West Plains is a city located in Howell County Missouri. West Plains has a 2024 population of 12,730. It is also the county seat of Howell County. West Plains is currently growing at a rate of 1.05% annually and its population has increased by 4.34% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 12,201 in 2020.
The average household income in West Plains is $56,097 with a poverty rate of 30.98%. The median age in West Plains is 34.2 years: 33.6 years for males, and 35.4 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of West Plains was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 11,768 | 95.36% |
| Two or more races | 416 | 3.37% |
| Black or African American | 86 | 0.7% |
| Asian | 55 | 0.45% |
| Native American | 16 | 0.13% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
| Other race | 0 | 0% |
White
Two or more races
Black or African American
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Other race
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 4,960 | 2.38 | 48.2 | 51.8 |
| Non Family | 2,301 | 1.19 | 32.2 | 67.8 |
| Married | 1,703 | 3.39 | 73.4 | 26.6 |
| Female | 627 | 3.63 | 35.2 | 64.8 |
| Male | 329 | 3.16 | 53.5 | 46.5 |
3.27
Average Family Size
2.38
Average Household Size
48.2%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 949 | 11.82% |
| Associates Degree | 836 | 10.41% |
| Bachelors Degree | 859 | 10.7% |
| Graduate Degree | 565 | 7.04% |
| High School Graduate | 3,275 | 40.8% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 233 | 2.9% |
| Some College | 1,310 | 16.32% |
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 | 7,666 | 6,551 | 1,392 |
| 2+ Races | 241 | 221 | 14 |
| Black | 78 | 31 | 0 |
| Hispanic | 23 | 23 | 0 |
| Asian | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Native American | 16 | 16 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 100%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $39,559 | $60,819 | $37,956 |
| Graduate Degree | $65,402 | $66,235 | $53,929 |
| High School Graduate | $30,511 | $44,861 | $22,377 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $12,690 | $22,679 | $7,972 |
| Overall | $36,705 | $45,229 | $31,004 |
| Some College | $37,440 | $37,052 | $38,363 |
$36,705
Average Earnings
$45,229
Average Male
$31,004
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
97.06% of West Plains residents speak only English, while 2.94% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 1.75% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 11,338 | 3,447 | 30.4% |
| Multiple | 402 | 136 | 33.83% |
| Black | 69 | 69 | 100% |
| Hispanic | 54 | 39 | 72.22% |
30.98%
Overall Poverty Rate
26.09%
Male Poverty Rate
35.28%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in West Plains is Black, with 100% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in West Plains is White, with 30.4% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 9.56%. Among those working part-time, it was 32.19%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 46.05%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 47.63% |
| High School | 33.87% |
| Some College | 28.3% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 0% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 73.4% |
| Female Unemployed | 53.19% |
| Female Employed | 24.27% |
| Male Employed | 9.62% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $58,682 | $70,539 |
| Households | $39,897 | $56,097 |
| Married Families | $79,105 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $24,137 | $33,956 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
40.7%
Overall Marriage Rate
40.6%
Male Marriage Rate
40.7%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
739
Number of Veterans
739
Male Veterans
0
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Second Gulf War | 239 |
| Vietnam | 231 |
| Korea | 97 |
| First Gulf War | 93 |
| World War II | 0 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 248 |
| 18 to 34 | 190 |
| 65 to 74 | 150 |
| 55 to 64 | 110 |
| 35 to 54 | 41 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 709 | 8.11% |
| 2+ Races | 30 | 11.81% |
| Hispanic | 15 | 24.19% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
3.6%
Veteran Poverty Rate
61.83%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
55.6%
Labor Force Participation
53.1%
Employment Rate
4.5%
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
64.49%
Born in West Plains
99.57%
Native Born
0.43%
Foreign Born
0.36%
Non Citizen
0.06%
Naturalized
99.57% of West Plains residents were born in the United States, with 64.49% having been born in Missouri. 0.36% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Europe.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 13,392 | 133 | 1% |
| 2028 | 13,259 | 132 | 1.01% |
| 2027 | 13,127 | 132 | 1.02% |
| 2026 | 12,995 | 133 | 1.03% |
| 2025 | 12,862 | 132 | 1.04% |
| 2024 | 12,730 | 132 | 1.05% |
| 2023 | 12,598 | 64 | 0.51% |
| 2022 | 12,534 | 257 | 2.09% |
| 2021 | 12,277 | 76 | 0.62% |
| 2020 | 12,201 | -93 | -0.76% |
| 2019 | 12,294 | 36 | 0.29% |
| 2018 | 12,258 | 22 | 0.18% |
| 2017 | 12,236 | 5 | 0.04% |
| 2016 | 12,231 | 27 | 0.22% |
| 2015 | 12,204 | -10 | -0.08% |
| 2014 | 12,214 | 48 | 0.39% |
| 2013 | 12,166 | -65 | -0.53% |
| 2012 | 12,231 | 75 | 0.62% |
| 2011 | 12,156 | 103 | 0.85% |
| 2010 | 12,053 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 10,866 | 1,953 | 21.91% |
| 1990 | 8,913 | 1,172 | 15.14% |
| 1980 | 7,741 | 848 | 12.3% |
| 1970 | 6,893 | 1,057 | 18.11% |
| 1960 | 5,836 | 918 | 18.67% |
| 1950 | 4,918 | 892 | 22.16% |
| 1940 | 4,026 | 691 | 20.72% |
| 1930 | 3,335 | 157 | 4.94% |
| 1920 | 3,178 | 264 | 9.06% |
| 1910 | 2,914 | 12 | 0.41% |
| 1900 | 2,902 | -10,490 | -78.33% |