COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Butler County

Missouri · 38,765 residents · 695 sq mi

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Part of the Poplar Bluff micropolitan area

The short version

With 38,765 people, Butler County is a county in Missouri. That trails the Missouri median by roughly 38%. The typical home is worth $35,600. 25.0% of residents live below the federal poverty line. About 9% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Households take in $16,285 at the median, 46% less than the US figure.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 35.8

US median: 33.0

Less educated

9% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 19%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

38,765

−5%vs 2000

vs 40,867 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

35.8

−7%vs 2000

vs 38.7 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

695 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202442K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.5%(2,537)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97.1%(2,767)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 147.5%(2,924)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.3%(2,830)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 245.7%(2,221)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.5%(5,633)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4414%(5,443)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5410%(3,858)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 6410.6%(4,124)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 749.4%(3,652)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 845.6%(2,157)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.6%(619)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$16,285

−21%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $27,228 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$9,000

−43%vs 2000

vs $15,721 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

25.0%

+6.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 18.6% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$35,600

−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $58,100 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$255

−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $354 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

68.1%

−0.8 ptsvs 2000

vs 68.9% in 2000

31.9% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic91.6%(37,435)

Black5.2%(2,105)

Hispanic / Latino1%(412)

Asian0.4%(176)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic94.2%(36,503)

Black5.1%(1,971)

Hispanic / Latino0.5%(192)

Asian0.4%(145)

Other0.4%(146)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican1.5%(626)

Puerto Rican0.2%(89)

Central American0.1%(58)

Honduran0.1%(58)

South American0.1%(42)

Colombian0.1%(42)

Spaniard0.1%(24)

Asian origin

Filipino0.2%(96)

Vietnamese0.1%(54)

Korean0.1%(24)

Chinese0%(11)

Pacific Islander origin

Chamorro0.1%(28)

Ancestry

German14.2%(5,985)

English12.6%(5,284)

Irish12%(5,051)

American11.6%(4,867)

Scottish1.7%(719)

Polish1.6%(664)

French1.6%(655)

Scotch-Irish1.1%(481)

Italian1%(438)

West Indian0.9%(369)

Dutch0.7%(309)

Jamaican0.7%(300)

+ 24 more ancestry groups with data

Swedish0.5%(222)

Portuguese0.4%(184)

Norwegian0.3%(147)

British0.3%(143)

Haitian0.3%(130)

Subsaharan African0.2%(102)

Croatian0.2%(92)

Arab0.2%(84)

Hungarian0.2%(84)

Syrian0.2%(78)

Austrian0.1%(60)

Greek0.1%(27)

Welsh0.1%(23)

Finnish0%(21)

Czech0%(19)

Russian0%(18)

Latvian0%(15)

Ukrainian0%(15)

Lithuanian0%(11)

Slovene0%(11)

Canadian0%(10)

Belgian0%(9)

Nigerian0%(8)

Lebanese0%(6)

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

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

8.6%

−3.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 11.6% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

56.8%

−13.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 70.5% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

3.2%

−2.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 5.3% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

17.7 min

+38%vs 2000

vs 12.8 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 married33.5%(5,452)

Married47.6%(7,760)

Widowed3.3%(531)

Divorced15.7%(2,553)

Women 15+

Never married26.7%(4,704)

Married46.1%(8,112)

Widowed10.9%(1,918)

Divorced16.3%(2,861)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

13.0%

−1.7 ptssince 2013

from 14.7% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

40.0%

−3.9 ptssince 2020

from 43.9% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

11.8%

−0.9 ptssince 2020

from 12.7% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

24.7%

+0.5 ptssince 2020

from 24.2% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

28.8%

+3.1 ptssince 2020

from 25.7% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

4.3%

−0.3 ptssince 2020

from 4.6% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

51.0%

−5.7 ptssince 2020

from 56.7% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

49.8%

+4.0 ptssince 2020

from 45.8% 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)24.1%(767)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)25.5%(812)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era35%(1,116)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War1.4%(44)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0.3%(9)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 3,186 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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