Census shows falling population trends in rural Missouri

Benjamin Herrold
Oct 29, 2021
Oct 29, 2021

Missouri street scene — The 2020 Census showed many rural areas continued to lose population. The state of Missouri saw growth over the past decades, although the growth was slower than the nation as a whole.
Photo by Benjamin Herrold

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

The 2020 Census showed Missouri’s population grew by 2.8% over the past decade, compared to 7.4% growth for the U.S. as a whole. The Census showed the continuation of some population trends, including the loss of rural population, but also included some variety among rural communities.

kAm|:DD@FC: D2H A@AF=2E:@? 564=:?6 :? CFC2= 2C62D[ :? A2CE:4F=2C ?@CE96C? 2?5 D@FE962DE6C? |:DD@FC:[ 2D H6== 2D E96 FC32? 4@C6 @7 $E] {@F:D[ 3@E9 @7 H9:49 92G6 366? 564=:?:?8 7@C 564256D] $F3FC32? 2C62D ?62C z2?D2D r:EJ[ $E] {@F:D[ $AC:?87:6=5 2?5 r@=F>3:2 D2H D:8?:7:42?E 8C@HE9]k^Am

kAm“x E9:?< E96 ?F>36CD C6G62= AC6EEJ >F49 H92E 6G6CJ@?6 6IA64E65[” D2:5 !6G6C:== $BF:C6[ A@=:E:42= D4:6?E:DE H:E9 E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 |:DD@FC:]k^Am

Census population map MO — Graphics courtesy U.S. Census Bureau

kAm~7 |:DD@FC:’D ``c 4@F?E:6D[ fg D2H A@AF=2E:@? 564=:?6 C6A@CE65 :? E96 a_a_ r6?DFD] #:A=6J r@F?EJ :? D@FE962DE6C? |:DD@FC: D2H E96 3:886DE A@AF=2E:@? 564=:?6[ =@D:?8 acT @G6C E96 A2DE 564256]k^Am

kAm|2CJ w6?5C:4<D@?[ CFC2= D@4:@=@8:DE H:E9 E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 |:DD@FC:[ D2JD 6249 4@>>F?:EJ 92D :ED @H? 724E@CD E@ 4@?D:56C]k^Am

kAm“(92E’D 42FD:?8 E96 A@AF=2E:@? =@DDn” D96 D2JD] “%92E’D E96 BF6DE:@? E92E 4@>>F?:E:6D ?665 E@ 36 2D<:?8 E96>D6=G6D]”k^Am

kAmw6?5C:4<D@? D2JD :E :D 2=D@ :>A@CE2?E E@ =@@< 2E 56>@8C2A9:4D — H9@ :D =62G:?8 CFC2= 2C62D]k^Am

kAm“x7 E96 J@F?8 A6@A=6 2C6 =62G:?8[ :7 E96J 8@ 86E 2 4@==686 568C66 2?5 5@?’E 4@>6 324<[ E92E 364@>6D >@C6 @7 2 AC@3=6>[” D96 D2JD]k^Am

kAm{@D:?8 E@@ >F49 A@AF=2E:@? 42? 2=D@ 27764E BF2=:EJ @7 =:76 :? CFC2= 2C62D[ D96 D2JD]k^Am

kAm“xE 42? 92G6 D@>6 :>A24E @? E96 =6G6= @7 D6CG:46D E92E 4@>>F?:E:6D 42? AC@G:56[” w6?5C:4<D@? D2JD]k^Am

kAm$96 D2JD :E 42? 2=D@ =:>:E 3FD:?6DD 2?5 56G6=@A>6?E]k^Am

People are also reading…

Good cattle and a giving nature: Late cowboy to receive hall of fame honors
Meristem focuses on reducing crop input costs for farmers
Rural America at its finest: fire relief efforts in Nebraska show best of humanity
Proposals aim to improve pool of rural veterinarians
County school’s Easter parties created lasting memories
Nebraska ranchers reel from fire losses
Rail merger would hurt farmers
From rose farms to rice fields, travel continues
Geopolitical issues influencing soybean market
Divine intent of creation respected
Study reveals how bull buyers use key genetic information
Iowa farmer sees new path for agriculture
With labor tight, incentives key to finding the right help
Seed, weeds and satellites at Commodity Classic
Social media talk burns my britches

kAmw6?5C:4<D@? D2JD D@>6 CFC2= 4@F?E:6D 4=@D6C E@ FC32? 2C62D 92G6 D66? A@AF=2E:@? 8C@HE9[ 2?5 E92E 42? 2=D@ AC6D6?E D@>6 492==6?86D] %96 |:DD@FC: 4@F?EJ H:E9 E96 >@DE 8C@HE9 :? E96 a_a_ r6?DFD H2D !=2EE6 r@F?EJ[ H9:49 D2H 2=>@DE a_T 8C@HE9 @G6C E96 =2DE `_ J62CD] %92E 4@F?EJ :?4=F56D z2?D2D r:EJ DF3FC3D 3FE 2=D@ D@>6 CFC2= 2C62D]k^Am

