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)

Shannon County had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 115 counties in 2017, at 53.1%. St. Charles County had the lowest, at 6.7%. The median was 22.4% and the figure for Missouri was 18.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest53.1Shannon County
Lowest6.7St. Charles County
Median22.4115 counties
Missouri18.5History

Map of counties, 2017

Adair County: 22.2 %Andrew County: 11 %Atchison County: 17 %Audrain County: 26.7 %Barry County: 25.7 %Barton County: 21.4 %Bates County: 21.3 %Benton County: 28.5 %Bollinger County: 22.5 %Boone County: 13.6 %Buchanan County: 21.6 %Butler County: 32 %Caldwell County: 19.6 %Callaway County: 18.1 %Camden County: 23.8 %Cape Girardeau County: 17.7 %Carroll County: 19.7 %Carter County: 35 %Cass County: 12.2 %Cedar County: 29.5 %Chariton County: 17.6 %Christian County: 12.4 %Clark County: 23.6 %Clay County: 9.6 %Clinton County: 14.1 %Cole County: 15.7 %Cooper County: 17.7 %Crawford County: 27.8 %Dade County: 26.5 %Dallas County: 27.8 %Daviess County: 22.4 %DeKalb County: 14.8 %Dent County: 31.4 %Douglas County: 30.8 %Dunklin County: 35.6 %Franklin County: 14.6 %Gasconade County: 16.4 %Gentry County: 19.4 %Greene County: 20.7 %Grundy County: 26.8 %Harrison County: 25.8 %Henry County: 24.1 %Hickory County: 36.8 %Holt County: 19.1 %Howard County: 19 %Howell County: 29.9 %Iron County: 35.8 %Jackson County: 20.7 %Jasper County: 24 %Jefferson County: 14 %Johnson County: 14 %Knox County: 31.4 %Laclede County: 23.6 %Lafayette County: 18.4 %Lawrence County: 25.2 %Lewis County: 22.3 %Lincoln County: 13.7 %Linn County: 21.9 %Livingston County: 20.9 %McDonald County: 30.5 %Macon County: 20.7 %Madison County: 26.7 %Maries County: 20.8 %Marion County: 22.1 %Mercer County: 19.6 %Miller County: 23.4 %Mississippi County: 37.8 %Moniteau County: 16.6 %Monroe County: 23.1 %Montgomery County: 21.5 %Morgan County: 30.2 %New Madrid County: 38.2 %Newton County: 19 %Nodaway County: 15 %Oregon County: 37.1 %Osage County: 10.6 %Ozark County: 35.4 %Pemiscot County: 43.4 %Perry County: 14.7 %Pettis County: 21.5 %Phelps County: 21.4 %Pike County: 23.4 %Platte County: 7.1 %Polk County: 22 %Pulaski County: 15.1 %Putnam County: 27.1 %Ralls County: 14.1 %Randolph County: 25.5 %Ray County: 15.1 %Reynolds County: 33.4 %Ripley County: 35.2 %St. Charles County: 6.7 %St. Clair County: 31.1 %Ste. Genevieve County: 15.7 %St. Francois County: 23.6 %St. Louis County: 13.1 %Saline County: 22.3 %Schuyler County: 28.8 %Scotland County: 24.8 %Scott County: 31.8 %Shannon County: 53.1 %Shelby County: 22.6 %Stoddard County: 23.5 %Stone County: 27.4 %Sullivan County: 22.8 %Taney County: 22.2 %Texas County: 31.2 %Vernon County: 24.7 %Warren County: 14.4 %Washington County: 30.9 %Wayne County: 35.3 %Webster County: 26.4 %Worth County: 22 %Wright County: 36 %St. Louis city: 32.6 %
  • Under 15
  • 15 to 21
  • 21 to 22
  • 22 to 26
  • 26 to 31
  • 31 and over
%, 2017. 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, 2017

