Crawford County’s Population Declined By 3.6% Over Last Decade

Crawford County’s population declined by 3.6% according to a study by Mark White, University of Missouri associate extension professor and policy research professor at MU’s Truman School of Public Affairs.

White studied population trends using the United States Census Bureau’s population estimates that were released in May.

Crawford County’s population in 2010 was 24,631, but it coined to 23,739 in 2020.

White’s report states the population declined 0.5% from 2019 to 2020.

Net domestic migration in the last decade was down 629.

Natural change (births vs. deaths) was down 229.

White found that most of west-central and south-central Missouri has seen “significant losses in population.”

Most counties adjacent to Crawford also saw a population decline from 2010.

Both Iron and Gasconade Counties saw severe drops. Iron County lost 4.7% of its population and Gasconade County 4.2%.

Washington County fell 2.4%.

Dent County’s population declined 1.6%.

Phelps County declined 0.2%.

Franklin County grew 3%, the only adjacent county that saw an increase.

Missouri’s population grew by 11,000 people from 2019 to 2010, a 0.2% increase.

It is half the national rate of 0.4%.

White’s report found that 62 of Missouri’s 115 counties (including St. Louis City, a county-equivalent) lost population from 2019 to 2020.

Missouri grew its population by 2.6% to 6.2 million from 2010.

Central Missouri’s growth slowing down

Central Missouri’s growth has slowed over the last decade due to lower rates of natural change (births vs. deaths) and a decrease in international in-migration. Boone County, home to Columbia and the University of Missouri, was a major source of growth in the region.

Kansas City region adds almost one-fifth of state’s population

The Kansas City region, home to almost a fifth of the state’s population, added 85,000 new residents over the last decade. Platte and Clay counties were among the state’s fastest-growing counties.

St. Louis region’s suburban counties growing

The St. Louis region’s suburban counties are among the state’s fastest growing, but the city of St. Louis and St. Louis County have been losing population, offsetting some of the region’s overall growth.

Lincoln, Warren counties give northeastern Missouri a boost

To the north of St. Louis, growth in suburban Lincoln and Warren counties gave northeastern Missouri a net gain in population over the last decade, but most of the region’s predominantly rural counties lost population due to domestic out-migration.

Northwestern Missouri’s population falls 5%

Northwestern Missouri’s population has fallen almost 5% since 2010. Buchanan County, which includes St. Joseph, lost 10% of its population in the last decade due in large part to domestic out-migration.

Ozark region grew 8.1%, mostly in Greene County (Springfield)

The seven-county Ozark region grew 8.1% from 2010 to 2020, increasing its population by 42,300. Almost half of that increase was in Greene County, as the Springfield metropolitan statistical area was one the state’s fastest-growing regions.

Southeastern Missouri sees a drop

Southeastern Missouri lost 7,800 residents overall since 2010, though Cape Girardeau County added 3,600 residents.

Southwestern Missouri growing, mostly in Joplin

Southwestern Missouri has seen steady growth, mostly in the Joplin metropolitan statistical area, despite the disruption of the 2011 tornado. Several of the region’s largely rural counties lost population.

Much of west-central and south-central Missouri has seen significant losses in population, but those trends have started to reverse in parts of west-central Missouri, with growth in Johnson, Pettis and Benton counties.

White plans to prepare another report after the Census Bureau releases additional population estimates this summer broken down by age, gender, race/ethnicity and other categories.