Cole County, MO

County

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2024 Population

77,032

2024 Median Age

39.9

0.504% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

9.05%

3.05% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$74,876

2.19% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$229,600

7.09% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

38,011

1.65% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Cole 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.

98.6% of the residents in Cole County, MO are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in N/A are Lincoln University (310 degrees awarded in 2024) and Missouri College of Cosmetology and Esthetics (60 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Cole County, MO was $229,600, and the homeownership rate was 67.9%.

Most people in Cole County, MO drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 17.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Cole County, MO was 2 cars per household.

Cole County, MO borders Boone County, MO, Callaway County, MO, Miller County, MO, Moniteau County, MO, and Osage County, MO.

United States Missouri Jefferson City, MO

Population & Diversity

Cole County, MO is home to a population of 77k people, from which 98.6% are citizens. As of 2024, 2.83% of Cole County, MO residents were born outside of the country (2.18k people).

In 2024, there were 8.16 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (61k people) in Cole County, MO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 7.48k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 3.19k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.6%

2024 Citizenship

98.4%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98.6% of Cole County, MO residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Cole County, MO was 98.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Cole County, MO

White (Non-Hispanic)
61k ± 405
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
7.48k ± 530
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
3.19k ± 553

3.64%

Hispanic Population

2.81k people

3.64% of the people in Cole County, MO are hispanic (2.81k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Cole County, MO as a share of the total population.

Foreign-Born Population

2.83%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

2.18k people

2.85%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

2.19k people

As of 2024, 2.83% of Cole County, MO residents (2.18k 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 Cole County, MO was 2.85%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,846 ± 282
Gulf War (2001-)
1,214 ± 245
Gulf War (1990s)
439 ± 132

Cole County, MO has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.52 times greater than any other conflict.

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

Health

94.2% of the population of Cole County, MO has health coverage, with 55.8% on employee plans, 9.99% on Medicaid, 13.8% on Medicare, 12.4% on non-group plans, and 2.16% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Cole County, MO see 1,430 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,430 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1509 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 396 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,430 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Cole County, MO

Primary care physicians in Cole County, MO see an average of 1,430 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,430 patients).

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

Location of Health Services Facilities

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.6% under 18 years, 20.1% between 18 and 34 years, 37.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

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

Uninsured People

5.79%

Uninsured

55.8%

Employer Coverage

9.99%

Medicaid

13.8%

Medicare

12.4%

Non-Group

2.16%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Cole County, MO declined by 13% from 6.65% to 5.79%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Cole 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 average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 5.3 in Cole County, MO.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Cole 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 36.7% in Cole County, MO.

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

Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 9.05% in Cole County, MO.

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

Economy

The economy of Cole County, MO employs 38k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Cole County, MO were Public Administration (5,886 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (5,021 people), and Retail Trade (4,178 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($91,364), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($78,365), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($62,857).

Employment

Occupations

38k

2024 Value

± 1,434

1.65%

1 Year growth

± 5.43%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Cole County, MO grew at a rate of 1.65%, from 37.4k employees to 38k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Cole County, MO, are N/A. This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Cole 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

38k

2024 Value

± 1,434

1.65%

1 Year growth

± 5.43%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Cole County, MO grew at a rate of 1.65%, from 37.4k employees to 38k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Cole County, MO, are Public Administration (5,886 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (5,021 people), and Retail Trade (4,178 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Cole County, MO, though some of these residents may live in Cole County, MO and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$52,793

Median earning men ± $2,224

$41,109

Median earning women ± $1,256

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($70,735), Construction ($62,081), and Public Administration ($59,680).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($52,905), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($51,015), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($46,875).

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

155
Other Services (except Public Administration)
146
Construction
140
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

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

$358k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$172k
Finance and Insurance
$171k
Construction

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

Education

In N/A, universities in Cole County, MO awarded N/A degrees. The student population of Cole County, MO in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 925 male students and 1,226 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Cole County, MO are White (171 and 50.7%), Black or African American (131 and 38.9%), Hispanic or Latino (13 and 3.86%), and Two or More Races (10 and 2.97%).

The largest universities in Cole County, MO by number of degrees awarded are Lincoln University (310 and NaNN%) and Missouri College of Cosmetology and Esthetics (60 and NaNN%).

The most popular majors in N/A are Registered Nursing (42 and NaNN%), General Cosmetology (34 and NaNN%), and General Agriculture (32 and NaNN%).

The median tuition cost for a public four year colleges is $7,666 for in-state students and $15,562 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2024 there were 2,151 students enrolled in Cole County, MO, 43% men and 57% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 950 records, of which 61.8% were women and 38.2% men.

Completions

Universities

Gender

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Lincoln University
310 degrees awarded
Missouri College of Cosmetology and Esthetics
60 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Lincoln University with 310 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2024, 105 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Cole County, MO, which is 0.396 times less than the 265 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 171 degrees mean that there were 1.31 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 131 degrees awarded.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 4-year or above ($7,666) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,130) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,000) 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 Cole County, MO was $229,600 in 2024, which is 0.69 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $214,400 to $229,600, a 7.09% increase. The homeownership rate in Cole County, MO is 67.9%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Cole County, MO have an average commute time of 17.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Cole County, MO is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$229,600

Median Property Value 2024

±$6,798

$21,098

Median Property Taxes

±$1,005

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 Cole County, MO the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

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

Rent vs Own

67.9%

Homeownership

2024

65.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 67.9% of the housing units in Cole County, MO were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 67.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Cole 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.

$74,876

Median Household Income

± $3,475

31.1k

Number of Households

± 1,323

In 2024, the median household income of the 31.1k households in Cole County, MO grew to $74,876 from the previous year's value of $73,273.

The following chart displays the households in Cole 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (78%)
Worked At Home (9.22%)
Carpooled (8.69%)

In 2024, 78% of workers in Cole County, MO drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.22%) and those who carpooled to work (8.69%).

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

17.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Cole County, MO have a shorter commute time (17.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.16% of the workforce in Cole County, MO have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Cole 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 Cole County, MO distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Cole County, MO have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

9.05% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Cole County, MO (6.6k out of 73k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are N/A N/A, followed by N/A N/A and then N/A N/A.

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

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, 11.3% of the children was living in poverty in Cole County, MO. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 6.5%.

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

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

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 257 in Cole County, MO. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 129% per 100,000 population.

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

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