Stoddard County, Missouri
Stoddard County | |
|---|---|
 Location within the U.S. state of Missouri | |
 Missouri's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 36°52′N 89°57′W / 36.86°N 89.95°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Missouri |
| Founded | 1835 |
| Named for | Amos Stoddard, the first territorial commandant of Upper Louisiana |
| Seat | Bloomfield |
| Largest city | Dexter |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 29,705 |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Stoddard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2000 census, the population was 29,705. Its county seat is Bloomfield6. The county was organized in 1835, and is named for Amos Stoddard, the first territorial commandant of Upper Louisiana.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,147 km² (829 mi²). 2,142 km² (827 mi²) of it is land and 5 km² (2 mi²) of it (0.22%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- Bollinger County (north)
- Cape Girardeau County & Scott County (northeast)
- New Madrid County (southeast)
- Dunklin County (south)
- Butler County (southwest)
- Wayne County (northwest)
Major highways
Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 29,705 people, 12,064 households, and 8,480 families residing in the county. The population density was 14/km² (36/mi²). There were 13,221 housing units at an average density of 6/km² (16/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.34% White, 0.91% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. 0.78% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 38.4% were of American, 15.4% German, 12.4% Irish and 8.5% English ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 12,064 households out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.40% were married couples living together, 9.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.70% were non-families. 26.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.90% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 17.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 92.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $26,987, and the median income for a family was $33,330. Males had a median income of $26,514 versus $17,778 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,656. About 12.80% of families and 16.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.20% of those under age 18 and 17.60% of those age 65 or over.
Although still one of the most WASP areas in the nation, Stoddard county had by 2005 experienced some changes in its population. Non-Hispanic whites were down to 96.6% of the population, and African Americans were at 1.2% of the population with Latinos at 1.0%. whole percentages for non-white portions of the population were a radical new thing in this county.
History
First settled in 1723, early Stoddard was Apache territory. When 1,029 europeans lost their lives in the massacre of Little Dixie in 1798 the colonization of Stoddard was postponed for 24 years [1].
Unlocking the Past by Madeline DeJournett and Elfreda Cox was published in May 2007. The authors are staff writers for the Dexter, Missouri Daily Statesman newspaper, which published the book. The book includes the historical background of more than a dozen abandoned towns in north Stoddard County.
In the mid-late 1990s, Stoddard County was one of the worst areas in the entire country for clandestine methamphetamine laboratory busts, with hundreds of labs discovered annually. At the height of the drug problem (circa 1998), the county was #1 in the nation for the number of labs reported.
Cities and towns
36°52′N 89°57′W / 36.86°N 89.95°W
References
- ^ In: Forister, R. (ed.). History of Stoddard County pp. 82. ISBN 0-934426-70-8.