United States › Missouri › Cole County COUNTY · 2020 ACS
Cole County Missouri · 77,279 residents · 392 sq mi
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The short version
Cole County is home to 77,279 people in Missouri. 3% of people here were born outside the United States. Getting to work takes 18 minutes on average. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $169,700. Renters pay $687 a month at the median. Poverty is uncommon here, at 9.5% of people here.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 39.8
US median: 38.8
Average education
36% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 35.5 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
62K 66K 70K 75K 79K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Cole County Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $61,184
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,924 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $20,739 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 32.4% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 8.7% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Public administration 5.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.3%
Transportation & warehousing 2.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.7%
Education & health services 1.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.9%
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$169,700
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $96,800 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$687
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $441 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 67.8% in 2000
32.9% rent
from 2.40 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 2.5 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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 86.4%(61,684)
Hispanic / Latino 1.3%(915)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 79.5%(61,474)
Hispanic / Latino 3.4%(2,661)
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
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 31 more ancestry groups with data from 27.4% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 85.3% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 9.2% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 83.0% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.8% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 67.2% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 38.9% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 9.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 35.3%(11,249)
Women 15+
Never married 26.4%(8,278)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 9.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
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) 20.8%(1,022)
Gulf War (1990s) 22.8%(1,119)
Share of the 4,913 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 Cole County Head to head
Compare Cole County to nearby counties COLE COUNTY VS
Moniteau County
Income $65,715 +7%
Home value $181,900 +7%
Population 15,428 −80%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLE COUNTY VS
Miller County
Income $56,736 −7%
Home value $192,600 +13%
Population 25,817 −67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLE COUNTY VS
Osage County
Income $76,681 +25%
Home value $223,300 +32%
Population 13,611 −83%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COLE COUNTY VS
Callaway County
Income $74,176 +21%
Home value $201,600 +19%
Population 45,765 −41%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Cole County, Missouri? Cole County, Missouri has about 77,279 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Cole County, Missouri? The typical household in Cole County, Missouri earns about $61,184 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 $169,700, and the typical rent is about $687 a month.
How educated are people in Cole County, Missouri? About 35.5% 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 9.5% 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 13,700 residents, a change of about 22 percent over that period.
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