Vernon County, MO

County

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2024 Population

19,687

US Senator

Josh Hawley

Republican Party

US Senator

Eric Schmitt

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

41.9

0.48% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

18.8%

1.05% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$52,230

4.2% 1-year decline

2024 Median Property Value

$158,800

16.2% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

8,482

0.247% 1-year decline

About

None of the households in Vernon 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.

98.3% of the residents in Vernon County, MO are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Vernon County, MO are Cottey College (71 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Vernon County, MO was $158,800, and the homeownership rate was 71.3%.

Most people in Vernon County, MO drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Vernon County, MO was 2 cars per household.

Vernon County, MO borders Bourbon County, KS, Crawford County, KS, Linn County, KS, Barton County, MO, Bates County, MO, Cedar County, MO, and St. Clair County, MO.

United States Missouri

Population & Diversity

Vernon County, MO is home to a population of 19.7k people, from which 98.3% are citizens. As of 2024, 2.19% of Vernon County, MO residents were born outside of the country (431 people).

In 2024, there were 38.5 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (18.2k people) in Vernon County, MO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 474 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 300 Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.3%

2024 Citizenship

98.8%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98.3% of Vernon County, MO residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Vernon County, MO was 98.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Vernon County, MO

White (Non-Hispanic)
18.2k ± 45
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
474 ± 69
Other (Hispanic)
300 ± 153

2.71%

Hispanic Population

533 people

2.71% of the people in Vernon County, MO are hispanic (533 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Vernon 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
41,951 ± 5,011 people
India
23,410 ± 3,749 people
China
17,257 ± 3,221 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Missouri was Mexico, the natal country of 41,951 Missouri residents, followed by India with 23,410 and China with 17,257.

Foreign-Born Population

2.19%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

431 people

1.67%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

329 people

As of 2024, 2.19% of Vernon County, MO residents (431 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Vernon County, MO was 1.67%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
326 ± 90
Gulf War (2001-)
210 ± 109
Gulf War (1990s)
121 ± 83

Vernon County, MO has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.55 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Vernon County, MO.

Economy

The economy of Vernon County, MO employs 8.48k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Vernon County, MO were Health Care & Social Assistance (1,515 people), Retail Trade (1,265 people), and Manufacturing (992 people), and the highest paying industries were Information ($75,268), Transportation & Warehousing ($51,745), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($50,330).

Employment

Occupations

8.48k

2024 Value

± 653

−0.247%

1 Year decline

± 10.8%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Vernon County, MO declined at a rate of −0.247%, from 8.5k employees to 8.48k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Vernon County, MO, are Management Occupations (921 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (906 people), and Production Occupations (905 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Vernon County, MO.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

8.48k

2024 Value

± 653

−0.247%

1 Year decline

± 10.8%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Vernon County, MO declined at a rate of −0.247%, from 8.5k employees to 8.48k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Vernon County, MO, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,515 people), Retail Trade (1,265 people), and Manufacturing (992 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Vernon County, MO, though some of these residents may live in Vernon County, MO and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$35,133

Median earning men ± $6,088

$33,899

Median earning women ± $3,013

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Information ($75,536), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($51,698), and Public Administration ($47,716).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Manufacturing ($45,081), Public Administration ($41,855), and Construction ($40,139).

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

50
Health Care and Social Assistance
36
Other Services (except Public Administration)
35
Construction

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

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$78.7k
Manufacturing
$51.8k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$22.5k
Retail Trade

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

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Missouri went to Donald J. Trump with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (40.1%), followed by Chase Oliver (0.797%).

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 Vernon County, MO. Showing the available data for Missouri.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (58.5%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (40.1%)
Democratic Party
Chase Oliver (0.797%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Missouri went to Donald J. Trump with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (40.1%), followed by Chase Oliver (0.797%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Missouri for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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.

Education

In 2023, universities in Vernon County, MO awarded 71 degrees. The student population of Vernon County, MO in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 0 male students and 266 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Vernon County, MO are White (48 and 81.4%), Hispanic or Latino (5 and 8.47%), Two or More Races (4 and 6.78%), and American Indian or Alaska Native (1 and 1.69%).

The largest universities in Vernon County, MO by number of degrees awarded are Cottey College (71 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Vernon County, MO are Liberal Arts & Sciences (12 and 16.9%), General Biological Sciences (12 and 16.9%), and Other Research & Experimental Psychology (7 and 9.86%).

The median tuition cost for private four year colleges is $24,518.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Vernon County, MO, the percentage of applicants admitted was 66.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 17.6%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 266 (0% men and 100% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 266 students enrolled in Vernon County, MO, 0% men and 100% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 194 records, of which 100% were women and 0% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Biological Sciences
12 degrees awarded
Other Research & Experimental Psychology
7 degrees awarded
Secondary Education & Teaching
6 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Vernon County, MO was General Biological Sciences with 12 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Vernon County, MO according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Cottey College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

71 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Cottey College with 71 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 0 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Vernon County, MO, which is 0 times less than the 71 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 48 degrees mean that there were 9.6 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 5 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

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($24,518) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,691) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,100) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Housing & Living

The median property value in Vernon County, MO was $158,800 in 2024, which is 0.477 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $136,700 to $158,800, a 16.2% increase. The homeownership rate in Vernon County, MO is 71.3%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Vernon County, MO have an average commute time of 19.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Vernon County, MO is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 11.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Vernon County, MO. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 1.22%.

Housing

Property

$158,800

Median Property Value 2024

±$8,409

$5,528

Median Property Taxes

±$483

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

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

Rent vs Own

71.3%

Homeownership

2024

67.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 71.3% of the housing units in Vernon County, MO were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 72.6%.

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

Equity

Household Income

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

$52,230

Median Household Income

± $3,655

7.75k

Number of Households

± 585

In 2024, the median household income of the 7.75k households in Vernon County, MO declined from $52,230 from the previous year's value of $54,519.

The following chart displays the households in Vernon 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 Vernon County, MO is from Missouri.

0.451

2023 Wage GINI in Missouri

0.455

2022 Wage GINI in Missouri

In 2023, the income inequality in Missouri was 0.451 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.848% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Missouri was lower than than the national average of 0.476. 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 2024

Drove Alone (73.1%)
Worked At Home (11.8%)
Carpooled (9.53%)

In 2024, 73.1% of workers in Vernon County, MO drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.8%) and those who carpooled to work (9.53%).

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

19.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Vernon County, MO have a shorter commute time (19.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.15% of the workforce in Vernon County, MO have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 11.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Vernon County, MO. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 1.22%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

18.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Vernon County, MO (3.57k out of 19k 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 35 - 44, followed by Males 55 - 64 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Vernon County, 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.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 21.3% of the children was living in poverty in Vernon County, MO. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 8.5%.

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 578 in Vernon County, MO. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 141 per 100,000 population.

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

Health

85.6% of the population of Vernon County, MO has health coverage, with 34.1% on employee plans, 20% on Medicaid, 16.6% on Medicare, 13.5% on non-group plans, and 1.45% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Vernon County, MO see 3,919 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (3,919 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1638 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 240 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

3,919 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Vernon County, MO

Primary care physicians in Vernon County, MO see an average of 3,919 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (3,919 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.6% under 18 years, 18.1% between 18 and 34 years, 36.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

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

Uninsured People

14.4%

Uninsured

34.1%

Employer Coverage

20%

Medicaid

16.6%

Medicare

13.5%

Non-Group

1.45%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Vernon County, MO declined by 8.13% from 15.6% to 14.4%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 70.6 in Vernon County, MO.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Vernon County, MO.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 41.3% in Vernon County, MO.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Vernon County, MO.