Monroe County, Missouri facts for kids

Monroe County
	Monroe County, Missouri
	Map
	; Location in the state of Missouri
	; Missouri's location in the U.S.
	Statistics
Founded	January 6, 1831
Seat	Paris
Largest City	Monroe City
Area; - Total; - Land; - Water	; 670 sq mi (1,735 km²); 648 sq mi (1,678 km²); 23 sq mi (60 km²), 3.4%
PopulationEst.; - (2015); - Density	; 8,583; 14/sq mi (5/km²)
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
	Named for: James Monroe

Monroe County is a county located in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the population was 8,840. Its county seat is Paris.

History

The county was organized January 6, 1831 and named for James Monroe, fifth President of the United States.

Monroe County was one of several along the Missouri River settled by migrants from the Upper South, especially Kentucky and Tennessee. They brought slaves and slaveholding traditions with them, and quickly started cultivating crops similar to those in Middle Tennessee and Kentucky: hemp and tobacco. They also brought characteristic antebellum architecture and culture. The county was considered at the heart of what was called Little Dixie.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 670 square miles (1,700 km²), of which 648 square miles (1,680 km²) is land and 23 square miles (60 km²) (3.4%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Shelby County (north)
Marion County (northeast)
Ralls County (east)
Audrain County (south)
Randolph County (west)

Major highways

U.S. Route 24
U.S. Route 36
Route 15
Route 107
Route 151

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1840	9,505	—
1850	10,541	10.9%
1860	14,785	40.3%
1870	17,149	16.0%
1880	19,071	11.2%
1890	20,790	9.0%
1900	19,716	−5.2%
1910	18,304	−7.2%
1920	16,414	−10.3%
1930	13,466	−18.0%
1940	13,195	−2.0%
1950	11,314	−14.3%
1960	10,688	−5.5%
1970	9,542	−10.7%
1980	9,716	1.8%
1990	9,104	−6.3%
2000	9,311	2.3%
2010	8,840	−5.1%
Est. 2015	8,583	−2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2015

As of the census of 2010, there were 8,840 people, 3,656 households, and 2,566 families residing in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile (6/km²). There were 4,565 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.66% White, 3.83% Black or African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Approximately 0.56% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.7% were of German, 23.2% American, 14.2% English and 11.8% Irish ancestry.

There were 3,656 households out of which 31.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.10% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were non-families. 26.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out with 25.90% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 25.00% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 17.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,871, and the median income for a family was $36,895. Males had a median income of $26,534 versus $20,440 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,695. About 8.30% of families and 11.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.00% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over.