poverty rate is 28.1%, above the 12.5% national rate. Households here earn about 38% less than in Missouri as a whole. The foreign-born share is 0%. 52% of homes are owner-occupied.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 38%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 10,866 in 2000
12,780 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 876 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
9K 10K 11K 12K 13K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 West Plains Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $44,002
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $24,122 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,019 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 19.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.426 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 6.1%
Public administration 3.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing 1.6%
Education & health services 1.3%
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$169,900
+38%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $67,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$810
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $356 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 61.3% in 2000
47.9% rent
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.39 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 28.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 42.8% 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 94.8%(10,304)
Hispanic / Latino 1.6%(179)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 94.1%(11,704)
Hispanic / Latino 0.2%(30)
from 20 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
+ 13 more ancestry groups with data from 13.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 74.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 55.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 65.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 26.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 13.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 19.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 12.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 64.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 36.4%(1,592)
Women 15+
Never married 27.8%(1,537)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 12.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 37.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 26.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 49.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 44.3% 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) 38.1%(278)
Gulf War (1990s) 18.5%(135)
Share of the 730 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
Places similar to West Plains Head to head
Compare West Plains to nearby cities WEST PLAINS VS
Mountain Home
Income $41,274 −6%
Home value $169,800 same
Population 13,373 +5%
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WEST PLAINS VS
Batesville
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WEST PLAINS VS
Marshfield
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WEST PLAINS VS
Fort Leonard Wood
Income $67,772 +54%
Home value $65,000 −62%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in West Plains, Missouri? West Plains, Missouri has about 12,441 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in West Plains, Missouri? The typical household in West Plains, Missouri earns about $44,002 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is West Plains, Missouri expensive? In West Plains, Missouri, the median home is worth about $169,900, and the typical rent is about $810 a month.
How educated are people in West Plains, Missouri? About 17.1% of adults age 25 and over in West Plains, Missouri hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in West Plains, Missouri? About 28.1% of people in West Plains, Missouri live below the federal poverty line.
Has West Plains, Missouri grown since 1990? Yes, West Plains, Missouri has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,528 residents, a change of about 40 percent over that period.
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