Shannon County: 53.1 %Shannon County53.1Pemiscot County: 43.4 %Pemiscot County43.4New Madrid County: 38.2 %New Madrid County38.2Mississippi County: 37.8 %Mississippi County37.8Oregon County: 37.1 %Oregon County37.1Hickory County: 36.8 %Hickory County36.8Wright County: 36 %Wright County36Iron County: 35.8 %Iron County35.8Dunklin County: 35.6 %Dunklin County35.6Ozark County: 35.4 %Ozark County35.4Wayne County: 35.3 %Wayne County35.3Ripley County: 35.2 %Ripley County35.2Carter County: 35 %Carter County35Reynolds County: 33.4 %Reynolds County33.4St. Louis city: 32.6 %St. Louis city32.6Butler County: 32 %Butler County32Scott County: 31.8 %Scott County31.8Dent County: 31.4 %Dent County31.4Knox County: 31.4 %Knox County31.4Texas County: 31.2 %Texas County31.2St. Clair County: 31.1 %St. Clair County31.1Washington County: 30.9 %Washington County30.9Douglas County: 30.8 %Douglas County30.8McDonald County: 30.5 %McDonald County30.5Morgan County: 30.2 %Morgan County30.2Howell County: 29.9 %Howell County29.9Cedar County: 29.5 %Cedar County29.5Schuyler County: 28.8 %Schuyler County28.8Benton County: 28.5 %Benton County28.5Crawford County: 27.8 %Crawford County27.8Dallas County: 27.8 %Dallas County27.8Stone County: 27.4 %Stone County27.4Putnam County: 27.1 %Putnam County27.1Grundy County: 26.8 %Grundy County26.8Audrain County: 26.7 %Audrain County26.7Madison County: 26.7 %Madison County26.7Dade County: 26.5 %Dade County26.5Webster County: 26.4 %Webster County26.4Harrison County: 25.8 %Harrison County25.8Barry County: 25.7 %Barry County25.7Shannon County: 53.1 %Shannon County53.1Pemiscot County: 43.4 %Pemiscot County43.4New Madrid County: 38.2 %New Madrid County38.2Mississippi County: 37.8 %Mississippi County37.8Oregon County: 37.1 %Oregon County37.1Hickory County: 36.8 %Hickory County36.8Wright County: 36 %Wright County36Iron County: 35.8 %Iron County35.8Dunklin County: 35.6 %Dunklin County35.6Ozark County: 35.4 %Ozark County35.4Wayne County: 35.3 %Wayne County35.3Ripley County: 35.2 %Ripley County35.2Carter County: 35 %Carter County35Reynolds County: 33.4 %Reynolds County33.4St. Louis city: 32.6 %St. Louis city32.6Butler County: 32 %Butler County32Scott County: 31.8 %Scott County31.8Dent County: 31.4 %Dent County31.4Knox County: 31.4 %Knox County31.4Texas County: 31.2 %Texas County31.2St. Clair County: 31.1 %St. Clair County31.1Washington County: 30.9 %Washington County30.9Douglas County: 30.8 %Douglas County30.8McDonald County: 30.5 %McDonald County30.5Morgan County: 30.2 %Morgan County30.2Howell County: 29.9 %Howell County29.9Cedar County: 29.5 %Cedar County29.5Schuyler County: 28.8 %Schuyler County28.8Benton County: 28.5 %Benton County28.5Crawford County: 27.8 %Crawford County27.8Dallas County: 27.8 %Dallas County27.8Stone County: 27.4 %Stone County27.4Putnam County: 27.1 %Putnam County27.1Grundy County: 26.8 %Grundy County26.8Audrain County: 26.7 %Audrain County26.7Madison County: 26.7 %Madison County26.7Dade County: 26.5 %Dade County26.5Webster County: 26.4 %Webster County26.4Harrison County: 25.8 %Harrison County25.8Barry County: 25.7 %Barry County25.7
%. 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

