CensusEasy
COUNTY

Barry County

Missouri · 36,200 residents (2025 est.) · 778 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
The short version

Barry County is home to 35,033 people in Missouri. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 15% of adults. The median age is 43.4, about 4 years above the US median. 77% of homes are owner-occupied. The typical home is worth $187,800, having more than doubled since 2000. Median rent is $766 a month.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 48%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
35,033
+3%since 2000
from 34,010 in 2000
36,200 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
45 / sq mi
−2%since 2009
from 46 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
43.4
+14%since 2000
from 38.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
778 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
27K29K32K34K37K19902000201020202024Barry County
202435K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.9%(2,076)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.5%(2,271)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.4%(2,230)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.4%(2,251)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.7%(1,655)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.2%(3,926)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411%(3,860)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.4%(4,000)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.4%(5,062)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7413.1%(4,604)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.1%(2,139)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.7%(959)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$58,346
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,906 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,611
+111%since 2000
from $14,980 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
37.2%
+22.0 ptssince 2009
from 15.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
15.2%
−1.5 ptssince 2000
from 16.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.455
+5%since 2010
from 0.431 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade25.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Information12.9%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade9.6%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.2%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services4.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction4.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Professional, scientific, technical3.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration3.6%
US avg: 4.8%
Education & health services1.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.4%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food0.5%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$187,800
+48%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $69,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$766
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $377 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
77.3%
+1.6 ptssince 2000
from 75.7% in 2000
22.7% rent
Vacancy rate
21.8%
+5.5 ptssince 2009
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.61 people
+4%since 2009
from 2.51 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
16.6%
−4.9 ptssince 2009
from 21.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
35.9%
−2.9 ptssince 2009
from 38.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.2
+15%since 2009
from 2.8 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.
Gentrification Score
51
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic92.6%(31,486)
Black0.1%(30)
Hispanic / Latino5%(1,713)
Asian0.3%(86)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic80.2%(28,092)
Black0.2%(70)
Hispanic / Latino10.2%(3,564)
Asian2%(695)
Other7.5%(2,612)
Diversity Score
43
+62%since 2009
from 26 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
25
−30%since 2020
from 35 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican7%(2,443)
Guatemalan0.9%(306)
Venezuelan0.6%(205)
Puerto Rican0.4%(147)
Panamanian0.2%(67)
Spaniard0.1%(29)
Honduran0%(12)
Asian origin
Hmong1%(356)
Burmese0.6%(212)
Asian Indian0.1%(31)
Korean0.1%(23)
Vietnamese0.1%(22)
Chinese0.1%(18)
Pacific Islander origin
Marshallese0.5%(160)
Samoan0.1%(37)
Ancestry
German16.9%(5,937)
English13.8%(4,837)
Irish8.6%(3,008)
American7.1%(2,473)
French2.3%(797)
Scottish1.8%(627)
Italian1.4%(506)
Polish1.2%(428)
Dutch0.9%(311)
Swedish0.7%(241)
Norwegian0.7%(238)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(219)
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.6%(196)
Danish0.4%(129)
Russian0.2%(78)
Swiss0.2%(72)
Ukrainian0.1%(36)
Czech0.1%(33)
Armenian0.1%(32)
British0.1%(31)
Greek0.1%(22)
Portuguese0.1%(22)
Serbian0.1%(18)
Belgian0%(17)
Austrian0%(15)
Jamaican0%(10)
Somali0%(9)
Finnish0%(6)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
14.6%
+3.9 ptssince 2000
from 10.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
86.1%
+10.4 ptssince 2000
from 75.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
5.0%
+1.5 ptssince 2000
from 3.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.7 min
+45%since 2000
from 16.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
72.3%
−5.5 ptssince 2009
from 77.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
14.9%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 13.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.4%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
10.5%
+5.1 ptssince 2009
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.5%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.4%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.6%
−4.4 ptssince 2011
from 8.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
56.1%
−4.3 ptssince 2011
from 60.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
66.7%
+5.0 ptssince 2020
from 61.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
10.0%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
26.7%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 24.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.4%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
Female
49.6%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
Foreign born
4.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.0%
−4.5 ptssince 2009
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.0%
−2.0 ptssince 2012
from 18.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
12.1%
−6.0 ptssince 2013
from 18.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
84.5%
+27.2 ptssince 2017
from 57.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
92.1%
+5.0 ptssince 2020
from 87.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
89.2%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 87.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
90.6%
−0.6 ptssince 2016
from 91.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
6.8%
−0.1 ptssince 2016
from 6.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married26.5%(3,801)
Married57.3%(8,205)
Widowed4.1%(589)
Divorced12.1%(1,732)
Women 15+
Never married19.8%(2,798)
Married55.8%(7,884)
Widowed11%(1,554)
Divorced13.4%(1,893)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
12.1%
−6.0 ptssince 2013
from 18.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
41.7%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 43.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.4%
−2.1 ptssince 2020
from 15.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
24.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 24.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
22.5%
+2.4 ptssince 2020
from 20.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.7%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 3.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
55.9%
−4.1 ptssince 2020
from 60.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
44.9%
+2.7 ptssince 2020
from 42.2% 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)17%(368)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)15.6%(338)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era52.2%(1,131)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.2%(112)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.6%(13)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,165 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

Places similar to Barry County

Franklin County
Pop 36,916
Marion County
Pop 36,382
Union County
Pop 36,926
Independence County
Pop 38,785
Places similar to Barry County
Head to head

Compare Barry County to nearby counties

BARRY COUNTY VS
Stone County
Income$63,520+9%
Home value$249,000+33%
Population32,503−10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BARRY COUNTY VS
Lawrence County
Income$61,215+5%
Home value$175,100−7%
Population39,401+9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BARRY COUNTY VS
McDonald County
Income$52,375−10%
Home value$154,700−18%
Population23,992−34%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BARRY COUNTY VS
Carroll County
Income$54,230−7%
Home value$210,400+12%
Population29,263−19%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Barry County, Missouri?

Barry County, Missouri has about 35,033 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Barry County, Missouri?

The typical household in Barry County, Missouri earns about $58,346 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Barry County, Missouri expensive?

In Barry County, Missouri, the median home is worth about $187,800, and the typical rent is about $766 a month.

How educated are people in Barry County, Missouri?

About 14.6% of adults age 25 and over in Barry County, Missouri hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Barry County, Missouri?

About 15.2% of people in Barry County, Missouri live below the federal poverty line.

Has Barry County, Missouri grown since 1990?

Yes, Barry County, Missouri has grown since 1990. The population has added about 7,486 residents, a change of about 27 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

Up the hierarchy
All counties in Missouri

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

How we source and harmonize this data →