CensusEasy
COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Ray County

Missouri · 21,971 residents · 569 sq mi
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The short version

Ray County is a county of 21,971 people in Missouri. 79% of homes are owner-occupied. About 8% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $45,400. Getting to work takes 31 minutes on average. Renters pay $331 a month at the median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 34.1
US median: 33.0
Less educated
8% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 30%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

21,971
−6%vs 2000
vs 23,354 in 2000
1990 – 2025
34.1
−8%vs 2000
vs 37.1 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
569 sq mi
Population, 19902024
22K22K23K23K24K19902000201020202024Ray County
202423K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 57.4%(1,634)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 98.4%(1,849)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.8%(1,720)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 197.3%(1,602)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 245.2%(1,143)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3415.3%(3,354)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4414.2%(3,123)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5411.8%(2,594)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 649.1%(2,006)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 747.2%(1,576)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844.7%(1,043)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.5%(327)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$27,124
−15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $41,886 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
$11,213
−40%vs 2000
vs $18,685 in 2000
US average: $14,340
10.4%
+3.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 6.8% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

$45,400
−30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $85,200 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
$331
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $455 in 2000
US average: $450
79.0%
−0.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 79.5% in 2000
21.0% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic95.8%(22,384)
Black1.5%(340)
Hispanic / Latino1.1%(253)
Asian0.2%(43)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic97.9%(21,501)
Black1.4%(313)
Hispanic / Latino0.5%(100)
Asian0.2%(33)
Other0.6%(124)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.3%(528)
Puerto Rican0.4%(95)
Nicaraguan0.1%(34)
Cuban0%(5)
Asian origin
Korean0.2%(46)
Chinese0%(9)
Thai0%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Fijian0%(2)
Ancestry
German18.1%(4,191)
Irish13.7%(3,160)
English12.7%(2,949)
American8.3%(1,930)
French2.5%(583)
Scottish1.6%(364)
Italian1.4%(335)
Swedish1.3%(298)
British1.3%(290)
Polish0.9%(200)
Norwegian0.5%(117)
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.5%(111)
Dutch0.4%(101)
Swiss0.2%(50)
Belgian0.2%(42)
Czech0.2%(41)
Lithuanian0.1%(25)
Hungarian0.1%(24)
Danish0.1%(17)
Ukrainian0%(11)
Finnish0%(9)
Russian0%(5)
Arab0%(4)
Greek0%(3)
Section 05

Education

8.4%
−2.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 10.8% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
71.2%
−8.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 79.3% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
2.6%
−0.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 3.3% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

31.3 min
+19%vs 2000
vs 26.4 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 married27.6%(2,630)
Married57.2%(5,446)
Widowed3.7%(353)
Divorced11.5%(1,100)
Women 15+
Never married19.8%(1,842)
Married54.9%(5,110)
Widowed12.2%(1,140)
Divorced13.1%(1,222)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

9.1%
+0.3 ptssince 2013
from 8.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
57.5%
−4.3 ptssince 2020
from 61.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
18.0%
+2.9 ptssince 2020
from 15.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
21.7%
+2.8 ptssince 2020
from 18.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
14.3%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 12.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.8%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 3.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
72.6%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 74.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
33.8%
+3.3 ptssince 2020
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)28.4%(415)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era29.9%(438)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.5%(37)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.3%(5)
US avg: 1%

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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Ray County, Missouri?

Ray County, Missouri has about 21,971 residents according to the 1990 Census.

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

The typical household in Ray County, Missouri earns about $27,124 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 $45,400, and the typical rent is about $331 a month.

How educated are people in Ray County, Missouri?

About 8.4% 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 10.4% of people in Ray County, Missouri live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →