Mercer County, MO

County

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2023 Population

3,501

0.455% 1-year decline

US Senator

Josh Hawley

Republican Party

US Senator

Eric Schmitt

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

40.8

2.16% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

14.7%

1.48% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$60,357

8.57% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$95,300

9.06% 1-year decline

2023 Employed Population

1,457

2.35% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Mercer County, MO had a population of 3.5k people with a median age of 40.8 and a median household income of $60,357. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Mercer County, MO declined from 3,517 to 3,501, a −0.455% decrease and its median household income grew from $55,592 to $60,357, a 8.57% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Mercer County, MO are White (Non-Hispanic) (91.5%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.4%), Other (Hispanic) (2.23%), White (Hispanic) (1.26%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.03%).

None of the households in Mercer County, 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.

97.8% of the residents in Mercer County, MO are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Mercer County, MO was $95,300, and the homeownership rate was 79.1%.

Most people in Mercer County, MO drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Mercer County, MO was 3 cars per household.

Mercer County, MO borders Decatur County, IA, Wayne County, IA, Grundy County, MO, Harrison County, MO, Putnam County, MO, and Sullivan County, MO.

United States Missouri

Population & Diversity

Mercer County, MO is home to a population of 3.5k people, from which 97.8% are citizens. As of 2023, 3.26% of Mercer County, MO residents were born outside of the country (114 people).

In 2023, there were 38.1 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (3.2k people) in Mercer County, MO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 84 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 78 Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.8%

2023 Citizenship

98.2%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 97.8% of Mercer County, MO residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Mercer County, MO was 98.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Mercer County, MO

White (Non-Hispanic)
3.2k ± 33
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
84 ± 41.4
Other (Hispanic)
78 ± 43

4.43%

Hispanic Population

155 people

4.43% of the people in Mercer County, MO are hispanic (155 people).

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

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County 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

3.26%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

114 people

2.96%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

104 people

As of 2023, 3.26% of Mercer County, MO residents (114 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Mercer County, MO was 2.96%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
89 ± 32
Gulf War (2001-)
18 ± 18
Gulf War (1990s)
7 ± 16

Mercer County, MO has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 4.94 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Mercer County, MO employs 1.46k people. The largest industries in Mercer County, MO are Manufacturing (295 people), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (280 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (182 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($103,393), Finance & Insurance ($61,563), and Information ($58,750).

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

1.46k

2023 Value

± 169

−2.35%

1 Year decline

± 16.8%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Mercer County, MO declined at a rate of −2.35%, from 1.49k employees to 1.46k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Mercer County, MO, are Management Occupations (255 people), Sales & Related Occupations (137 people), and Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (134 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Mercer County, 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

1.46k

2023 Value

± 169

−2.35%

1 Year decline

± 16.8%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Mercer County, MO declined at a rate of −2.35%, from 1.49k employees to 1.46k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Mercer County, MO, are Manufacturing (295 people), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (280 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (182 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Mercer County, MO, though some of these residents may live in Mercer County, MO and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$42,366

Median earning men ± $4,042

$32,000

Median earning women ± $3,933

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($58,750), Construction ($53,750), and Public Administration ($48,750).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Information ($57,969), Public Administration ($52,188), and Manufacturing ($40,875).

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.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

14
Other Services (except Public Administration)
12
Construction
7
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$1.77k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$1.74k
Retail Trade
$1.19k
Transportation and Warehousing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Mercer County, MO went to Donald J. Trump with 86.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (12.5%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.731%).

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

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (86.6%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (12.5%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.731%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Mercer County, MO 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

Completions

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.

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 Mercer County, MO was $95,300 in 2023, which is 0.314 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $104,800 to $95,300, a 9.06% decrease. The homeownership rate in Mercer County, MO is 79.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Mercer County, MO have an average commute time of 24.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Mercer County, MO is higher than the national average, with an average of 3 cars per household.

In 2023, 10.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mercer County, MO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 3.23%.

Housing

Property

$95,300

Median Property Value 2023

±$11,609

$1,019

Median Property Taxes

±$127

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 Mercer County, MO the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

Rent vs Own

79.1%

Homeownership

2023

66.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 79.1% of the housing units in Mercer County, MO were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 79.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Mercer County, 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 4702
Census Tract 4701

The following map shows all of the tracts in Mercer County, 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.

$60,357

Median Household Income

± $10,789

1.29k

Number of Households

± 136

In 2023, the median household income of the 1.29k households in Mercer County, MO grew to $60,357 from the previous year's value of $55,592.

The following chart displays the households in Mercer County, 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 $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Mercer County, 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 2023

Drove Alone (72.4%)
Worked At Home (13.7%)
Carpooled (9.67%)

In 2023, 72.4% of workers in Mercer County, MO drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (13.7%) and those who carpooled to work (9.67%).

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

24.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Mercer County, MO have a shorter commute time (24.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.84% of the workforce in Mercer County, MO have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

3 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Mercer County, MO distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Mercer County, MO have 3 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 10.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mercer County, MO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 3.23%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

14.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Mercer County, MO (506 out of 3.44k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 65 - 74, followed by Males 35 - 44 and then Males 65 - 74.

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

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.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 19.1% of the children was living in poverty in Mercer County, MO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children 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.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 40.8 in Mercer County, MO. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 167 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

89.9% of the population of Mercer County, MO has health coverage, with 44.8% on employee plans, 19% on Medicaid, 14% on Medicare, 10.3% on non-group plans, and 1.75% on military or VA plans.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.1% were men and 52.9% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.2% under 18 years, 17.7% between 18 and 34 years, 36.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 20.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.1% were men and 52.9% were women.

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

Uninsured People

10.1%

Uninsured

44.8%

Employer Coverage

19%

Medicaid

14%

Medicare

10.3%

Non-Group

1.75%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Mercer County, MO declined by 16% from 12.1% to 10.1%.

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