United States › Missouri › Vernon County COUNTY
Vernon County Missouri · 19,946 residents (2025 est.) · 826 sq mi
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The short version
Vernon County is a county of 19,687 people in Missouri. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 17% of adults. The typical home is worth $158,800, having more than doubled since 2000. 2% of locals were born outside the United States. Density works out to 24 people per square mile. Renters pay $734 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 42%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 20,454 in 2000
19,946 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 24 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 37.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
19K 19K 20K 21K 21K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Vernon County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $52,230
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,021 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,047 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 14.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.427 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 7.5%
Public administration 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.4%
Education & health services 1.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.6%
Transportation & warehousing 0.6%
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$158,800
+42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $61,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$734
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $364 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 72.2% in 2000
28.7% rent
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.43 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 25.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 43.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
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.
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 96.5%(19,742)
Hispanic / Latino 0.8%(172)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 92.6%(18,236)
Hispanic / Latino 2.7%(533)
from 11 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 22 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
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data from 14.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 76.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 74.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 8.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 62.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 67.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 15.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 28.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 21.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 17.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 71.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 27.6%(2,132)
Women 15+
Never married 21.3%(1,731)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 17.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 45.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 14.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 22.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 16.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 60.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 37.5% 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) 24.3%(210)
Gulf War (1990s) 16.9%(146)
Share of the 863 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 Vernon County Head to head
Compare Vernon County to nearby counties VERNON COUNTY VS
Barton County
Income $51,635 −1%
Home value $136,500 −14%
Population 11,795 −41%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
VERNON COUNTY VS
Bourbon County
Income $59,238 +13%
Home value $113,800 −28%
Population 14,319 −28%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
VERNON COUNTY VS
Cedar County
Income $48,181 −8%
Home value $168,100 +6%
Population 14,888 −25%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
VERNON COUNTY VS
Bates County
Income $60,733 +16%
Home value $170,800 +8%
Population 16,512 −17%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Vernon County, Missouri? Vernon County, Missouri has about 19,687 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Vernon County, Missouri? The typical household in Vernon County, Missouri earns about $52,230 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Vernon County, Missouri expensive? In Vernon County, Missouri, the median home is worth about $158,800, and the typical rent is about $734 a month.
How educated are people in Vernon County, Missouri? About 16.6% of adults age 25 and over in Vernon County, Missouri hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Vernon County, Missouri? About 18.8% of people in Vernon County, Missouri live below the federal poverty line.
Has Vernon County, Missouri grown since 1990? Yes, Vernon County, Missouri has grown since 1990. The population has added about 646 residents, a change of about 3 percent over that period.
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