Jefferson City is a city located in Cole County Missouri. Jefferson City has a 2024 population of 42,561. It is also the county seat of Cole County. Jefferson City is currently growing at a rate of 0.02% annually and its population has increased by 0.09% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 42,524 in 2020.
The average household income in Jefferson City is $81,091 with a poverty rate of 12.33%. The median age in Jefferson City is 38.5 years: 37.8 years for males, and 39.9 years for females.
Jefferson City is a city located in the state of Missouri, in Cole County, where it is the county seat. It is also the state capital. A small portion of the city is found in Callaway County. Jefferson City is known for being the “Most Beautiful Small Town” in the U.S.
Jefferson City has seen its population grow at a steady rate since the mid-19th century. However, recent estimates show that the population has dropped for the first time in many years, falling 0.2% since the 2010 census. However, there is nothing to indicate that this will be an ongoing trend, and hopefully, with citywide efforts, the population of this Missouri city will continue to grow again.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Jefferson City was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 31,587 | 74.07% |
| Black or African American | 7,788 | 18.26% |
| Two or more races | 1,588 | 3.72% |
| Asian | 1,109 | 2.6% |
| Other race | 514 | 1.21% |
| Native American | 53 | 0.12% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 5 | 0.01% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Asian
Other race
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 16,852 | 2.26 | 59.2 | 40.8 |
| Non Family | 7,401 | 1.16 | 46 | 54 |
| Married | 7,033 | 3.1 | 81 | 19 |
| Female | 1,962 | 3.1 | 31.5 | 68.5 |
| Male | 456 | 3.54 | 56.6 | 43.4 |
3.03
Average Family Size
2.26
Average Household Size
59.2%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 2,009 | 6.72% |
| Associates Degree | 2,238 | 7.49% |
| Bachelors Degree | 6,457 | 21.6% |
| Graduate Degree | 4,086 | 13.67% |
| High School Graduate | 8,613 | 28.81% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 739 | 2.47% |
| Some College | 5,754 | 19.25% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 23,056 | 21,409 | 9,178 |
| Black | 4,551 | 3,911 | 621 |
| 2+ Races | 829 | 732 | 207 |
| Asian | 804 | 641 | 430 |
| Hispanic | 746 | 482 | 93 |
| Other Race | 276 | 235 | 81 |
| Native American | 45 | 34 | 8 |
| Islander | 5 | 5 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 53.48%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $52,342 | $61,053 | $43,551 |
| Graduate Degree | $59,981 | $71,923 | $54,853 |
| High School Graduate | $38,298 | $48,738 | $34,291 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $25,882 | $24,841 | $26,526 |
| Overall | $41,707 | $51,121 | $37,019 |
| Some College | $33,753 | $40,959 | $30,975 |
$41,707
Average Earnings
$51,121
Average Male
$37,019
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
94.07% of Jefferson City residents speak only English, while 5.93% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 2.17% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 28,499 | 2,299 | 8.07% |
| Black | 5,998 | 1,813 | 30.23% |
| Other | 417 | 364 | 87.29% |
| Multiple | 1,282 | 208 | 16.22% |
| Hispanic | 1,231 | 31 | 2.52% |
| Asian | 1,106 | 2 | 0.18% |
12.33%
Overall Poverty Rate
9.47%
Male Poverty Rate
14.94%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Jefferson City is Other, with 87.29% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Jefferson City is Asian, with 0.18% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.87%. Among those working part-time, it was 16.28%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 18.84%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 23.45% |
| High School | 14.14% |
| Some College | 10.82% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 3.88% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 12.99% |
| Female Employed | 11.78% |
| Male Unemployed | 4.76% |
| Male Employed | 3.38% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $89,047 | $103,265 |
| Households | $63,649 | $81,091 |
| Married Families | $99,685 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $39,633 | $49,346 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
43.9%
Overall Marriage Rate
44.8%
Male Marriage Rate
42.9%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
2,614
Number of Veterans
2,280
Male Veterans
334
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 782 |
| First Gulf War | 704 |
| Second Gulf War | 669 |
| Korea | 113 |
| World War II | 17 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 761 |
| 65 to 74 | 626 |
| 55 to 64 | 519 |
| 75+ | 503 |
| 18 to 34 | 205 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 2,236 | 8.63% |
| Black | 249 | 4.24% |
| Asian | 59 | 7.34% |
| 2+ Races | 37 | 3.61% |
| Hispanic | 25 | 2.62% |
| Native American | 23 | 51.11% |
| Other Race | 10 | 3.58% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
6.27%
Veteran Poverty Rate
27.12%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
61%
Labor Force Participation
59%
Employment Rate
2.9%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
68.53%
Born in Jefferson City
95.81%
Native Born
4.19%
Foreign Born
2.57%
Non Citizen
1.63%
Naturalized
95.81% of Jefferson City residents were born in the United States, with 68.53% having been born in Missouri. 2.57% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 42,608 | 10 | 0.02% |
| 2028 | 42,598 | 9 | 0.02% |
| 2027 | 42,589 | 9 | 0.02% |
| 2026 | 42,580 | 10 | 0.02% |
| 2025 | 42,570 | 9 | 0.02% |
| 2024 | 42,561 | 9 | 0.02% |
| 2023 | 42,552 | 26 | 0.06% |
| 2022 | 42,526 | 139 | 0.33% |
| 2021 | 42,387 | -137 | -0.32% |
| 2020 | 42,524 | -205 | -0.48% |
| 2019 | 42,729 | -95 | -0.22% |
| 2018 | 42,824 | -118 | -0.27% |
| 2017 | 42,942 | -108 | -0.25% |
| 2016 | 43,050 | -177 | -0.41% |
| 2015 | 43,227 | 42 | 0.1% |
| 2014 | 43,185 | -158 | -0.36% |
| 2013 | 43,343 | 70 | 0.16% |
| 2012 | 43,273 | -81 | -0.19% |
| 2011 | 43,354 | 144 | 0.33% |
| 2010 | 43,210 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 39,636 | 4,155 | 11.71% |
| 1990 | 35,481 | 1,862 | 5.54% |
| 1980 | 33,619 | 1,212 | 3.74% |
| 1970 | 32,407 | 4,179 | 14.8% |
| 1960 | 28,228 | 3,129 | 12.47% |
| 1950 | 25,099 | 831 | 3.42% |
| 1940 | 24,268 | 2,672 | 12.37% |
| 1930 | 21,596 | 7,106 | 49.04% |
| 1920 | 14,490 | 2,640 | 22.28% |
| 1910 | 11,850 | 2,186 | 22.62% |
| 1900 | 9,664 | 2,922 | 43.34% |
| 1890 | 6,742 | 1,471 | 27.91% |
| 1880 | 5,271 | 851 | 19.25% |
| 1870 | 4,420 | 1,338 | 43.41% |
| 1860 | 3,082 | -39,526 | -92.77% |