The Town Files

Cole County, Missouri

77,032 people. The median home is worth $229,600 (typical Missouri town: $153,900) and the median household earns $74,876.

Towns in Cole County

Towns in Cole County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Jefferson City43,228$218,700$66,37138.9

People and housing

Cole CountyTypical Missouri town
Median home value$229,600$153,900
Median rent$834$855
Median household income$74,876$56,368
Median age39.938.6
Bachelor's degree or higher38.9%18.9%
Below the poverty line9.0%14.6%

Jobs and pay

54,302 jobs in 2024, average pay $55,952 a year.

Largest industries in Cole CountyRetail6,002 jobs · $35,108Health care & social assistan…5,237 jobs · $62,614Hotels & restaurants3,761 jobs · $22,364Construction2,933 jobs · $73,821Manufacturing2,714 jobs · $64,774Administrative & support2,342 jobs · $41,047
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Cole County0%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023 2.5%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 365 storm events in Cole County from 1996 to 2026, with 2 deaths.

Storm events in Cole County by type since 1996Hail111Heat28Flood16Drought7Tornado4Lightning8Heavy Snow7Flash Flood26Winter Storm32Excessive Heat24
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Cole County has been included in 26 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
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 21, 2016FloodDR-4250: 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).