Data / Rankings / Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) / Counties in Missouri

Counties in Missouri by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024

Pemiscot County had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 115 counties in 2024, at 35.7%. St. Charles County had the lowest, at 6.2%. The median was 18.2% and the figure for Missouri was 15.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest35.7Pemiscot County
Lowest6.2St. Charles County
Median18.2115 counties
Missouri15.3History

Map of counties, 2024

Adair County: 18.5 %Andrew County: 8.9 %Atchison County: 15.4 %Audrain County: 19.4 %Barry County: 21.4 %Barton County: 19.7 %Bates County: 15.5 %Benton County: 21 %Bollinger County: 20 %Boone County: 11.8 %Buchanan County: 15.9 %Butler County: 27.8 %Caldwell County: 14.1 %Callaway County: 15.1 %Camden County: 15.4 %Cape Girardeau County: 12.5 %Carroll County: 18.2 %Carter County: 26.1 %Cass County: 8.3 %Cedar County: 23.2 %Chariton County: 14 %Christian County: 9 %Clark County: 20.1 %Clay County: 9.6 %Clinton County: 11.4 %Cole County: 11.5 %Cooper County: 14.2 %Crawford County: 21.1 %Dade County: 18.2 %Dallas County: 21.8 %Daviess County: 20.1 %DeKalb County: 13 %Dent County: 19.6 %Douglas County: 23.1 %Dunklin County: 34.9 %Franklin County: 10 %Gasconade County: 15.1 %Gentry County: 19.5 %Greene County: 11.7 %Grundy County: 26 %Harrison County: 23.7 %Henry County: 19.8 %Hickory County: 25.7 %Holt County: 15.7 %Howard County: 13.6 %Howell County: 23.9 %Iron County: 24.5 %Jackson County: 19 %Jasper County: 16.7 %Jefferson County: 11.1 %Johnson County: 12.9 %Knox County: 22.4 %Laclede County: 19.6 %Lafayette County: 12.1 %Lawrence County: 15.1 %Lewis County: 15.6 %Lincoln County: 9.6 %Linn County: 18 %Livingston County: 17.4 %McDonald County: 23.4 %Macon County: 16.6 %Madison County: 19.5 %Maries County: 15.6 %Marion County: 14.6 %Mercer County: 20.3 %Miller County: 16.5 %Mississippi County: 27.8 %Moniteau County: 14.7 %Monroe County: 17.1 %Montgomery County: 15.7 %Morgan County: 21.1 %New Madrid County: 27.4 %Newton County: 16.3 %Nodaway County: 10.7 %Oregon County: 26.2 %Osage County: 8.6 %Ozark County: 30.7 %Pemiscot County: 35.7 %Perry County: 14.1 %Pettis County: 21.3 %Phelps County: 16.4 %Pike County: 21.1 %Platte County: 6.4 %Polk County: 18.1 %Pulaski County: 16.1 %Putnam County: 19 %Ralls County: 11.4 %Randolph County: 16.9 %Ray County: 11.2 %Reynolds County: 25.4 %Ripley County: 33 %St. Charles County: 6.2 %St. Clair County: 24.9 %Ste. Genevieve County: 10.9 %St. Francois County: 15.9 %St. Louis County: 13.1 %Saline County: 17.7 %Schuyler County: 24 %Scotland County: 19.1 %Scott County: 17.5 %Shannon County: 30.9 %Shelby County: 18.4 %Stoddard County: 18.7 %Stone County: 22.9 %Sullivan County: 16.4 %Taney County: 19.8 %Texas County: 23.8 %Vernon County: 20.7 %Warren County: 9.8 %Washington County: 24.4 %Wayne County: 28.7 %Webster County: 23.5 %Worth County: 21.8 %Wright County: 23.3 %St. Louis city: 32.4 %
  • Under 12
  • 12 to 16
  • 16 to 18
  • 18 to 20
  • 20 to 24
  • 24 and over
%, 2024. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2024

