McDonald County, Missouri
Located in Missouri, McDonald County has a population of 23,701 residents and a median age of 38.2 years, making it the #1,705 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 16.8%. The median home value is $154,700, and the median household income is $52,375, which is 30% below the national median.
Demographics
McDonald County has a population of 23,701, making it the #1,705 most populous county in the US. The median age is 38.2 years, which is 1.8% 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 McDonald County is $52,375, ranking #2,639 out of 3,222 counties — 30.3% below the national median. The poverty rate is 16.8% and unemployment stands at 6.8%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in McDonald County is $154,700 (-45.1% vs national). Renters pay a median of $767/mo and the homeownership rate is 67.3%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In McDonald County, 12.3% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 63.5% below the national average, ranking #3,086 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in McDonald County is 72.2 years. 25.4% of adults report poor or fair health and 18.0% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
25.2% of adults in McDonald County smoke , 41.2% are obese , and 19.1% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 14.5 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in McDonald County is 6.3 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 24.4 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 32.3 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
23.7% of children in McDonald County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 9.3 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 40.0 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in McDonald County is 58.1%. The mean commute time is 29.1 min, which is 5.5% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, McDonald County voted Republican with a margin of 68.8%. The vote was 15.2% Dem / 84% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About McDonald County, Missouri
McDonald County, Missouri has a total population of 23,701, making it the 1,705th most populous county in the United States. The median age in McDonald County is 38.2 years, which is 1.8% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in McDonald County is $52,375, which ranks #2,639 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 30.3% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 16.8%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 6.8%.
The median home value in McDonald County is $154,700, 45.1% below the national median. Renters in McDonald County pay a median gross rent of $767 per month. The homeownership rate is 67.3%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In McDonald County, 12.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 63.5% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 81.6% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 29.1 min.
McDonald County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 68.3% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.4%) and Two or More Races (10.4%).
All data for McDonald 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.