Ray County, Missouri
Located in Missouri, Ray County has a population of 23,145 residents and a median age of 41.9 years, making it the #1,726 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.6%. The median home value is $198,800, and the median household income is $74,573, which is 1% below the national median.
Demographics
Ray County has a population of 23,145, making it the #1,726 most populous county in the US. The median age is 41.9 years, which is 7.7% 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 Ray County is $74,573, ranking #865 out of 3,222 counties — 0.8% below the national median. The poverty rate is 12.6% and unemployment stands at 3.4%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Ray County is $198,800 (-29.5% vs national). Renters pay a median of $782/mo and the homeownership rate is 77.3%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Ray County, 16.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 51.9% below the national average, ranking #2,631 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Ray County is 73.1 years. 18.8% of adults report poor or fair health and 12.0% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
19.7% of adults in Ray County smoke , 40.4% are obese , and 21.5% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 18.8 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 31.6 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 26.2 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
12.8% of children in Ray County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 27.5 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Ray County is 66.0%. The mean commute time is 35.8 min, which is 29.6% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Ray County voted Republican with a margin of 48.7%. The vote was 25.1% Dem / 73.8% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 3.8 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Ray County, Missouri
Ray County, Missouri has a total population of 23,145, making it the 1,726th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Ray County is 41.9 years, which is 7.7% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Ray County is $74,573, which ranks #865 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 0.8% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.6%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.4%.
The median home value in Ray County is $198,800, 29.5% below the national median. Renters in Ray County pay a median gross rent of $782 per month. The homeownership rate is 77.3%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Ray County, 16.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 51.9% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 90.9% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 35.8 min.
Ray County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 92.2% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic or Latino (2.9%).
All data for Ray 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.