Lafayette County, Missouri

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


founded year = 1820
founded date = November 16
seat wl = Lexington
largest city wl = Odessa
area_total_sq_mi = 639
area_total_km2 = 1655
area_land_sq_mi = 629
area_land_km2 = 1630
area_water_sq_mi = 10
area_water_km2 = 25
area percentage = 1.49%
census yr = 2000
pop = 32960
density_sq_mi = 52
density_km2 = 20
time zone = Central
UTC offset = -6
DST offset = -5
footnotes =
web =
named for = Marquis de La Fayette, French aristocrat and military officer

Lafayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2000, the population was 32,960. Its county seat is LexingtonGR|6.

Lafayette is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area.

History

Lafayette County was settled primarily from migrants from the Upper South states of Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. They brought slaves and slaveholding traditions with them, and quickly started cultivating crops similar to those in Middle Tennessee and Kentucky: hemp and tobacco. Lafayette was one of several counties settled mostly by southerners to the north and south of the Missouri River. Given their culture and traditions, this area became known as Little Dixie. In 1860 slaves made up 25 percent or more of the county's population. [T. J. Stiles, "Jesse James: The Last Rebel of the Civil War", New York: Vintage Books, 2003, pp.10-11] Residents generally supported the Confederacy during the Civil War.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 639 square miles (1,655 km²), of which, 629 square miles (1,630 km²) of it is land and 10 square miles (25 km²) of it (1.49%) is water.

Adjacent counties

*Ray County (northwest)
*Carroll County (northeast)
*Saline County (east)
*Johnson County (south)
*Jackson County (west)
*Pettis County (southeast)

Major highways

*Interstate 70
*U.S. Route 24
*U.S. Route 40
*Route 13
*Route 23
*Route 131
*Route 224

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 32,960 people, 12,569 households, and 9,099 families residing in the county. The population density was 52 people per square mile (20/km²). There were 13,707 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.52% White, 2.27% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.51% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. 1.17% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 37.3% were of German, 17.5% American, 9.9% English and 9.7% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 12,569 households out of which 33.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.30% were married couples living together, 9.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the county the population was spread out with 26.20% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 15.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,235, and the median income for a family was $45,717. Males had a median income of $31,972 versus $22,684 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,493. About 6.90% of families and 8.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.90% of those under age 18 and 9.10% of those ages 65 or over.

Cities and towns

References

External links

* [http://www.lafayettecountymo.com Lafayette County Website]