RankCounties2017 (%)Change on 2016
1Shannon County53.1+12.8 pts
2Pemiscot County43.4+2.1 pts
3New Madrid County38.2+1.8 pts
4Mississippi County37.8+3.1 pts
5Oregon County37.1-0.4 pts
6Hickory County36.8+1.4 pts
7Wright County36-0.4 pts
8Iron County35.8+3.5 pts
9Dunklin County35.6-2.3 pts
10Ozark County35.4-3.4 pts
11Wayne County35.3-1.8 pts
12Ripley County35.2-3.1 pts
13Carter County35+1 pts
14Reynolds County33.4-1.6 pts
15St. Louis city32.6-5.7 pts
16Butler County32+1.4 pts
17Scott County31.8+4.4 pts
18Dent County31.4+2.6 pts
18Knox County31.4-0.5 pts
20Texas County31.2-8.7 pts
21St. Clair County31.1-1.6 pts
22Washington County30.9+1.2 pts
23Douglas County30.8-0.8 pts
24McDonald County30.5-1.8 pts
25Morgan County30.2-0.3 pts
26Howell County29.9-0.9 pts
27Cedar County29.5-1.8 pts
28Schuyler County28.8-1.3 pts
29Benton County28.5-0.6 pts
30Crawford County27.8+1 pts
30Dallas County27.8-1.5 pts
32Stone County27.4+1.4 pts
33Putnam County27.1-0.8 pts
34Grundy County26.8+0.6 pts
35Audrain County26.7+1 pts
35Madison County26.7-0.6 pts
37Dade County26.5-2.2 pts
38Webster County26.4+1.2 pts
39Harrison County25.8-0.4 pts
40Barry County25.7-5.6 pts
41Randolph County25.5+3.1 pts
42Lawrence County25.2+1.9 pts
43Scotland County24.8-0.9 pts
44Vernon County24.7-1 pts
45Henry County24.1-5.5 pts
46Jasper County24+1.8 pts
47Camden County23.8-3.9 pts
48Clark County23.6+1.1 pts
48Laclede County23.6-0.1 pts
48St. Francois County23.6+3.2 pts
51Stoddard County23.5-1.7 pts
52Miller County23.4-1.1 pts
52Pike County23.4-1 pts
54Monroe County23.1-1.3 pts
55Sullivan County22.8-0.4 pts
56Shelby County22.6-2.1 pts
57Bollinger County22.5-1.9 pts
58Daviess County22.4-7.1 pts
59Lewis County22.3-0.8 pts
59Saline County22.3+0.3 pts
61Adair County22.2-1.6 pts
61Taney County22.2-5.1 pts
63Marion County22.1+2.2 pts
64Polk County22-2.8 pts
64Worth County22+0.4 pts
66Linn County21.9-2.3 pts
67Buchanan County21.6-1.9 pts
68Montgomery County21.5-1.9 pts
68Pettis County21.5-0.8 pts
70Barton County21.4-3 pts
70Phelps County21.4-1.4 pts
72Bates County21.3+1.7 pts
73Livingston County20.9-1.1 pts
74Maries County20.8-2.5 pts
75Greene County20.7+2.6 pts
75Jackson County20.7-2.5 pts
75Macon County20.7-2.8 pts
78Carroll County19.7-4 pts
79Caldwell County19.6+0.2 pts
79Mercer County19.6-0.4 pts
81Gentry County19.4-2.2 pts
82Holt County19.1-1.6 pts
83Howard County19-2 pts
83Newton County19-2.4 pts
85Lafayette County18.4+0.8 pts
86Callaway County18.1+0.8 pts
87Cape Girardeau County17.7+1.2 pts
87Cooper County17.7-1.8 pts
89Chariton County17.6-1.4 pts
90Atchison County17-1.7 pts
91Moniteau County16.6-0.3 pts
92Gasconade County16.4-2.3 pts
93Cole County15.7+1.2 pts
93Ste. Genevieve County15.7-1.1 pts
95Pulaski County15.1-1.9 pts
95Ray County15.1-0.1 pts
97Nodaway County150 pts
98DeKalb County14.8-1 pts
99Perry County14.7-1.1 pts
100Franklin County14.6-0.6 pts
101Warren County14.4-4.2 pts
102Clinton County14.1-0.4 pts
102Ralls County14.1-1.7 pts
104Jefferson County14+1 pts
104Johnson County14-1.3 pts
106Lincoln County13.7-1.4 pts
107Boone County13.6-1.8 pts
108St. Louis County13.1+0.5 pts
109Christian County12.4-2 pts
110Cass County12.2+0.5 pts
111Andrew County11-3 pts
112Osage County10.6-0.5 pts
113Clay County9.6-1.7 pts
114Platte County7.1-0.5 pts
115St. Charles County6.7+0.2 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/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.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), 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.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), 2017. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties?period=2017. 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), 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties?period=2017.

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), 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_missouri_by_2017,
  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), 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties?period=2017. 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/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.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), 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties?period=2017.
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/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

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

Shannon County, with 53.1% in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

St. Charles County, with 6.7% in 2017.

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