kAm“xE’D C62==J :?E6C6DE:?8 E@ H2E49] !@AF=2E:@? 82:?D 42? 2=D@ 4C62E6 E96:C @H? D6E @7 AC@3=6>D[” w6?5C:4<D@? D2JD] “pD< 2?J@?6 H9@ =:G6D @? 2 72C> AC@A6CEJ 2C@F?5 r@=F>3:2] %96J 8CF>3=6 23@FE 2== E96 9@FD6D 8@:?8 FA] %96C6’D 2=H2JD 4@>A=2:?ED H96? A@AF=2E:@?D DE2CE E@ DAC625 @FE E@ CFC2= 2C62D] xE’D C62==J 9@H 4@>>F?:E:6D 49@@D6 E@ 252AE E@ E9@D6 492?86D]”k^Am

kAm#@F?5:?8 @FE E96 E@A 7:G6 8C@HE9 4@F?E:6D H6C6 r9C:DE:2?[ r=2J[ {:?4@=? 2?5 q@@?6 4@F?E:6D]k^Am

kAmw6?5C:4<D@? D2JD >2?J CFC2= 4@>>F?:E:6D[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 D>2== E@H? :? }63C2D<2 H96C6 D96 8C6H FA[ 2C6 E9:?<:?8 23@FE H2JD E@ 2EEC24E 2?5 C6E2:? J@F?8 A6@A=6 2?5 72>:=:6D] $96 D2JD 49:=542C6 :D 2 3:8 :DDF6[ 2?5 D@>6 D>2== E@H?D 92G6 366? @776C:?8 AC6D49@@= 2?5 52J42C6 2E E96:C D49@@=D E@ 96=A] w2G:?8 8@@5 A2C<D 2?5 D6CG:46D 2?5 E9:?8D 7@C 72>:=:6D E@ 5@ 42? 2=D@ 96=A[ 2?5 8@@5 x?E6C?6E 2446DD C6>2:?D 2 <6J :DDF6]k^Am

kAm“x E9:?< :E’D :>A@CE2?E E@ E9:?< 23@FE =:G6=:9@@5D[ ?@E ;FDE ;@3D[” D96 D2JD]k^Am

kAm{@D:?8 A@AF=2E:@? 42? 92G6 @E96C 67764ED 7@C CFC2= 2C62D[ :?4=F5:?8 :? A@=:E:4D[ $BF:C6 D2JD]k^Am

kAm“%96 CFC2= 2C62D 2C6 ?@E 8C@H:?8 2D 72DE 2D E96 DF3FC32? @?6D[ 2?5 E92E 5@6D 86E EC2?D=2E65 E@ A@=:E:42= A@H6C[” 96 D2JD]k^Am

kAm&?=:<6 27E6C E96 a_`_ r6?DFD[ |:DD@FC: H:== ?@E =@D6 2 D62E :? r@?8C6DD[ 3FE E96 DE2E6 H:== 92G6 E@ C65C2H :ED 6:89E &]$] w@FD6 @7 #6AC6D6?E2E:G6D 5:DEC:4ED] $BF:C6 D2JD 96 5@6D ?@E 6IA64E 2?J 3:8 492?86D E96C6[ 6G6? :7 D@>6 5:DEC:4ED >:89E 364@>6 D=:89E=J >@C6 4@>A6E:E:G6]k^Am

kAm“x 5@?’E E9:?< J@F’C6 8@:?8 E@ D66 2?JE9:?8 5C2>2E:42==J 5:776C6?E[” 96 D2JD]k^Am

kAm~G6C2==[ $BF:C6 D2JD |:DD@FC:’D C6=2E:G6=J D=@H A@AF=2E:@? 8C@HE9 4@F=5 9:?E 2E 64@?@>:4 4@?5:E:@?D]k^Am

kAm“xE DF886DED E92E E96C6 2C6 D@>6 64@?@>:4 5:77:4F=E:6D E92E 92G6 E@ 36 @G6C4@>6[” 96 D2JD]k^Am

kAmw6?5C:4<D@? D2JD CFC2= 4@>>F?:E:6D 42? 36DE A@D:E:@? E96>D6=G6D 7@C DF446DD 3J 36:?8 H:==:?8 E@ 252AE]k^Am

kAm“%96 4@>>F?:E:6D E92E 2C6 E96 >@DE C6D:=:6?E 2C6 E96 @?6D E92E 42? 252AE E@ 492?8:?8 4@?5:E:@?D[” D96 D2JD]k^Am