United States › Missouri › McDonald County COUNTY
McDonald County Missouri · 23,992 residents (2025 est.) · 539 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
McDonald County is home to 23,701 people in Missouri. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 12% of adults. The typical home is worth $154,700, having more than doubled since 2000. Households here earn about 26% less than in Missouri as a whole. Median rent is $767 a month. Median household income is $52,375, under the $82,259 national median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 46%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 21,681 in 2000
23,992 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 42 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 34.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
16K 18K 20K 22K 24K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 McDonald County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $52,375
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,010 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,175 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 20.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.422 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.1%
Public administration 2.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.1%
Transportation & warehousing 0.7%
Education & health services 0.2%
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$154,700
+46%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $58,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$767
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $382 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 71.4% in 2000
32.7% rent
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.84 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 25.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.3 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.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 84.6%(18,348)
Hispanic / Latino 9.4%(2,030)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 68.3%(16,185)
Hispanic / Latino 12.4%(2,949)
from 43 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
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 Ancestry
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data from 7.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 69.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 76.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 16.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 61.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 59.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 18.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 19.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 51.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 81.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 91.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 86.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 8.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 29.6%(2,821)
Women 15+
Never married 19.6%(1,808)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 40.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 8.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 21.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 49.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 38.4% 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) 32.8%(417)
Gulf War (1990s) 23.6%(300)
Share of the 1,273 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 McDonald County Head to head
Compare McDonald County to nearby counties MCDONALD COUNTY VS
Newton County
Income $66,301 +27%
Home value $190,700 +23%
Population 62,263 +160%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MCDONALD COUNTY VS
Benton County
Income $93,506 +79%
Home value $323,500 +109%
Population 332,554 +1286%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MCDONALD COUNTY VS
Barry County
Income $58,346 +11%
Home value $187,800 +21%
Population 36,200 +51%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MCDONALD COUNTY VS
Ottawa County
Income $49,947 −5%
Home value $123,300 −20%
Population 30,438 +27%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in McDonald County, Missouri? McDonald County, Missouri has about 23,701 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in McDonald County, Missouri? The typical household in McDonald County, Missouri earns about $52,375 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is McDonald County, Missouri expensive? In McDonald County, Missouri, the median home is worth about $154,700, and the typical rent is about $767 a month.
How educated are people in McDonald County, Missouri? About 12.3% of adults age 25 and over in McDonald County, Missouri hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in McDonald County, Missouri? About 16.8% of people in McDonald County, Missouri live below the federal poverty line.
Has McDonald County, Missouri grown since 1990? Yes, McDonald County, Missouri has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,763 residents, a change of about 40 percent over that period.
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