Poplar Bluff, Missouri

Poplar Bluff, Missouri
City
Rodgers Theatre Building (Art Deco architecture)
Nickname(s):  Gateway to the Ozarks, The Bluff, PB
Motto:  A Community of Opportunity
Poplar Bluff Location in Missouri Poplar Bluff Location in the United States
Coordinates: 36°45′48″N 90°24′49″W
Country	United States
State	Missouri
County	Butler
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	13.21 sq mi (34.22 km2)
• Land	13.14 sq mi (34.03 km2)
• Water	0.07 sq mi (0.19 km2)
Elevation	348 ft (106 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	16,225
• Density	1,234.87/sq mi (476.78/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes	63901–63902
Area code	573
FIPS code	29-59096
GNIS feature ID	2396252
Website	www.poplarbluff-mo.gov

Poplar Bluff is a city in southeast Missouri. It is the county seat of Butler County. At the 2020 census, 16,225 people lived there.

History

Poplar Bluff was incorporated in February 1870.

In 1927 a tornado leveled most of the city, especially the original business district along Main and Broadway streets.

Demographics

As of the census of 2020, there were 16,225 people living in the city, organized into 6,638 households. This is a population loss of 798 persons, or 4.7%, when compared to the 2010 census. The median age is 37.3 years for all persons (35.1 for males, 39.4 for females).

Of the total population, 24.1% are under 18 years old, 10.4% are 18 to 24 years old, 12.6% were 25 to 34 years old, 11.6% were 35 to 44 years old, 10.8% are were 45 to 54 years old, 12.4% were 55 to 64 years old, with the remaining 18.1% of the population over age 65. Males comprise 47.2% and females make up 52.8% of the total population. Whites (non-Latino) make up 76.5% of the total population, African Americans (non-Latino) make up 11.5%, and Hispanics or Latinos make up 2.8%. 7.4% of the population identifies itself as Two or more races, non-Latino. Other races each represent less than 1% each of the total population.

Of the total 6,638 households, 3,755 (56.6%) are considered Family households, 1,991 (30.0%) have a married couple, 2,016 (30.4%) have children under 18, and 2,407 (36.3%) are one person living alone. The average household size is 2.44 persons. There are 7,564 total housing units, of which the 6,638 are households, for an occupancy rate of 87.8%. Of these households, 46.7% are owner-occupied, while 53.3% are renters.

As of 2022, the median (middle) income for a household in the city was about $37,448, and the median income for a family was $48,510. The per capita income for the city was $20,797. 20.8% of families and 27.0% of the population are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 36.5% of those under the age of 18 and 19.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Geography

Poplar Bluff is located at 36°45′25″N 90°23′34″W (36.756944, −90.392778), along the Black River. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.21 square miles (34.21 km²), of which 13.14 square miles (34.03 km²) is land and 0.07 square miles (0.18 km²) is water.