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)

Pemiscot County had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 115 counties in 2020, at 49.9%. St. Charles County had the lowest, at 5.4%. The median was 19.8% and the figure for Missouri was 15.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest49.9Pemiscot County
Lowest5.4St. Charles County
Median19.8115 counties
Missouri15.5History

Map of counties, 2020

Adair County: 18.8 %Andrew County: 10.8 %Atchison County: 16.2 %Audrain County: 27.4 %Barry County: 23.3 %Barton County: 22.9 %Bates County: 19.2 %Benton County: 27.5 %Bollinger County: 22.7 %Boone County: 12.5 %Buchanan County: 17.3 %Butler County: 26.7 %Caldwell County: 16.2 %Callaway County: 14.4 %Camden County: 21.4 %Cape Girardeau County: 13.9 %Carroll County: 18.1 %Carter County: 29.8 %Cass County: 9 %Cedar County: 27.9 %Chariton County: 14.9 %Christian County: 11.3 %Clark County: 20 %Clay County: 8.9 %Clinton County: 11.5 %Cole County: 10.7 %Cooper County: 17.8 %Crawford County: 22.3 %Dade County: 22.2 %Dallas County: 35.5 %Daviess County: 22.9 %DeKalb County: 12.5 %Dent County: 22.2 %Douglas County: 27.7 %Dunklin County: 29.8 %Franklin County: 11.1 %Gasconade County: 14.1 %Gentry County: 18 %Greene County: 14.4 %Grundy County: 24.2 %Harrison County: 27.7 %Henry County: 19.8 %Hickory County: 28.9 %Holt County: 17.4 %Howard County: 15.6 %Howell County: 24.7 %Iron County: 28.6 %Jackson County: 16.6 %Jasper County: 18.9 %Jefferson County: 10.6 %Johnson County: 12.5 %Knox County: 29.6 %Laclede County: 20.4 %Lafayette County: 14.3 %Lawrence County: 21.8 %Lewis County: 18.1 %Lincoln County: 11.7 %Linn County: 19.9 %Livingston County: 17.3 %McDonald County: 25 %Macon County: 18.3 %Madison County: 23.6 %Maries County: 17.6 %Marion County: 17.5 %Mercer County: 17.6 %Miller County: 19.1 %Mississippi County: 32 %Moniteau County: 16.3 %Monroe County: 19.9 %Montgomery County: 16.7 %Morgan County: 22.4 %New Madrid County: 25.5 %Newton County: 17.6 %Nodaway County: 13.5 %Oregon County: 31.3 %Osage County: 9.1 %Ozark County: 32.6 %Pemiscot County: 49.9 %Perry County: 13.9 %Pettis County: 23.3 %Phelps County: 17.7 %Pike County: 19.8 %Platte County: 6.3 %Polk County: 21.2 %Pulaski County: 14.3 %Putnam County: 21.1 %Ralls County: 11.5 %Randolph County: 14.4 %Ray County: 12.6 %Reynolds County: 32 %Ripley County: 31.6 %St. Charles County: 5.4 %St. Clair County: 28.4 %Ste. Genevieve County: 11.3 %St. Francois County: 18.8 %St. Louis County: 11.6 %Saline County: 14.8 %Schuyler County: 25.8 %Scotland County: 23.9 %Scott County: 22.9 %Shannon County: 32.5 %Shelby County: 20.5 %Stoddard County: 21.5 %Stone County: 23.4 %Sullivan County: 19.4 %Taney County: 24.1 %Texas County: 28.7 %Vernon County: 21.6 %Warren County: 12.2 %Washington County: 25.1 %Wayne County: 35.8 %Webster County: 24.9 %Worth County: 18 %Wright County: 29.2 %St. Louis city: 28.9 %
  • Under 13
  • 13 to 17
  • 17 to 20
  • 20 to 23
  • 23 to 28
  • 28 and over
%, 2020. 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, 2020

