1st Advantage MortgageAtchison County households have a median income of $58,750 and median rent of $631 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Atchison County by the numbers
- How Atchison County residents earn a living
- Paychecks and income spread in Atchison County
- Atchison County housing compared with Missouri
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Places inside Atchison County
- Atchison County households compared
- What the numbers mean for Atchison County borrowers
- Budget math at the Atchison County median
- A Atchison County borrower's checklist
- Missouri rules that apply in Atchison County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Atchison County by the numbers
Atchison County is home to about 5,187 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 108th most populous of 115 county-level areas in Missouri. Land area is 547 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 9 per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Atchison County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Of the 7 Census places inside Atchison County, Tarkio leads by population with about 1,471; 5 of the 7 are incorporated. Because Atchison County is small, the survey's margins of error are wide; treat the numbers as approximate.
How Atchison County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Atchison County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 24% of workers, followed by retail trade (12%). The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 12% locally and 2% for Missouri. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 2.3% in Atchison County. Long commutes are the exception here: 13% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Sector | Atchison County | Compared with Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.8% | -0.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.3% | +1.0 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 12.3% | +10.6 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11.3% | 0.0 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 10.6% | +4.7 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.7% | -2.7 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
Paychecks and income spread in Atchison County
At $58,750, the typical Atchison County household income is 11% below the median U.S. county ($65,681).
| Yearly household income | Atchison County | Gap to Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 31.4% | +7.8 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.2% | +1.7 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 20.6% | -4.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.8% | -4.9 pts |
About 31% of households earn under $35,000, while 24% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 11.6%, 1 point lower than the state's 12.6%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.449 (0 is perfect equality). For a borrower in Atchison County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Atchison County housing compared with Missouri
A typical Atchison County rental runs $631 a month including utilities, which is 39% below Missouri. By the Census definition, 27% of Atchison County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $106,800, about 1.8 times the median household income. 77% of Atchison County households own their home and 23% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 1957.
| Home costs | Atchison County | Missouri | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $631/mo | $1,033/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $106,800 | $230,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 77% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 27% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 21% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 3.4% | 5.2% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 16% | 11% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare).
Neighboring counties at a glance
Nemaha County is closest, 22 miles from center to center; the sixth, Nodaway County, is 30 miles off. Fremont County leads the group on income ($71,621), Page County trails ($57,953), and Atchison County out-earns 1 of the six. Some neighbors are in Iowa and Nebraska. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Atchison County resident follows Missouri rules.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atchison County | - | $58,750 | $631/mo | 77% |
| Nemaha County, NE | 22 mi | $60,924 | $772/mo | 66% |
| Fremont County, IA | 23 mi | $71,621 | $746/mo | 78% |
| Holt County, MO | 26 mi | $61,187 | $650/mo | 77% |
| Richardson County, NE | 26 mi | $60,108 | $691/mo | 77% |
| Page County, IA | 26 mi | $57,953 | $705/mo | 71% |
| Nodaway County, MO | 30 mi | $59,315 | $786/mo | 62% |
Places inside Atchison County
Here are the 7 most populous of the county's 7 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 69% of Atchison County residents live in one of the 7. Tarkio has the highest median household income on the list ($56,927) and Rock Port the lowest ($45,815), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Fairfax ($550) and steepest in Rock Port ($666). No Atchison County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 7.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarkio | city | 1,471 | $56,927 | $660 | 3 mi |
| Rock Port | city | 1,221 | $45,815 | $666 | 5 mi |
| Fairfax | city | 702 | $56,250 | $550 | 7 mi |
| Westboro | city | 106 | $28,125 | n/a | 9 mi |
| Blanchard | CDP | 51 | n/a | n/a | 15 mi |
| Watson | village | 51 | n/a | n/a | 10 mi |
| Phelps City | CDP | 0 | n/a | n/a | 9 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
Atchison County households compared
Degree holders: 22% of adults over 25. About 11% go without health insurance.
| People and households | Atchison County | Missouri | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.7 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 22.2% | 32.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.5% | 8.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 11.2% | 8.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 3.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 13.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.6% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.3% | 4.0% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Atchison County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 41.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 35.8% |
| 30 to 44 min | 9.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.9% |
| 60+ min | 5.7% |
What the numbers mean for Atchison County borrowers
What the Atchison County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Hospital bills in Atchison County. For the 11% of residents without coverage, the provider's charity-care program comes before any loan (details).
- Retirees. At a median age of 46.7, many borrowers here rely on award letters as proof of income; favor no prepayment penalty.
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
Budget math at the Atchison County median
Atchison County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $4,896 a month: gross income for a household at the Atchison County median
- Rent at the median, $631, takes 13% of that
- 40% debt-to-income limit: $1,327 left for all other debt payments
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
A Atchison County borrower's checklist
Before you apply, wherever you live in Atchison County:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Atchison County-area credit union.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Missouri.
- Ask a Atchison County credit union about member loans.
Missouri rules that apply in Atchison County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Atchison County resident can confirm its license with the Missouri Division of Finance. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. The Missouri guide covers state rules in more detail.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Missouri guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Atchison County earn?
The median is $58,750; 24% earn $100,000 or more and 31% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How does Atchison County rent compare with Missouri?
$631 locally versus $1,033 for the state, 39% below.
Which towns does the Atchison County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 7 Census places: Tarkio, Rock Port, Fairfax, Westboro, Blanchard.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Atchison County or elsewhere in Missouri, the same rules apply.
Where can someone in Atchison County check a lender's license?
With the Missouri Division of Finance. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.