Population 31,017 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Poplar Bluff
Household size in Poplar Bluff
| Period | Poplar Bluff | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.43 | 2.49 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.50 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.49 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.53 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Poplar Bluff run a little small, averaging 2.53 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. That is in line with the rest of Missouri. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.43, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Poplar Bluff
| Period | Poplar Bluff | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.1 | 38.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.2 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.6 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.8 | 40.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.7 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Poplar Bluff are younger than 39.8 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has crept up from 39.1 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. The youngest areas are in the southeast, the oldest in the north.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Poplar Bluff
| Period | Poplar Bluff | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.1% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 11.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.9% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.8% | 11.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Poplar Bluff: 14.8% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is up 1.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Poplar Bluff has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Missouri cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Poplar Bluff
Renters in Poplar Bluff
| Period | Poplar Bluff | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.3% | 30.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.9% | 32.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.6% | 33.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 39.5% | 31.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Poplar Bluff than nationally: 39.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among owners, 41.9% have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the northwest. The renter share has risen 2.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Poplar Bluff
| Period | Poplar Bluff | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 11.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.6% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.1% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.2% | 10.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Poplar Bluff: 13.2% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 2.6 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Poplar Bluff
| Period | Poplar Bluff | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Poplar Bluff are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1981, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1975 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the southeast.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Poplar Bluff
| Period | Poplar Bluff | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $528 | $740 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $657 | $816 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $695 | $899 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $810 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$283 | +$383 | +$606 |
The median renter in Poplar Bluff pays $810 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $283 a month from 2006–10, a 54% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.3% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the east; the highest are in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Poplar Bluff
Bachelor's degrees in Poplar Bluff
| Period | Poplar Bluff | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 26.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.0% | 27.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.4% | 29.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.7% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Poplar Bluff: 16.7% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has edged up 1.5 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the southeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Poplar Bluff
| Period | Poplar Bluff | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.2% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.3% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.7% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 84.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in seven adults in Poplar Bluff never finished high school, more than nationally: 84.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.7 points, mirroring the country. Of the 191 Missouri cities with 5,000+ people, only 14 have a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Poplar Bluff
| Period | Poplar Bluff | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 7.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 4.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.7%, unemployment in Poplar Bluff is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.0 points, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Poplar Bluff compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poplar Bluff | 2.53 | 39.8 | 14.8% | 39.5% | 13.2% | 1981 | $810 | 16.7% | 84.9% | 4.7% |
| Hilliard | 2.39 | 40.3 | 9.6% | 27.7% | 10.6% | 1991 | $1,008 | 28.2% | 93.2% | 4.2% |
| Fagus | 2.49 | 43.2 | 7.9% | 34.3% | 13.8% | 1985 | $636 | 16.7% | 82.0% | 6.2% |
| Lone Hill | 2.35 | 40.7 | 12.3% | 27.2% | 8.6% | 1993 | $726 | 10.4% | 78.9% | 2.5% |
| Rombauer | 2.60 | 45.9 | 3.3% | 14.8% | 21.9% | 1992 | $830 | 16.6% | 88.3% | 9.3% |
| Harviell | 2.35 | 48.1 | 9.1% | 29.7% | 16.3% | 1988 | $652 | 10.0% | 78.0% | 0.9% |
| Hendrickson | 2.41 | 43.5 | 6.6% | 14.4% | 18.6% | 1993 | $924 | 25.1% | 90.5% | 7.0% |
| Stringtown | 2.60 | 43.3 | 10.6% | 16.2% | 10.3% | 1995 | $918 | 26.1% | 91.7% | 2.9% |
| Fisk | 2.86 | 42.8 | 10.4% | 16.7% | 12.9% | 1982 | $755 | 10.3% | 86.4% | 5.5% |
| Broseley | 2.69 | 38.8 | 10.8% | 28.3% | 10.9% | 1976 | $787 | 12.4% | 81.3% | 0.7% |
| Fairdealing | 3.13 | 38.8 | 17.6% | 10.5% | 27.8% | 1993 | $583 | 14.5% | 84.5% | 0.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Grand Haven, MI · West Warwick, RI · Westfield, NJ · White Lake, MI · Winchester, KY · Jenks, OK · Imperial, MO · Hopewell, VA · Wisconsin Rapids, WI · Helotes, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Poplar Bluff. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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