Pemiscot County: 49.9 %Pemiscot County49.9Wayne County: 35.8 %Wayne County35.8Dallas County: 35.5 %Dallas County35.5Ozark County: 32.6 %Ozark County32.6Shannon County: 32.5 %Shannon County32.5Mississippi County: 32 %Mississippi County32Reynolds County: 32 %Reynolds County32Ripley County: 31.6 %Ripley County31.6Oregon County: 31.3 %Oregon County31.3Carter County: 29.8 %Carter County29.8Dunklin County: 29.8 %Dunklin County29.8Knox County: 29.6 %Knox County29.6Wright County: 29.2 %Wright County29.2Hickory County: 28.9 %Hickory County28.9St. Louis city: 28.9 %St. Louis city28.9Texas County: 28.7 %Texas County28.7Iron County: 28.6 %Iron County28.6St. Clair County: 28.4 %St. Clair County28.4Cedar County: 27.9 %Cedar County27.9Douglas County: 27.7 %Douglas County27.7Harrison County: 27.7 %Harrison County27.7Benton County: 27.5 %Benton County27.5Audrain County: 27.4 %Audrain County27.4Butler County: 26.7 %Butler County26.7Schuyler County: 25.8 %Schuyler County25.8New Madrid County: 25.5 %New Madrid County25.5Washington County: 25.1 %Washington County25.1McDonald County: 25 %McDonald County25Webster County: 24.9 %Webster County24.9Howell County: 24.7 %Howell County24.7Grundy County: 24.2 %Grundy County24.2Taney County: 24.1 %Taney County24.1Scotland County: 23.9 %Scotland County23.9Madison County: 23.6 %Madison County23.6Stone County: 23.4 %Stone County23.4Barry County: 23.3 %Barry County23.3Pettis County: 23.3 %Pettis County23.3Barton County: 22.9 %Barton County22.9Daviess County: 22.9 %Daviess County22.9Scott County: 22.9 %Scott County22.9Pemiscot County: 49.9 %Pemiscot County49.9Wayne County: 35.8 %Wayne County35.8Dallas County: 35.5 %Dallas County35.5Ozark County: 32.6 %Ozark County32.6Shannon County: 32.5 %Shannon County32.5Mississippi County: 32 %Mississippi County32Reynolds County: 32 %Reynolds County32Ripley County: 31.6 %Ripley County31.6Oregon County: 31.3 %Oregon County31.3Carter County: 29.8 %Carter County29.8Dunklin County: 29.8 %Dunklin County29.8Knox County: 29.6 %Knox County29.6Wright County: 29.2 %Wright County29.2Hickory County: 28.9 %Hickory County28.9St. Louis city: 28.9 %St. Louis city28.9Texas County: 28.7 %Texas County28.7Iron County: 28.6 %Iron County28.6St. Clair County: 28.4 %St. Clair County28.4Cedar County: 27.9 %Cedar County27.9Douglas County: 27.7 %Douglas County27.7Harrison County: 27.7 %Harrison County27.7Benton County: 27.5 %Benton County27.5Audrain County: 27.4 %Audrain County27.4Butler County: 26.7 %Butler County26.7Schuyler County: 25.8 %Schuyler County25.8New Madrid County: 25.5 %New Madrid County25.5Washington County: 25.1 %Washington County25.1McDonald County: 25 %McDonald County25Webster County: 24.9 %Webster County24.9Howell County: 24.7 %Howell County24.7Grundy County: 24.2 %Grundy County24.2Taney County: 24.1 %Taney County24.1Scotland County: 23.9 %Scotland County23.9Madison County: 23.6 %Madison County23.6Stone County: 23.4 %Stone County23.4Barry County: 23.3 %Barry County23.3Pettis County: 23.3 %Pettis County23.3Barton County: 22.9 %Barton County22.9Daviess County: 22.9 %Daviess County22.9Scott County: 22.9 %Scott County22.9
%. 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

