The Town Files

Boone County, Missouri

188,043 people. The median home is worth $272,800 (typical Missouri town: $153,900) and the median household earns $72,758.

Towns in Boone County

Towns in Boone County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Columbia126,254$284,600$66,49829.5
Ashland4,747$258,500$93,14339.6
Centralia4,541$174,300$66,43840.9

People and housing

Boone CountyTypical Missouri town
Median home value$272,800$153,900
Median rent$1,088$855
Median household income$72,758$56,368
Median age32.738.6
Bachelor's degree or higher51.5%18.9%
Below the poverty line16.6%14.6%

Jobs and pay

98,657 jobs in 2024, average pay $59,677 a year.

Largest industries in Boone CountyHealth care & social assistan…12,094 jobs · $56,226Hotels & restaurants10,504 jobs · $22,529Retail10,393 jobs · $36,888Finance & insurance5,944 jobs · $94,284Manufacturing4,925 jobs · $63,951Construction3,789 jobs · $70,505
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Boone County0%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023 2.5%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 704 storm events in Boone County from 1996 to 2026, with 5 deaths.

Storm events in Boone County by type since 1996Hail262Heat34Flood18Drought8Tornado10High Wind7Lightning15Heavy Snow8Flash Flood73Winter Storm35
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Boone County has been included in 27 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 1, 2021Severe StormDR-4612: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding
March 26, 2020BiologicalDR-4490: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3482: Covid-19
July 9, 2019Severe StormDR-4451: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
June 2, 2017FloodDR-4317: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding
January 2, 2016FloodEM-3374: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).