United States › Missouri › Ray County COUNTY
Ray County Missouri · 23,398 residents (2025 est.) · 569 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Ray County is home to 23,145 people in Missouri. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 16% of adults. That puts it in the top 7% of US counties for household income. The foreign-born share is 1%. 77% of homes are owner-occupied. The typical home is worth $198,800, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 28%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 23,354 in 2000
23,398 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 41 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 37.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
22K 22K 23K 23K 24K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Ray County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $74,573
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $41,886 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,685 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 28.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 6.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.425 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 7.4%
Public administration 4.9%
Transportation & warehousing 3.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
Education & health services 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$198,800
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $85,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$782
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $455 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 79.5% in 2000
22.7% rent
from 8.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.51 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.51 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 37.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.4 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 95.8%(22,384)
Hispanic / Latino 1.1%(253)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 92.2%(21,333)
Hispanic / Latino 2.9%(667)
from 12 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 14 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
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data from 10.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 79.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 26.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 62.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 72.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 25.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 8.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 71.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 89.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 27.6%(2,630)
Women 15+
Never married 19.8%(1,842)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 8.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 61.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 12.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 74.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 30.5% 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) 17.6%(257)
Gulf War (1990s) 28.4%(415)
Share of the 1,463 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 Ray County Head to head
Compare Ray County to nearby counties RAY COUNTY VS
Lafayette County
Income $80,612 +8%
Home value $216,500 +9%
Population 33,531 +43%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RAY COUNTY VS
Clay County
Income $88,468 +19%
Home value $275,600 +39%
Population 265,032 +1033%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RAY COUNTY VS
Caldwell County
Income $64,806 −13%
Home value $166,500 −16%
Population 9,012 −61%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RAY COUNTY VS
Carroll County
Income $62,154 −17%
Home value $117,500 −41%
Population 8,417 −64%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Ray County, Missouri? Ray County, Missouri has about 23,145 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Ray County, Missouri? The typical household in Ray County, Missouri earns about $74,573 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Ray County, Missouri expensive? In Ray County, Missouri, the median home is worth about $198,800, and the typical rent is about $782 a month.
How educated are people in Ray County, Missouri? About 16.2% of adults age 25 and over in Ray County, Missouri hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Ray County, Missouri? About 12.6% of people in Ray County, Missouri live below the federal poverty line.
Has Ray County, Missouri grown since 1990? Yes, Ray County, Missouri has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,174 residents, a change of about 5 percent over that period.
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