RankCounties2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Pemiscot County49.9+9.2 pts
2Wayne County35.8+2.5 pts
3Dallas County35.5+7.5 pts
4Ozark County32.6-3.9 pts
5Shannon County32.5-2.7 pts
6Mississippi County32-2.4 pts
6Reynolds County32-3.3 pts
8Ripley County31.6+1.4 pts
9Oregon County31.3-0.5 pts
10Carter County29.8+0.4 pts
10Dunklin County29.8-5.5 pts
12Knox County29.6+1.9 pts
13Wright County29.2-2 pts
14Hickory County28.9-5.2 pts
14St. Louis city28.9+1.2 pts
16Texas County28.7+0.5 pts
17Iron County28.6-2.5 pts
18St. Clair County28.4+0.9 pts
19Cedar County27.9+1.2 pts
20Douglas County27.7+0.9 pts
20Harrison County27.7+4.6 pts
22Benton County27.5-1.1 pts
23Audrain County27.4+3.5 pts
24Butler County26.7-8.6 pts
25Schuyler County25.8+5.3 pts
26New Madrid County25.5-7.4 pts
27Washington County25.1-5.2 pts
28McDonald County25-3.8 pts
29Webster County24.9-2.1 pts
30Howell County24.7-5 pts
31Grundy County24.2-1.7 pts
32Taney County24.1+5.4 pts
33Scotland County23.9+0.1 pts
34Madison County23.6-0.6 pts
35Stone County23.4-1.1 pts
36Barry County23.3-6.3 pts
36Pettis County23.3+5.4 pts
38Barton County22.9+1.3 pts
38Daviess County22.9-4.7 pts
38Scott County22.9-5 pts
41Bollinger County22.7+1.3 pts
42Morgan County22.4-4.4 pts
43Crawford County22.3-0.8 pts
44Dade County22.2-0.6 pts
44Dent County22.2-7.7 pts
46Lawrence County21.8-0.9 pts
47Vernon County21.6-5 pts
48Stoddard County21.5-3.2 pts
49Camden County21.4+0.2 pts
50Polk County21.2-3.2 pts
51Putnam County21.1-1.9 pts
52Shelby County20.5-0.2 pts
53Laclede County20.40 pts
54Clark County20-2.2 pts
55Linn County19.9-10.8 pts
55Monroe County19.9-0.1 pts
57Henry County19.8-7.7 pts
57Pike County19.8-2 pts
59Sullivan County19.4-2.6 pts
60Bates County19.2-6.2 pts
61Miller County19.1-2.5 pts
62Jasper County18.9-7.7 pts
63Adair County18.8-0.1 pts
63St. Francois County18.8-1 pts
65Macon County18.3-0.1 pts
66Carroll County18.1-3 pts
66Lewis County18.1-2.2 pts
68Gentry County180 pts
68Worth County18-3.1 pts
70Cooper County17.8+1.3 pts
71Phelps County17.7-1.7 pts
72Maries County17.6-2.3 pts
72Mercer County17.6-3.4 pts
72Newton County17.6-0.1 pts
75Marion County17.5-0.8 pts
76Holt County17.4+0.4 pts
77Buchanan County17.3-2.9 pts
77Livingston County17.3-2.3 pts
79Montgomery County16.7-3 pts
80Jackson County16.6-3 pts
81Moniteau County16.3-0.1 pts
82Atchison County16.2-1.3 pts
82Caldwell County16.2-2.8 pts
84Howard County15.6-2.6 pts
85Chariton County14.9-1.4 pts
86Saline County14.8-6.5 pts
87Callaway County14.4-2 pts
87Greene County14.4+1.1 pts
87Randolph County14.4-8.1 pts
90Lafayette County14.3-0.3 pts
90Pulaski County14.3-0.5 pts
92Gasconade County14.1-2.9 pts
93Cape Girardeau County13.9-3.9 pts
93Perry County13.9-0.1 pts
95Nodaway County13.5+0.3 pts
96Ray County12.6+0.2 pts
97Boone County12.5-1.5 pts
97DeKalb County12.5-1.1 pts
97Johnson County12.5+0.5 pts
100Warren County12.2-1.9 pts
101Lincoln County11.7-0.2 pts
102St. Louis County11.6-0.7 pts
103Clinton County11.5-1.6 pts
103Ralls County11.5-2.1 pts
105Christian County11.3-1.5 pts
105Ste. Genevieve County11.3-1.6 pts
107Franklin County11.1-1.5 pts
108Andrew County10.8-0.3 pts
109Cole County10.7-3 pts
110Jefferson County10.6-0.7 pts
111Osage County9.1-1.2 pts
112Cass County9-2.6 pts
113Clay County8.9-3.6 pts
114Platte County6.3-0.2 pts
115St. Charles County5.40 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/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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), 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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), 2020. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties?period=2020. 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), 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties?period=2020.

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), 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_missouri_by_2020,
  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), 2020}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties?period=2020. 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/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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), 2020
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/missouri-counties?period=2020.
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/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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 49.9% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

St. Charles County, with 5.4% in 2020.

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