Joplin, Missouri Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Joplin, MO Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below average
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D
Income Well below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Joplin | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,308 | 6,186,340 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1185.9 | 88.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.51% | 0.28% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.4 | 37.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 19,555 | 2,507,647 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Joplin grew by 4.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 45,308 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Joplin is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 23.4% of residents. That is 2.2 points above Missouri as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 10,607 23.4% +2.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 9,582 21.1% -0.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 8,458 18.7% -1.0 pts
- Boomers 61–79 7,497 16.5% -1.4 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Missouri, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.7% of the people living in Joplin and men 49.3%.
- Women 50.7% Missouri 50.7%
- Men 49.3% Missouri 49.3%
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Economy
Joplin has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Joplin | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,299 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.49% | 4.56% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Joplin is about 28% lower than in Missouri.
Housing
| Metric | Joplin | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $163,128 | $145,462 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $962 | $1,033 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 52.9% | 68.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Joplin is about 14.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $962 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Joplin spend about 30 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 125 hours, about 5.2 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Joplin | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.0 | 21.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 30.0 | 41.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 125 | 175 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,880 | $5,415 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 9.4% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 9,860 | 7,545 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,257 | 923 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Joplin is 15 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Missouri.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Joplin has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Joplin | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.2% | 28.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.26 | 2.40 | 2.53 |
Health
Joplin has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Joplin | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 74.6 | 76.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 17.4% | 19.0% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 21.3% | 22.8% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Joplin, Missouri.
What is the population of Joplin, Missouri?
About 45,308 people live in Joplin, Missouri, in 19,555 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 38.4, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Joplin, Missouri?
Averaged over its land area, Joplin, Missouri has 1,186 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 14 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Joplin, Missouri?
The median home costs 3.2 times the median household income ($163,128 against $51,299), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $962 a month takes about 23% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
What share of adults in Joplin, Missouri have a college degree?
21.2% of adults in Joplin, Missouri hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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