Cole County, Missouri
Located in Missouri, Cole County has a population of 77,032 residents and a median age of 39.9 years, making it the #745 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 9.0%. The median home value is $229,600, and the median household income is $74,876, which is 0% below the national median.
Demographics
Cole County has a population of 77,032, making it the #745 most populous county in the US. The median age is 39.9 years, which is 2.6% above 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 Cole County is $74,876, ranking #851 out of 3,222 counties — 0.4% below the national median. The poverty rate is 9.0% and unemployment stands at 2.9%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Cole County is $229,600 (-18.6% vs national). Renters pay a median of $834/mo and the homeownership rate is 67.9%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Cole County, 38.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 15.5% above the national average, ranking #314 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Cole County is 77.1 years. 15.6% of adults report poor or fair health and 9.1% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
16.1% of adults in Cole County smoke , 36.7% are obese , and 20.7% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 17.8 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Cole County is 6.1 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 16.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 12.5 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
11.3% of children in Cole County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 5.7 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 17.3 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Cole County is 67.7%. The mean commute time is 20.1 min, which is 27.3% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Cole County voted Republican with a margin of 34.4%. The vote was 32.1% Dem / 66.5% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 0.5 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Cole County, Missouri
Cole County, Missouri has a total population of 77,032, making it the 745th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Cole County is 39.9 years, which is 2.6% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Cole County is $74,876, which ranks #851 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 0.4% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 9.0%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 2.9%.
The median home value in Cole County is $229,600, 18.6% below the national median. Renters in Cole County pay a median gross rent of $834 per month. The homeownership rate is 67.9%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Cole County, 38.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 15.5% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.2% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 20.1 min.
Cole County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 79.2% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (9.7%) and Two or More Races (5.1%).
All data for Cole 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.