West Plains, MO

Census Place

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2022 Population

12,250

1.68% 1-year growth

US Senator

Josh Hawley

Republican Party

US Senator

Eric Schmitt

Republican Party

2022 Median Age

34.6

2.06% 1-year increase

2022 Poverty Rate

33.8%

0.803% 1-year decrease

2022 Median Household Income

$38,676

0.698% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$137,700

34.2% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

4,981

0.777% 1-year decline

About

In 2022, West Plains, MO had a population of 12.3k people with a median age of 34.6 and a median household income of $38,676. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of West Plains, MO grew from 12,048 to 12,250, a 1.68% increase and its median household income grew from $38,408 to $38,676, a 0.698% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in West Plains, MO are White (Non-Hispanic) (96.1%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.44%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (0.539%), American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (0.359%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (0.327%).

None of the households in West Plains, MO reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99.7% of the residents in West Plains, MO are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in West Plains, MO are Missouri State University-West Plains (300 degrees awarded in 2022) and South Central Career Center (49 degrees).

In 2022, the median property value in West Plains, MO was $137,700, and the homeownership rate was 47.5%.

Most people in West Plains, MO drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 17.3 minutes. The average car ownership in West Plains, MO was 2 cars per household.

United States Missouri Howell County, MO West Plains, MO Howell, Texas, Wright, Douglas, Oregon & Ozark Counties PUMA, MO

Population & Diversity

West Plains, MO is home to a population of 12.3k people, from which 99.7% are citizens. As of 2022, 0.376% of West Plains, MO residents were born outside of the country (46 people).

In 2022, there were 39.4 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (11.8k people) in West Plains, MO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 299 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 66 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.7%

2022 Citizenship

99.5%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 99.7% of West Plains, MO residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in West Plains, MO was 99.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in West Plains, MO compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in West Plains, MO

White (Non-Hispanic)
11.8k ± 145
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
299 ± 92.1
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
66 ± 60

0.22%

Hispanic Population

27 people

0.22% of the people in West Plains, MO are hispanic (27 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in West Plains, MO as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Missouri.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
37,430 ± 4,735 people
India
22,246 ± 3,655 people
China
18,085 ± 3,297 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Missouri was Mexico, the natal country of 37,430 Missouri residents, followed by India with 22,246 and China with 18,085.

Foreign-Born Population

0.376%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

46 people

0.523%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

63 people

As of 2022, 0.376% of West Plains, MO residents (46 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in West Plains, MO was 0.523%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in West Plains, MO compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
232 ± 187
Vietnam
214 ± 106
Korea
113 ± 79

West Plains, MO has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.08 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of West Plains, MO employs 4.98k people. The largest industries in West Plains, MO are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,034 people), Educational Services (702 people), and Retail Trade (556 people), and the highest paying industries are Public Administration ($61,034), Wholesale Trade ($57,917), and Construction ($48,728).

Males in Missouri have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $55,490. The income inequality in Missouri (measured using the Gini index) is 0.455, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

4.98k

2022 Value

± 648

−0.777%

1 Year decline

± 18.4%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in West Plains, MO declined at a rate of −0.777%, from 5.02k employees to 4.98k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in West Plains, MO, are Sales & Related Occupations (628 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (596 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (562 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of West Plains, MO.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Missouri (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

4.98k

2022 Value

± 648

−0.777%

1 Year decline

± 18.4%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in West Plains, MO declined at a rate of −0.777%, from 5.02k employees to 4.98k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in West Plains, MO, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,034 people), Educational Services (702 people), and Retail Trade (556 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of West Plains, MO, though some of these residents may live in West Plains, MO and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$36,153

Median earning men ± $6,577

$25,694

Median earning women ± $9,264

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Public Administration ($66,635), Wholesale Trade ($57,917), and Construction ($49,693).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Public Administration ($60,668), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($40,912), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($32,381).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Missouri.

Y-Axis

2.17%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.94M people employed in Missouri. This represents a 2.17% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 11.8%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Missouri.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Missouri went to Donald J. Trump with 56.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.4%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.36%).

Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt are the senators currently representing the state of Missouri. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Missouri is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for West Plains, MO. Showing the available data for Missouri.

