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Living in
Poplar Bluff.
About
Life in Poplar Bluff
This is a place where you're genuinely getting affordable housing and reasonable cost of living—median home values hover around $119,800 and rent runs about $760 a month, which means your money actually stretches. You're looking at a median household income of $42,035, which tells you this is a working-class community where people have modest means, and nearly 27% of the population lives below the poverty line—so it's not wealthy, but it's honest. Weather-wise, expect hot, humid summers with 58 days over 90°F and winters that are cool but manageable; rain is consistent year-round, especially spring and fall.
Poplar Bluff at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
20.8%
Foreign-Born
1.4%
Broadband Internet
82.7%
of households
Population Growth
0.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.4% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Poplar Bluff: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Poplar Bluff, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (41.4%), and 1.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.5%
of residents
65 and Older
20.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
39.5%
of households
Married Couples
35.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.41
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 26% below MO average
Rent, home values, and income in Poplar Bluff
In Poplar Bluff, rent runs 26% below the MO average, and home values are 48% below the MO average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.8%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$796
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
53.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1972
median year built
Vacant Homes
15.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $175,548 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.2 pts above MO average
Unemployment in Poplar Bluff
Unemployment in Butler County, which includes Poplar Bluff, is 1.2 percentage points higher than the MO average.
Unemployment rate
Poplar Bluff: Butler County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Butler County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Poplar Bluff Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.6 min avg
How Poplar Bluff residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Poplar Bluff, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 83% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 56 mi
Cape Girardeau Regional Airport (CGI)
Regional airport · few flights10k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 180% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Poplar Bluff runs 180% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
922.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
4,575.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Poplar Bluff Police Department
Natural DisastersStrong Wind most common — 33 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
83.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Butler County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Butler County, which includes Poplar Bluff, the most common type is strong wind, with 33 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33 | Dense Fog | $16.5M |
| 2024 | 34 | Strong Wind | $445,000 |
| 2023 | 31 | Strong Wind | $76,000 |
| 2022 | 35 | Drought | $144,000 |
| 2021 | 26 | Strong Wind | $83,000 |
| 2020 | 33 | Thunderstorm Wind | $365,000 |
| 2019 | 37 | Thunderstorm Wind | $252,000 |
| 2018 | 42 | Strong Wind | $85,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
11 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Butler County, county-wide
Air Quality21 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Stoddard County, MO (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 26 miles from Poplar Bluff) is typically good — 12 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
21
Good Days
12
per year
Moderate Days
0
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Stoddard County, MO (26 mi away)
Climate89°F summers, 28°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Poplar Bluff has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and cold winters (avg low 28°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
69°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/69°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
71°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
47°/28°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
52.2"
Annual Snowfall
5.4"
Hot Days/Year
58
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
83
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
106
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 26°F | 3.46" |
| Feb | 49°F | 30°F | 3.63" |
| Mar | 59°F | 38°F | 4.77" |
| Apr | 70°F | 47°F | 5.94" |
| May | 79°F | 58°F | 5.37" |
| Jun | 88°F | 67°F | 4.29" |
| Jul | 91°F | 71°F | 4.70" |
| Aug | 90°F | 69°F | 3.65" |
| Sep | 83°F | 61°F | 3.29" |
| Oct | 72°F | 48°F | 4.07" |
| Nov | 58°F | 38°F | 4.80" |
| Dec | 47°F | 29°F | 4.27" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Poplar Bluff
Poplar Bluff has 2 hospitals, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
15.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Poplar Bluff VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Poplar Bluff
Poplar Bluff's student/teacher ratio is 13.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 14.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
14.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Poplar Bluff
Public · 2-year · 1,844 students · in-state tuition $5,070 · 32% graduate · median earnings $36,182 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Ozark National Scenic Riverways, 53 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Poplar Bluff
Poplar Bluff has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Ozark National Scenic Riverways (53 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Ozark National Scenic Riverways
National Scenic Riverways
53 mi awayTrail Of Tears National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
64 mi awaySte. Geneviève National Historical Park
National Historical Park
86 mi awayPublic Libraries in Poplar Bluff
Poplar Bluff Municipal Library District
318 N Main St, Poplar Bluff
Dr. Gus T. Ridgel Branch Library
3398 Kanell Blvd, Poplar Bluff
Cities Near Poplar Bluff
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Poplar Bluff?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Poplar Bluff FAQ
Is Poplar Bluff, Missouri affordable?⌄
Poplar Bluff's median rent is $760/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $41,941/year. Median home value is $119,800.
Is Poplar Bluff, Missouri safe?⌄
Poplar Bluff's violent crime rate was 923 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 4576 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Poplar Bluff, Missouri?⌄
Butler County, which includes Poplar Bluff, has an unemployment rate of 5.2%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Poplar Bluff, Missouri?⌄
The cost of living in Poplar Bluff is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $760/month and median household income is $41,941/year. The median home value is $119,800. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Poplar Bluff, Missouri?⌄
The average commute in Poplar Bluff is 18 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from