Pemiscot County: 35.7 %Pemiscot County35.7Dunklin County: 34.9 %Dunklin County34.9Ripley County: 33 %Ripley County33St. Louis city: 32.4 %St. Louis city32.4Shannon County: 30.9 %Shannon County30.9Ozark County: 30.7 %Ozark County30.7Wayne County: 28.7 %Wayne County28.7Butler County: 27.8 %Butler County27.8Mississippi County: 27.8 %Mississippi County27.8New Madrid County: 27.4 %New Madrid County27.4Oregon County: 26.2 %Oregon County26.2Carter County: 26.1 %Carter County26.1Grundy County: 26 %Grundy County26Hickory County: 25.7 %Hickory County25.7Reynolds County: 25.4 %Reynolds County25.4St. Clair County: 24.9 %St. Clair County24.9Iron County: 24.5 %Iron County24.5Washington County: 24.4 %Washington County24.4Schuyler County: 24 %Schuyler County24Howell County: 23.9 %Howell County23.9Texas County: 23.8 %Texas County23.8Harrison County: 23.7 %Harrison County23.7Webster County: 23.5 %Webster County23.5McDonald County: 23.4 %McDonald County23.4Wright County: 23.3 %Wright County23.3Cedar County: 23.2 %Cedar County23.2Douglas County: 23.1 %Douglas County23.1Stone County: 22.9 %Stone County22.9Knox County: 22.4 %Knox County22.4Dallas County: 21.8 %Dallas County21.8Worth County: 21.8 %Worth County21.8Barry County: 21.4 %Barry County21.4Pettis County: 21.3 %Pettis County21.3Crawford County: 21.1 %Crawford County21.1Morgan County: 21.1 %Morgan County21.1Pike County: 21.1 %Pike County21.1Benton County: 21 %Benton County21Vernon County: 20.7 %Vernon County20.7Mercer County: 20.3 %Mercer County20.3Clark County: 20.1 %Clark County20.1Pemiscot County: 35.7 %Pemiscot County35.7Dunklin County: 34.9 %Dunklin County34.9Ripley County: 33 %Ripley County33St. Louis city: 32.4 %St. Louis city32.4Shannon County: 30.9 %Shannon County30.9Ozark County: 30.7 %Ozark County30.7Wayne County: 28.7 %Wayne County28.7Butler County: 27.8 %Butler County27.8Mississippi County: 27.8 %Mississippi County27.8New Madrid County: 27.4 %New Madrid County27.4Oregon County: 26.2 %Oregon County26.2Carter County: 26.1 %Carter County26.1Grundy County: 26 %Grundy County26Hickory County: 25.7 %Hickory County25.7Reynolds County: 25.4 %Reynolds County25.4St. Clair County: 24.9 %St. Clair County24.9Iron County: 24.5 %Iron County24.5Washington County: 24.4 %Washington County24.4Schuyler County: 24 %Schuyler County24Howell County: 23.9 %Howell County23.9Texas County: 23.8 %Texas County23.8Harrison County: 23.7 %Harrison County23.7Webster County: 23.5 %Webster County23.5McDonald County: 23.4 %McDonald County23.4Wright County: 23.3 %Wright County23.3Cedar County: 23.2 %Cedar County23.2Douglas County: 23.1 %Douglas County23.1Stone County: 22.9 %Stone County22.9Knox County: 22.4 %Knox County22.4Dallas County: 21.8 %Dallas County21.8Worth County: 21.8 %Worth County21.8Barry County: 21.4 %Barry County21.4Pettis County: 21.3 %Pettis County21.3Crawford County: 21.1 %Crawford County21.1Morgan County: 21.1 %Morgan County21.1Pike County: 21.1 %Pike County21.1Benton County: 21 %Benton County21Vernon County: 20.7 %Vernon County20.7Mercer County: 20.3 %Mercer County20.3Clark County: 20.1 %Clark County20.1
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Pemiscot County35.7-0.2 pts
2Dunklin County34.9+5.8 pts
3Ripley County33+5.3 pts
4St. Louis city32.4+5.3 pts
5Shannon County30.9-2.4 pts
6Ozark County30.7-0.2 pts
7Wayne County28.7-3.5 pts
8Butler County27.8+3.2 pts
8Mississippi County27.8-0.3 pts
10New Madrid County27.4+1.4 pts
11Oregon County26.2-1.4 pts
12Carter County26.1-3.9 pts
13Grundy County26+4.6 pts
14Hickory County25.7-2.5 pts
15Reynolds County25.4-4.8 pts
16St. Clair County24.9-2.9 pts
17Iron County24.5-1.1 pts
18Washington County24.4-1 pts
19Schuyler County24+0.7 pts
20Howell County23.9+3.6 pts
21Texas County23.8-1.9 pts
22Harrison County23.7+3.2 pts
23Webster County23.5+3.8 pts
24McDonald County23.4-0.3 pts
25Wright County23.3-1.6 pts
