Carter County, Missouri
Located in Missouri, Carter County has a population of 5,297 residents and a median age of 38.9 years, making it the #2,869 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 20.8%. The median home value is $159,400, and the median household income is $50,000, which is 33% below the national median.
Demographics
Carter County has a population of 5,297, making it the #2,869 most populous county in the US. The median age is 38.9 years, which is 0.0% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Carter County is $50,000, ranking #2,772 out of 3,222 counties — 33.5% below the national median. The poverty rate is 20.8% and unemployment stands at 3.8%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Carter County is $159,400 (-43.5% vs national). Renters pay a median of $656/mo and the homeownership rate is 60.7%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Carter County, 10.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 70.2% below the national average, ranking #3,180 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Carter County is 71.5 years. 22.7% of adults report poor or fair health and 13.2% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
22.7% of adults in Carter County smoke , 40.0% are obese , and 19.3% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 36.6 per 100,000.
Motor Vehicle Deaths Trend
Families & Children
30.0% of children in Carter County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 35.9 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Carter County is 62.9%. The mean commute time is 26.1 min, which is 5.6% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Carter County voted Republican with a margin of 74.2%. The vote was 12.7% Dem / 86.9% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 4.0 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Carter County, Missouri
Carter County, Missouri has a total population of 5,297, making it the 2,869th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Carter County is 38.9 years.
The median household income in Carter County is $50,000, which ranks #2,772 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 33.5% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 20.8%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.8%.
The median home value in Carter County is $159,400, 43.5% below the national median. Renters in Carter County pay a median gross rent of $656 per month. The homeownership rate is 60.7%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Carter County, 10.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 70.2% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 85.4% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 26.1 min.
Carter County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 92.6% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (4.7%) and Hispanic or Latino (2.3%).
All data for Carter County, Missouri comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.