Wright County, Missouri Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Wright County, 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 Wright County, Missouri. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Wright County, Missouri. The estimated population of Wright County, Missouri is 18,244 people, with a median age of 41.3.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
18,244
 -0.07% -0.33%
2020
18,256
+0.29%
-
2019
18,203
 -0.49% -
2018
18,293
 -0.06% -
2017
18,304
 - -

Population of Wright County, 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
93.5%
95.3%
 -1.89%
Black/African American
0.2%
0.6%
 -66.67%
Native
0.3%
0.2%
 +50.00%
Hispanic
2.2%
1.7%
 +29.41%
Asian
0.3%
0.5%
 -40.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.1%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
3.2%
1.2%
 +166.67%
Other
0.2%
0.5%
 -60.00%

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 Wright County, 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 41.3 -0.48% 38.4 -0.26% 41.9 -2.78%
2020 41.5 -0.48% 38.5 -4.94% 43.1 -1.6%
2019 41.7 -0.71% 40.5 -0.74% 43.8 -0.9%
2018 42 0% 40.8 -0.24% 44.2 +0.68%
2017 42 - 40.9 - 43.9 -

The median age of Wright County, 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 1,162 +12.47% 1,246 +4.21% 1,306 1,284
10 to 19 1,355 -2.13% 1,169 +13.92% 1,319 1,329
20 to 29 985 -6.25% 905 -2.49% 922 882
30 to 39 900 +13.14% 878 -8.74% 1,019 801
40 to 49 1,072 -11.92% 1,113 +5.3% 947 1,166
50 to 59 1,376 -9.91% 1,356 -3.24% 1,240 1,312
60 to 69 1,077 +6.06% 1,269 -12.62% 1,139 1,110
70+ 1,085 +1.5% 1,356 +1.83% 1,093 1,375

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Wright County, Missouri is $40,179.00.

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 Wright County.

  • Under 25
    $22,431.00
  • 25 to 44
    $41,250.00
  • 45 to 64
    $50,745.00
  • 65 and over
    $29,882.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Wright County, 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 Wright County, Missouri is currently $50,859.00.

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.

0.95% of households in Wright County 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 Wright County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    29.01%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    33.60%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    16.87%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    9.42%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    9.22%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    0.92%
  • $200,000 or more
    0.95%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Wright County is $20,040.00.

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

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

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Wright County 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
    5.34%
  • Bachelor's degree
    13.69%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    12.63%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    62.77%
  • Less than high school diploma
    5.58%

Employment

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

The total population of Wright County over the age of 16 is 14,026.

Of those people, a total of 49.90% 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 Wright County is 47.60%.

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 1,020 33.90% 7.20%
20 to 24 years 882 75.30% 5.60%
25 to 29 years 922 73.10% 0.00%
30 to 34 years 991 65.50% 9.60%
35 to 44 years 1,931 76.60% 10.30%
45 to 54 years 2,134 71.20% 1.70%
55 to 59 years 1,429 59.60% 0.40%
60 to 64 years 1,131 44.50% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 2,035 12.90% 2.70%
75 years and over 1,551 3.00% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Wright County. 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 13,284 50.20% 4.50%
Black or African American 22 18.20% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 48 37.50% 0.00%
Asian 57 12.30% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 66 48.50% 0.00%
Two or more races 549 48.30% 3.40%
Hispanic or Latino 290 23.80% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 13,114 50.60% 4.60%

Occupations

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

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Wright County is 6,674, with median earnings of $27,932.00.

Women in Wright County, Missouri earning approximately 66.80% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 6,674 $27,932.00
Male 3,550 $33,551.00
Female 3,124 $22,428.00

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 626 $31,303.00
Business and Financial 252 $21,939.00
Computer and Mathematical 47 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 68 $43,580.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 63 $53,313.00
Community and Social Service 96 $41,333.00
Legal 31 $0.00
Educational and Library 363 $32,765.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 9 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 332 $51,397.00
Healthcare Support 394 $17,375.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 126 $2,499.00
Law Enforcement 47 $48,464.00
Food Preparation and Serving 276 $11,071.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 148 $18,571.00
Personal Care and Service 184 $12,383.00
Sales 666 $26,034.00
Office and Administrative Support 583 $20,900.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 211 $12,557.00
Construction and Extraction 502 $32,727.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 210 $38,672.00
Production 739 $36,076.00
Transportation and Material Moving 507 $36,186.00

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 375 $32,064.00 251 $28,750.00
Business and Financial 21 $74,464.00 231 $21,771.00
Computer and Mathematical 47 $0.00 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 24 $34,500.00 44 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 45 $46,932.00 18 $0.00
Community and Social Service 46 $46,333.00 50 $28,750.00
Legal 0 $0.00 31 $0.00
Educational and Library 100 $4,773.00 263 $33,523.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 0 $0.00 9 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 85 $0.00 247 $31,086.00
Healthcare Support 50 $16,121.00 344 $23,333.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 85 $30,313.00 41 $0.00
Law Enforcement 47 $48,464.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 103 $8,264.00 173 $13,438.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 74 $25,000.00 74 $15,833.00
Personal Care and Service 67 $35,260.00 117 $11,621.00
Sales 222 $25,675.00 444 $26,357.00
Office and Administrative Support 78 $44,250.00 505 $19,917.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 175 $14,602.00 36 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 494 $33,636.00 8 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 206 $38,828.00 4 $0.00
Production 592 $36,667.00 147 $33,672.00
Transportation and Material Moving 451 $37,014.00 56 $35,476.00

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 6,721 households in Wright County, with an average household size of 2.69 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 4,684 families in Wright County with an average family size of 3.23 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 3,672 292 720 2,037
Average Household Size 3.3 3.21 3.7 1.16
Total Families 3,672 292 720 0
Average Household Size 3.26 2.79 3.25 0

Poverty

Of the 4,684 families in Wright County, 14.20% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Wright County:

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 8,380 housing units in Wright County, Missouri.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 6,721 80.20%
Vacant 1,659 19.80%

14.77% of the total 8,380 housing units in Wright County are rental units. This is approximately 1,238 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 5,188 are occupied by the owner - or 61.91% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Wright County is $533.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Wright County 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
    295
  • Less than $500
    547
  • $500 to $999
    605
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    86
  • $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 Wright County is $117,400.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    751
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    1,407
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    832
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    819
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    827
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    283
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    250
  • $1,000,000 or more
    19

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    958
  • 1940 to 1949
    707
  • 1950 to 1959
    775
  • 1960 to 1969
    825
  • 1970 to 1979
    1,324
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,127
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,184
  • 2000 to 2009
    1,069
  • 2010 to 2013
    387
  • 2014 or later
    24

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 Wright County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    553
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,491
  • 2 vehicles available
    2,527
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    2,150

Commuting to Work

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

27.4 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Wright County.

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
    539
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    858
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    749
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    761
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    550
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    333
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    610
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    135
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    266
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    738
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    565
  • 90 or more minutes
    225

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Wright County, 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.

Places in Wright County, Missouri

We have data for 15 places in Wright County, Missouri. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.