Macon County, Missouri Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Macon County, 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.
-
C
Health Below average
-
D
Income Well below average
-
F
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Macon County | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,163 | 6,186,340 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 18.7 | 88.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.19% | 0.28% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 42.3 | 37.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 6,067 | 2,507,647 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Macon County declined by 1.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 15,163 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Macon County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 22.6% of residents. That is 4.7 points above Missouri as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,952 19.5% -1.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 2,502 16.5% -4.8 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,992 19.7% +0.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,432 22.6% +4.7 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 50.9% of the people living in Macon County and men 49.1%.
- Women 50.9% Missouri 50.7%
- Men 49.1% Missouri 49.3%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Macon County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Macon County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Macon County | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $62,559 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 6.75% | 4.56% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.1% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Macon County is about 12% lower than in Missouri.
Housing
| Metric | Macon County | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $74,444 | $145,462 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $671 | $1,033 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.8% | 68.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Macon County is about 9.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $671 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Macon County spend about 36 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 148 hours, about 6.2 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Macon County | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.8 | 21.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 35.5 | 41.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 148 | 175 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,587 | $5,415 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 9.8% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,667 | 7,545 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 221 | 923 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Missouri:
Saline County (11.9 min), Adair County (12.0 min), Nodaway County (12.1 min).
Slowest:
Bollinger County (33.1 min), Ray County (32.2 min), Maries County (31.9 min).
The average commute time in Macon County is 18 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
Macon County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Macon County | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.5% | 28.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.46 | 2.40 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Missouri:
St. Louis County (0.4), Platte County (0.4), Boone County (0.4).
Lowest:
Bollinger County (0.2), Wayne County (0.2), Ripley County (0.2).
Health
Macon County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Macon County | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.3 | 76.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 18.0% | 19.0% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 21.0% | 22.8% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Missouri:
St. Charles County (0.8), Platte County (0.8), Boone County (0.8).
Lowest:
Scotland County (0.7), Ripley County (0.7), Pemiscot County (0.8).
Macon County, MO Compared With Nearby Counties
How Macon County, MO compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macon County, MO | 15,163 | $62,559 #1/3 | $74,444 #3/3 | 17.8 min #3/3 |
| Adair County, MO | 25,301 | $61,312 | $97,387 | 12.0 min |
| Randolph County, MO | 24,365 | $53,637 | $251,923 | 15.8 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Macon County, Missouri.
How big is Macon County, Missouri by population?
About 15,163 people live in Macon County, Missouri, in 6,067 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 42.3, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 5 years.
Is Macon County, Missouri mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Macon County, Missouri has 19 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 22% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Macon County, Missouri?
The median home costs 1.2 times the median household income ($74,444 against $62,559), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $671 a month takes about 13% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Macon County, Missouri?
Unemployment in Macon County, Missouri is only 2.1%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Macon County, Missouri?
16.5% of adults in Macon County, Missouri hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 6), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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