Census place 2978928

West Plains

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: West Plains city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in West Plains.

According to the 2025 estimate, West Plains has a population of 12,780 and 960 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 81 covered Missouri places are: population density is 960/sq mi, below the comparison median of 1,612/sq mi; median household income is $44,002, below the comparison median of $68,840; and median gross rent is $810, below the comparison median of $1,083. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

population density
960/sq mi
Below the comparison median of 1,612/sq mi
median household income
$44,002
Below the comparison median of $68,840
median gross rent
$810
Below the comparison median of $1,083

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare West Plains's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
12,780
2025 estimate
Annual change
+0.3%
Population estimate
Density
960/sq mi
13.3 sq mi land area
Median age
36.3 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$44,002
Median home value
$169,900
Median gross rent
$810
Bachelor’s degree or higher
17.1%
Typical commute
21.3 min
Drive-alone commute
79.1%
Public transit commute
0%
Walked to work
1%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
47.9%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
47.6%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
55.9%
Unemployed residents 16+
2.5%
Working from home
3.6%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
88.4%
Homes built 2020+
1.1%
Households without a vehicle
9.2%
Households with children
29.6%
Residents with a disability
19.9%
Residents without insurance
15.6%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for Howell County provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
19
Severe Storm declarations
13
Flood declarations
3
Severe Ice Storm declarations
2

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: W PLAINS MUNI AP (9 mi from place center)
Average high
67.9°F
Average low
46.1°F
Annual rainfall
47.3"
Annual snowfall
0"

Month by month

A year in West Plains.

Typical high and low °F
20°F40°F60°F80°F100°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

Neosho, MO

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
14,078
Median home
$163,400

Glasgow, KY

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
15,302
Median home
$173,900

Mountain Home, AR

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
13,373
Median home
$169,800

Keep exploring

Compare West Plains with Neosho