Lawrence County, Missouri
Located in Missouri, Lawrence County has a population of 38,593 residents and a median age of 38.8 years, making it the #1,234 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 14.5%. The median home value is $175,100, and the median household income is $61,215, which is 19% below the national median.
Demographics
Lawrence County has a population of 38,593, making it the #1,234 most populous county in the US. The median age is 38.8 years, which is 0.3% 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 Lawrence County is $61,215, ranking #1,964 out of 3,222 counties — 18.5% below the national median. The poverty rate is 14.5% and unemployment stands at 4.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Lawrence County is $175,100 (-37.9% vs national). Renters pay a median of $800/mo and the homeownership rate is 73.9%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Lawrence County, 16.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 49.9% below the national average, ranking #2,515 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Lawrence County is 73.6 years. 19.4% of adults report poor or fair health and 15.1% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
20.5% of adults in Lawrence County smoke , 41.9% are obese , and 19.9% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 19.1 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Lawrence County is 3.7 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 19.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 26.4 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
20.1% of children in Lawrence County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 7.9 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 30.6 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Lawrence County is 64.5%. The mean commute time is 27.8 min, which is 0.7% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Lawrence County voted Republican with a margin of 63.9%. The vote was 17.6% Dem / 81.5% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.3 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Lawrence County, Missouri
Lawrence County, Missouri has a total population of 38,593, making it the 1,234th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Lawrence County is 38.8 years, which is 0.3% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Lawrence County is $61,215, which ranks #1,964 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 18.5% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 14.5%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.2%.
The median home value in Lawrence County is $175,100, 37.9% below the national median. Renters in Lawrence County pay a median gross rent of $800 per month. The homeownership rate is 73.9%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Lawrence County, 16.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 49.9% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 86.0% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 27.8 min.
Lawrence County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 86.2% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (8.5%) and Two or More Races (3.5%).
All data for Lawrence 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.