26Cedar County23.2+1.9 pts
27Douglas County23.1-0.9 pts
28Stone County22.9+2.8 pts
29Knox County22.4-3.7 pts
30Dallas County21.8-0.3 pts
30Worth County21.8+1 pts
32Barry County21.4+1.2 pts
33Pettis County21.3+5.1 pts
34Crawford County21.10 pts
34Morgan County21.1+0.7 pts
34Pike County21.1+2.4 pts
37Benton County21-3 pts
38Vernon County20.7-0.6 pts
39Mercer County20.3+1.3 pts
40Clark County20.1-0.6 pts
40Daviess County20.1+2.1 pts
42Bollinger County20-0.7 pts
43Henry County19.8-2.6 pts
43Taney County19.8+1.3 pts
45Barton County19.7-2.3 pts
46Dent County19.6-3.3 pts
46Laclede County19.6-0.4 pts
48Gentry County19.5-0.1 pts
48Madison County19.5-1.2 pts
50Audrain County19.4+0.3 pts
51Scotland County19.1+3.1 pts
52Jackson County19+4.3 pts
52Putnam County19-1.8 pts
54Stoddard County18.7+0.8 pts
55Adair County18.5+1.6 pts
56Shelby County18.4-0.7 pts
57Carroll County18.2+0.8 pts
57Dade County18.2-2.5 pts
59Polk County18.10 pts
60Linn County18-2.5 pts
61Saline County17.7-3.9 pts
62Scott County17.5-4.4 pts
63Livingston County17.4-0.6 pts
64Monroe County17.1+1.8 pts
65Randolph County16.9-1.4 pts
66Jasper County16.7-1.4 pts
67Macon County16.60 pts
68Miller County16.5-1.1 pts
69Phelps County16.4-0.6 pts
69Sullivan County16.4-2.3 pts
71Newton County16.3-0.3 pts
72Pulaski County16.1+4.2 pts
73Buchanan County15.9-3.1 pts
73St. Francois County15.90 pts
75Holt County15.7+0.9 pts
75Montgomery County15.7-3.8 pts
77Lewis County15.6-3.1 pts
77Maries County15.6-0.4 pts
79Bates County15.5-0.9 pts
80Atchison County15.4+0.8 pts
80Camden County15.4-1.6 pts
82Callaway County15.1-0.5 pts
82Gasconade County15.1+1.4 pts
82Lawrence County15.1-5 pts
85Moniteau County14.7+0.7 pts
86Marion County14.6-0.3 pts
87Cooper County14.2+0.9 pts
88Caldwell County14.1-0.9 pts
88Perry County14.1+1.1 pts
90Chariton County14+0.8 pts
91Howard County13.6-0.8 pts
92St. Louis County13.1+0.5 pts
93DeKalb County13+0.6 pts
94Johnson County12.9-0.3 pts
95Cape Girardeau County12.5-1.1 pts
96Lafayette County12.1-1.7 pts
97Boone County11.8-0.3 pts
98Greene County11.7-4.3 pts
99Cole County11.5+0.2 pts
100Clinton County11.4+0.5 pts
100Ralls County11.4-3.5 pts
102Ray County11.2-1.6 pts
103Jefferson County11.1+0.2 pts
104Ste. Genevieve County10.9-1.2 pts
105Nodaway County10.7-2.3 pts
106Franklin County10-0.6 pts
107Warren County9.8-1.1 pts
108Clay County9.6+0.7 pts
108Lincoln County9.6-0.4 pts
110Christian County9-0.1 pts
111Andrew County8.9-0.8 pts
112Osage County8.6-3 pts
113Cass County8.3-0.3 pts
114Platte County6.4+0.1 pts
115St. Charles County6.2+0.6 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People under 18 in families or living alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people under 18 whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) for the nation, states and counties.

A model-based single-year estimate; the national figure is the one-year American Community Survey estimate. The Census Bureau advises comparing years from 2006 on only. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate. The rate for all ages is poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties (Counties in Missouri by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt

MLA 9

Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in Missouri by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Counties in Missouri by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in Missouri by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_missouri_by_2024,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in Missouri by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in Missouri by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Pemiscot County, with 35.7% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

St. Charles County, with 6.2% in 2024.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in Missouri: more rankings