United States › West Plains MICROPOLITAN AREA
West Plains Micro West Plains, MO · 1 counties · 40,798 residents (2025 est.) · 927 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
West Plains is a metro area of 40,383 people. 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 1% of people across the metro were born outside the United States. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $173,000. Renters pay $733 a month at the median. The poverty rate is 20.3%, above the 12.5% national rate.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 43%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 37,238 in 2000
40,798 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 40 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
from 38.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
31K 33K 36K 39K 41K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 West Plains Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $50,993
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $25,628 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,959 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 18.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.414 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 6.7%
Transportation & warehousing 2.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.4%
Public administration 2.4%
Education & health services 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.9%
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$173,000
+43%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $66,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$733
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $350 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 73.6% in 2000
29.7% rent
from 13.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.56 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 37.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.8 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 95.7%(35,623)
Hispanic / Latino 1.2%(450)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 91.5%(36,940)
Hispanic / Latino 2.6%(1,042)
from 12 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 25 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
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data from 10.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 73.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 54.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 63.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 25.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 15.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 15.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 64.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 89.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 29.4%(4,577)
Women 15+
Never married 22.6%(3,801)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 40.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 24.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 53.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
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)
Gulf War (1990s) 22.9%(644)
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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In this metro
Largest cities What's inside
1 component county Drill deeper
Metros similar to West Plains Head to head
Compare West Plains side by side WEST PLAINS VS
Henderson
Income $50,465 −1%
Home value $161,500 −7%
Population 42,638 +5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WEST PLAINS VS
Mayfield
Income $50,772 same
Home value $147,800 −15%
Population 37,050 −9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WEST PLAINS VS
Alice
Income $51,270 +1%
Home value $117,141 −32%
Population 45,383 +11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WEST PLAINS VS
Blytheville
Income $52,548 +3%
Home value $122,500 −29%
Population 37,828 −7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in West Plains, MO? West Plains, MO has about 40,383 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in West Plains, MO? The typical household in West Plains, MO earns about $50,993 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is West Plains, MO expensive? In West Plains, MO, the median home is worth about $173,000, and the typical rent is about $733 a month.
How educated are people in West Plains, MO? About 17.8% of adults age 25 and over in West Plains, MO hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in West Plains, MO? About 20.3% of people in West Plains, MO live below the federal poverty line.
Has West Plains, MO grown since 1990? Yes, West Plains, MO has grown since 1990. The population has added about 8,936 residents, a change of about 28 percent over that period.
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