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COUNTY

Cole County

Missouri · 77,908 residents (2025 est.) · 391.548 sq mi
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The short version

Cole County has roughly average household income, with a median household income of $74,876. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $229,600. It sits in the top 10% of US counties for household income.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.9
US median: 38.9
Average education
39% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 30%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
77,032
+8%since 2000
from 71,397 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
197 / sq mi
+4%since 2009
from 188 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
39.9
+12%since 2000
from 35.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:77,908 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
62K66K70K75K79K1990201020202024Cole County
202477K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.6%(4,346)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.7%(4,355)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.7%(5,168)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.6%(5,111)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.3%(4,849)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413%(9,992)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413.4%(10,319)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412%(9,238)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.7%(9,764)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.7%(8,253)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.5%(4,231)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.8%(1,406)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$74,876
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,924 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$39,068
+88%since 2000
from $20,739 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
49.9%
+17.5 ptssince 2009
from 32.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
9.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2000
from 8.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.424
+5%since 2010
from 0.405 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade8.1%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade8%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services7.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration6.3%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance4.9%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing1.8%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.5%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services1.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.7%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$229,600
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $96,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$834
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $441 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
67.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2000
from 67.8% in 2000
32.1% rent
Vacancy rate
7.3%
−1.9 ptssince 2009
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
12.5%
−4.4 ptssince 2009
from 16.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
32.2%
+2.2 ptssince 2009
from 30.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.1
+23%since 2009
from 2.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
48
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Cole County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic86.4%(61,684)
Black9.9%(7,049)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(915)
Asian0.9%(621)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic79.2%(61,045)
Black9.7%(7,484)
Hispanic / Latino3.6%(2,807)
Asian1.4%(1,086)
Other6%(4,610)
Diversity Score
45
+35%since 2009
from 33 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
26
−9%since 2020
from 29 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
Mexican2.5%(1,943)
Nicaraguan0.3%(207)
Puerto Rican0.3%(201)
Guatemalan0.1%(47)
Dominican0%(29)
Cuban0%(22)
Honduran0%(20)
Colombian0%(19)
Spaniard0%(16)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.7%(534)
Taiwanese0.2%(183)
Filipino0.2%(166)
Vietnamese0.1%(113)
Chinese0.1%(53)
Thai0%(26)
Japanese0%(25)
Korean0%(17)
Nepalese0%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(11)
Ancestry
German29.8%(22,958)
English11%(8,511)
Irish9.1%(6,996)
American8.8%(6,775)
French2.5%(1,888)
Scottish1.9%(1,431)
Italian1.6%(1,243)
Dutch1.1%(885)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(834)
Swedish0.8%(652)
Polish0.8%(582)
+ 38 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.6%(498)
Welsh0.6%(425)
British0.4%(319)
West Indian0.4%(306)
Swiss0.3%(268)
Jamaican0.2%(174)
Russian0.2%(121)
Czech0.1%(110)
Greek0.1%(101)
Danish0.1%(100)
Hungarian0.1%(87)
Iranian0.1%(86)
Nigerian0.1%(80)
Arab0.1%(73)
Romanian0.1%(70)
Canadian0.1%(68)
Brazilian0.1%(63)
Ghanaian0.1%(57)
Austrian0.1%(55)
Haitian0.1%(55)
Ukrainian0.1%(44)
Croatian0%(28)
Barbadian0%(23)
Slovene0%(17)
Moroccan0%(11)
Serbian0%(8)
Belgian0%(3)
Finnish0%(3)
Syrian0%(2)
Slovak0%(2)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest Mexican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
38.9%
+11.5 ptssince 2000
from 27.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
94.2%
+8.9 ptssince 2000
from 85.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
14.1%
+5.0 ptssince 2000
from 9.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
17.9 min
+59%since 2000
from 11.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
78.0%
−5.0 ptssince 2009
from 83.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.7%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
9.2%
+6.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.5%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
2.9%
−1.8 ptssince 2011
from 4.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
63.2%
−4.0 ptssince 2011
from 67.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
19.5%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 20.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
44.7%
−22.4 ptssince 2009
from 67.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
Female
49.7%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
Foreign born
2.9%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.7%
−41.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
13.1%
Unchangedsince 2012
from 13.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.8%
−85.0 ptssince 2013
from 90.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
89.5%
+20.8 ptssince 2017
from 68.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
96.0%
+0.2 ptssince 2016
from 95.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.7%
−0.1 ptssince 2016
from 1.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married35.3%(11,249)
Married51.4%(16,382)
Widowed3.6%(1,138)
Divorced9.6%(3,072)
Women 15+
Never married26.4%(8,278)
Married49.7%(15,581)
Widowed9.7%(3,023)
Divorced14.2%(4,440)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Cole County to nearby counties

COLE COUNTY VS
Moniteau County
Income$65,715−12%
Home value$181,900−21%
Population15,428−80%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLE COUNTY VS
Miller County
Income$56,736−24%
Home value$192,600−16%
Population25,817−67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLE COUNTY VS
Osage County
Income$76,681+2%
Home value$223,300−3%
Population13,611−83%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLE COUNTY VS
Callaway County
Income$74,176−1%
Home value$201,600−12%
Population45,765−41%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Cole County, Missouri?

Cole County, Missouri has about 77,032 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Cole County, Missouri earns about $74,876 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Cole County, Missouri expensive?

In Cole County, Missouri, the median home is worth about $229,600, and the typical rent is about $834 a month.

How educated are people in Cole County, Missouri?

About 38.9% of adults age 25 and over in Cole County, Missouri hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Cole County, Missouri?

About 9.0% of people in Cole County, Missouri live below the federal poverty line.

Has Cole County, Missouri grown since 1990?

Yes, Cole County, Missouri has grown since 1990. The population has added about 13,453 residents, a change of about 21 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

18 census tracts
Census Tract 201.98Census Tract 204Census Tract 108.01Census Tract 107.01Census Tract 107.02Census Tract 206Census Tract 103Census Tract 105Census Tract 202Census Tract 108.02Census Tract 203Census Tract 104.01Census Tract 106Census Tract 109.01Census Tract 109.02Census Tract 205Census Tract 104.02Census Tract 207
6 ZIP codes
ZIP 65109ZIP 65101ZIP 65053ZIP 65023ZIP 65040ZIP 65076
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →