Stoddard County, Missouri

Infobox U.S. County
county = Stoddard County
state = Missouri


founded year = 1835
founded date =
seat wl = Bloomfield
largest city wl = Dexter
area_total_sq_mi = 829
area_total_km2 = 2147
area_land_sq_mi = 827
area_land_km2 = 2142
area_water_sq_mi = 2
area_water_km2 = 5
area percentage = 0.22%
census yr = 2000
pop = 29705
density_sq_mi = 36
density_km2 = 14
time zone = Central
UTC offset = -6
DST offset = -5
footnotes =
web =
named for = Amos Stoddard, the first territorial commandant of Upper Louisiana

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 BloomfieldGR|6. 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 829 square miles (2,147 km²), of which, 827 square miles (2,142 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (5 km²) 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

*U.S. Route 60
*Route 25
*Route 51
*Route 153

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 29,705 people, 12,064 households, and 8,480 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile (14/km²). There were 13,221 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6/km²). 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.

History

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.Fact|date=August 2008

Cities and towns

----

References

Stoddard County Sheriff's Office