COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Howell County

Missouri · 31,447 residents · 927 sq mi

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Part of the West Plains micropolitan area

The short version

Howell County is a county of 31,447 people in Missouri. Households here earn about 37% less than in Missouri as a whole. Median home value sits at $36,400. 25.4% of residents live below the federal poverty line. 9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median household earns $16,564, about 45% below the national median.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 36.4

US median: 33.0

Less educated

9% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 28%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

31,447

−16%vs 2000

vs 37,238 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

36.4

−5%vs 2000

vs 38.2 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

927 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202440K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.8%(2,128)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97.3%(2,305)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 147.7%(2,429)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.1%(2,227)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 245.6%(1,764)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3413.6%(4,268)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4413.5%(4,249)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5410.7%(3,366)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 6410.3%(3,232)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 749.4%(2,960)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 846.3%(1,981)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.7%(538)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$16,564

−15%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $25,628 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$8,776

−37%vs 2000

vs $13,959 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

25.4%

+6.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 18.7% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$36,400

−28%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $66,300 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$243

−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $350 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

73.8%

+0.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 73.6% in 2000

26.2% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic95.7%(35,623)

Black0.3%(114)

Hispanic / Latino1.2%(450)

Asian0.3%(130)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic98.9%(31,111)

Black0%(14)

Hispanic / Latino0.5%(158)

Asian0.1%(20)

Other1%(302)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican1.4%(561)

Spaniard0.3%(124)

Central American0.2%(83)

Guatemalan0.1%(58)

Cuban0.1%(44)

South American0.1%(32)

Panamanian0.1%(25)

Puerto Rican0%(20)

Bolivian0%(17)

Argentine0%(15)

Asian origin

Vietnamese0.1%(58)

Chinese0.1%(52)

Filipino0.1%(36)

Asian Indian0.1%(34)

Nepalese0%(3)

Pacific Islander origin

Samoan0.1%(22)

Native Hawaiian0%(1)

Ancestry

English15.1%(6,085)

German13.6%(5,479)

Irish12.1%(4,890)

American9%(3,637)

Italian2.3%(926)

French2%(790)

Norwegian1.4%(565)

Dutch1.4%(562)

Ukrainian1.3%(528)

Welsh1.1%(454)

Scottish1.1%(449)

Polish1%(424)

+ 21 more ancestry groups with data

Scotch-Irish0.9%(368)

Swedish0.5%(199)

French Canadian0.3%(116)

Subsaharan African0.2%(86)

Armenian0.2%(83)

British0.2%(64)

Hungarian0.2%(62)

Lithuanian0.1%(57)

Finnish0.1%(54)

Danish0.1%(51)

Canadian0.1%(48)

Swiss0.1%(48)

Austrian0.1%(42)

Croatian0.1%(38)

Russian0.1%(32)

Portuguese0.1%(27)

Czech0.1%(23)

Slovak0%(16)

Greek0%(13)

Belgian0%(7)

Ethiopian0%(5)

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

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

8.7%

−2.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 10.9% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

61.2%

−12.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 73.4% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

3.1%

−1.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 4.1% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

20.8 min

+56%vs 2000

vs 13.4 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 married29.4%(4,577)

Married55.3%(8,594)

Widowed3.7%(568)

Divorced11.6%(1,811)

Women 15+

Never married22.6%(3,801)

Married51.8%(8,712)

Widowed11.5%(1,932)

Divorced14.1%(2,375)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

11.7%

−3.8 ptssince 2013

from 15.5% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

38.1%

−1.9 ptssince 2020

from 40.0% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

14.1%

+1.7 ptssince 2020

from 12.4% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

23.3%

+0.3 ptssince 2020

from 23.0% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

28.6%

+4.6 ptssince 2020

from 24.0% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

4.3%

+0.1 ptssince 2020

from 4.2% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

53.3%

+0.3 ptssince 2020

from 53.0% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

49.0%

+5.2 ptssince 2020

from 43.8% 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%(674)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)22.9%(644)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era31.9%(896)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War6.8%(190)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0.1%(4)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,808 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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