Lamar, Barton County, Missouri Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Lamar, Missouri, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Lamar, Missouri. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Lamar, Missouri. The estimated population of Lamar, Missouri is 4,317 people, with a median age of 38.5.

We can look at the total population in Lamar over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
4,317
+0.77%
-0.94%
2020
4,284
-0.44% -
2019
4,303
-0.6% -
2018
4,329
-0.67% -
2017
4,358
- -

Population of Lamar, Missouri by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
93.7%
94.1%
-0.43%
Black/African American
0.3%
0.5%
-40.00%
Native
0%
0%
0.00%
Hispanic
2.1%
2.6%
-19.23%
Asian
0%
1.6%
-100.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
0.00%
Two Or More Races
3.5%
1.2%
+191.67%
Other
0.4%
0%
0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Lamar, Missouri by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 38.5 -1.28% 38.9 +1.04% 38.4 -2.29%
2020 39 -6.25% 38.5 -1.28% 39.3 -14.57%
2019 41.6 -0.72% 39 +0.26% 46 +1.1%
2018 41.9 +2.2% 38.9 +6.87% 45.5 -0.87%
2017 41 - 36.4 - 45.9 -

The median age of Lamar, Missouri gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 290 -85.25% 269 +3.15% 105 273
10 to 19 337 +13.6% 223 +29.37% 383 283
20 to 29 273 +25.58% 286 1.21% 335 269
30 to 39 215 3.7% 212 +77.54% 215 396
40 to 49 249 8.47% 271 -20.23% 248 206
50 to 59 280 -13.6% 362 -10.01% 226 316
60 to 69 220 +50.26% 376 -19.9% 336 304
70+ 210 -4.15% 285 -22.43% 197 225

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Lamar, Missouri is $32,156.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Lamar.

  • Under 25
    $23,558.00
  • 25 to 44
    $33,672.00
  • 45 to 64
    $48,167.00
  • 65 and over
    $25,385.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Lamar, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Lamar, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Lamar, Missouri is currently $46,446.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

1.02% of households in Lamar are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Lamar against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    42.56%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    27.73%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    12.50%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    4.83%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    9.94%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    1.42%
  • $200,000 or more
    1.02%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Lamar is $19,833.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Lamar by the total population of Lamar.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Lamar, Missouri, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Lamar to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    6.42%
  • Bachelor's degree
    21.88%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    11.14%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    55.11%
  • Less than high school diploma
    5.45%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Lamar that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Lamar over the age of 16 is 3,511.

Of those people, a total of 54.90% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Lamar is 48.70%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 238 55.00% 0.00%
20 to 24 years 391 75.20% 31.30%
25 to 29 years 213 88.70% 26.50%
30 to 34 years 289 41.20% 63.90%
35 to 44 years 574 57.30% 0.00%
45 to 54 years 498 82.90% 0.00%
55 to 59 years 246 81.70% 0.00%
60 to 64 years 327 49.50% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 466 19.50% 0.00%
75 years and over 269 0.00% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Lamar. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 3,316 56.30% 11.70%
Black or African American 14 0.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 0 0.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 17 0.00% 0.00%
Two or more races 164 38.40% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 91 0.00% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 3,295 56.60% 11.70%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Lamar as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Lamar is 1,711, with median earnings of $26,169.00.

Women in Lamar, Missouri earning approximately 108.60% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 1,711 $26,169.00
Male 861 $25,417.00
Female 850 $27,600.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 183 $74,464.00
Business and Financial 21 $0.00
Computer and Mathematical 16 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 24 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 34 $31,500.00
Legal 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 101 $45,605.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 24 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 101 $40,245.00
Healthcare Support 64 $8,790.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 21 $0.00
Law Enforcement 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 72 $2,499.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 48 $22,600.00
Personal Care and Service 25 $0.00
Sales 182 $32,552.00
Office and Administrative Support 206 $21,719.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 117 $43,229.00
Construction and Extraction 134 $21,389.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 55 $0.00
Production 162 $9,688.00
Transportation and Material Moving 22 $0.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 30 $0.00 153 $92,788.00
Business and Financial 10 $0.00 11 $0.00
Computer and Mathematical 16 $0.00 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 24 $0.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 10 $0.00 24 $0.00
Legal 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 67 $46,339.00 34 $41,250.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 0 $0.00 24 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 24 $0.00 77 $40,897.00
Healthcare Support 0 $0.00 64 $8,790.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 21 $0.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 26 $0.00 46 $2,499.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 23 $10,288.00 25 $0.00
Personal Care and Service 0 $0.00 25 $0.00
Sales 84 $33,854.00 98 $4,950.00
Office and Administrative Support 31 $0.00 175 $27,550.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 41 $0.00 76 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 134 $21,389.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 55 $0.00 0 $0.00
Production 154 $25,357.00 8 $0.00
Transportation and Material Moving 22 $0.00 0 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 1,760 households in Lamar, with an average household size of 2.37 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 1,107 families in Lamar with an average family size of 2.83 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 614 223 270 653
Average Household Size 2.91 3.1 2.99 1.35
Total Families 614 223 270 0
Average Household Size 2.91 2.68 2.78 0

Poverty

Of the 1,107 families in Lamar, 26.90% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Lamar:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 1,986 housing units in Lamar, Missouri.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 1,760 88.62%
Vacant 226 11.38%

40.03% of the total 1,986 housing units in Lamar are rental units. This is approximately 795 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 878 are occupied by the owner - or 44.21% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Lamar is $703.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Lamar that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    87
  • Less than $500
    203
  • $500 to $999
    528
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    64
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    0
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Lamar is $90,500.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Lamar that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    171
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    395
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    141
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    68
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    81
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    11
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    11
  • $1,000,000 or more
    0

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Lamar. The chart below shows the number of properties in Lamar that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    407
  • 1940 to 1949
    114
  • 1950 to 1959
    146
  • 1960 to 1969
    412
  • 1970 to 1979
    349
  • 1980 to 1989
    233
  • 1990 to 1999
    155
  • 2000 to 2009
    76
  • 2010 to 2013
    94
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Lamar that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    195
  • 1 vehicle available
    538
  • 2 vehicles available
    691
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    336

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Lamar get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Lamar that commute to work in a particular way.

22.1 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Lamar.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    208
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    449
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    248
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    115
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    52
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    59
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    169
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    61
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    55
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    178
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    37
  • 90 or more minutes
    60

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Lamar, Missouri in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.