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (56.8%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.4%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.36%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Missouri went to Donald J. Trump with 56.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.4%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.36%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Missouri for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Missouri

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Missouri.

Josh Hawley

Senator from Missouri

Assumed office on January 3, 2019

Eric Schmitt

Senator from Missouri

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt are the senators currently representing Missouri.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Missouri over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Missouri

Missouri is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Missouri have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in West Plains, MO awarded 349 degrees. The student population of West Plains, MO in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 585 male students and 1,232 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in West Plains, MO are White (320 and 92.2%), followed by Black or African American (9 and 2.59%), Two or More Races (8 and 2.31%), and Hispanic or Latino (4 and 1.15%).

The largest universities in West Plains, MO by number of degrees awarded are Missouri State University-West Plains (300 and 86%) and South Central Career Center (49 and 14%).

The most popular majors in West Plains, MO are General Studies (102 and 29.2%), Registered Nursing (53 and 15.2%), and Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training (30 and 8.6%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 1,817 students enrolled in West Plains, MO, 32.2% men and 67.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,588 records, of which 68.5% were women and 31.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Studies
102 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
53 degrees awarded
Other Teacher Education & Professional Development
24 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in West Plains, MO was General Studies with 102 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in West Plains, MO according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Missouri State University-West Plains
300 degrees awarded
South Central Career Center
49 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Missouri State University-West Plains with 300 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 84 men were awarded degrees from institutions in West Plains, MO, which is 0.317 times less than the 265 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 320 degrees mean that there were 35.6 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 9 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($4,230) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($720) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($833) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Missouri.

Measure

In 2022, 0.699% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.592% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Missouri.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.48M), Some college (1.12M), and Bachelors Degree (864k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in West Plains, MO was $137,700 in 2022, which is 0.488 times smaller than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $102,600 to $137,700, a 34.2% increase. The homeownership rate in West Plains, MO is 47.5%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in West Plains, MO have an average commute time of 17.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in West Plains, MO is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$137,700

Median Property Value 2022

±$26,052

$2,314

Median Property Taxes

±$352

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In West Plains, MO the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in West Plains, MO compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

47.5%

Homeownership

2022

63.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 47.5% of the housing units in West Plains, MO were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 46.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in West Plains, MO compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 905
Census Tract 907

The following map shows all of the places in West Plains, MO colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$38,676

Median Household Income

± $6,913

4.87k

Number of Households

± 589

In 2022, the median household income of the 4.87k households in West Plains, MO grew to $38,676 from the previous year's value of $38,408.

The following chart displays the households in West Plains, MO distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for West Plains, MO is from Missouri.

0.455

2022 Wage GINI in Missouri

0.457

2021 Wage GINI in Missouri

In 2022, the income inequality in Missouri was 0.455 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.432% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Missouri was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Missouri in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Missouri across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022

Drove Alone (86.4%)
Carpooled (7.85%)
Worked At Home (4.26%)

In 2022, 86.4% of workers in West Plains, MO drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.85%) and those who worked at home (4.26%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

17.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in West Plains, MO have a shorter commute time (17.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 3.89% of the workforce in West Plains, MO have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in West Plains, MO compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in West Plains, MO distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in West Plains, MO have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

33.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in West Plains, MO (4k out of 11.8k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 6 - 11, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in West Plains, MO is White, followed by Two Or More and Black.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

77.8% of the population of West Plains, MO has health coverage, with 34.4% on employee plans, 21.8% on Medicaid, 10.7% on Medicare, 9.45% on non-group plans, and 1.51% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Howell County, MO see 1220 patients per year on average, which represents a 12.5% increase from the previous year (1084 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2498 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 396 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Howell County, MO.

1,220 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Howell County, MO

Primary care physicians in Howell County, MO see an average of 1,220 patients per year. This represents a 12.5% increase from the previous year (1,084 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Howell County, MO in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 27.3% under 18 years, 24% between 18 and 34 years, 32.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 45.7% were men and 54.3% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

22.2%

Uninsured

34.4%

Employer Coverage

21.8%

Medicaid

10.7%

Medicare

9.45%

Non-Group

1.51%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in West Plains, MO grew by 8.76% from 20.4% to 22.2%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in West Plains, MO changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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