1st Advantage MortgageIn Bates County, Missouri, the typical household earns $60,733 a year and the typical rent is $786. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Missouri license first.
On this page
- Who lives in Bates County
- What Bates County households earn
- Work, industries and travel time in Bates County
- Bates County housing compared with Missouri
- Bates County and the counties next door
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Bates County
- Budget math at the Bates County median
- What the numbers mean for Bates County borrowers
- Bates County households compared
- A Bates County borrower's checklist
- Missouri rules that apply in Bates County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Bates County
Roughly 16,186 residents live in Bates County, Missouri, 64th by population among the state's 115 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 837 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 19 per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Kansas City, MO-KS metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 10 places in the county (10 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Butler, with about 4,668 residents, or 29% of the county.
What Bates County households earn
The median household income in Bates County is $60,733; statewide it is $70,702, so Bates County runs 14% below Missouri as a whole. In the state ranking that is 55th of 115.
| Band | Bates County | Compared with Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 27.9% | +4.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 45.1% | +2.6 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 23.5% | -1.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.5% | -5.2 pts |
The spread is wide: 27% of Bates County households make $100,000 or more, and 28% make less than $35,000. 15.9% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 12.6%). None of these numbers decides a Bates County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Work, industries and travel time in Bates County
By the Census industry count, 19% of employed Bates County residents work in education and health care and 15% in construction. Compared with Missouri, the county leans toward construction (15% against 7%). The survey's unemployment rate for Bates County averages 5.9% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.0%). 31% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 10% work from home. 7.5% of households have no vehicle.
| Industry | Share of Bates County workers | vs Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 19.1% | -5.3 pts |
| Construction | 15.1% | +8.3 pts |
| Retail trade | 14.3% | +2.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 9.7% | -1.6 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 8.1% | +6.5 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.0% | -2.4 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Bates County housing compared with Missouri
A typical Bates County rental runs $786 a month including utilities, which is 24% below Missouri. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 51% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $170,800, about 2.8 times the median household income. 75% of Bates County households own their home and 25% rent. The median home was built in 1976, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Cost | Bates County | Missouri figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $786/mo | $1,033/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $170,800 | $230,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 75% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 51% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 27% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 11.3% | 5.2% | n/a |
Because most Bates County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral. High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
Bates County and the counties next door
Six nearby counties, 27 to 34 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. 2 of the six report a higher median household income than Bates County; Miami County is highest at $89,000 and Vernon County lowest at $52,230. The list crosses into Kansas, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bates County | - | $60,733 | $786/mo | 75% |
| Cass County, MO | 27 mi | $87,535 | $1,205/mo | 76% |
| Linn County, KS | 28 mi | $59,069 | $691/mo | 81% |
| Vernon County, MO | 28 mi | $52,230 | $734/mo | 71% |
| Henry County, MO | 31 mi | $57,926 | $768/mo | 75% |
| St. Clair County, MO | 34 mi | $53,043 | $622/mo | 76% |
| Miami County, KS | 34 mi | $89,000 | $1,107/mo | 78% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Bates County
Here are the 10 most populous of the county's 10 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 54% of Bates County residents live in one of the 10. Adrian has the highest median household income on the list ($52,829) and Butler the lowest ($42,151), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Adrian ($631) and steepest in Rich Hill ($900). This guide covers each of the 10 places and the rural areas around them.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler | city | 4,668 | $42,151 | $893 | 0 mi |
| Adrian | city | 1,857 | $52,829 | $631 | 10 mi |
| Rich Hill | city | 1,453 | $47,167 | $900 | 11 mi |
| Hume | town | 209 | $58,750 | $685 | 18 mi |
| Rockville | city | 153 | $35,625 | $817 | 19 mi |
| Amsterdam | city | 128 | $45,536 | $675 | 15 mi |
| Amoret | city | 120 | $41,750 | $685 | 13 mi |
| Passaic | town | 93 | $92,656 | n/a | 4 mi |
| Foster | village | 65 | n/a | n/a | 11 mi |
| Merwin | village | 33 | $93,333 | n/a | 17 mi |
Budget math at the Bates County median
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Bates County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Start: $5,061 gross per month ($60,733 / 12)
- Housing at the median rent of $786 uses 16%
- 36% debt-to-income limit: $1,036 left for all other debt payments
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
What the numbers mean for Bates County borrowers
What the Bates County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Uninsured care. 11% lack coverage here; nonprofit hospitals must publish an assistance policy, so ask for it first (guide).
- Keeping the car running. At 31% with long commutes, repairs are a frequent Bates County emergency; first decide if the car is worth fixing.
- Renters under pressure. When 51% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
Bates County households compared
Degree holders: 15% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 11.3%, against 8.8% for Missouri.
| Indicator | Bates County | All of Missouri | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.4 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 14.8% | 32.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 9.8% | 8.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 11.3% | 8.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.5% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.8% | 13.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 15.9% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.9% | 4.0% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Bates County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 31.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 19.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 18.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 9.3% |
| 60+ min | 21.5% |
A Bates County borrower's checklist
A short checklist for Bates County borrowers:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Missouri rules that apply in Bates County
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Bates County borrowers answers to the Missouri Division of Finance. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. Statewide data and rules: Missouri guide.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Missouri guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bates County a high-income county?
Its $60,733 median ranks 55th of 115 Missouri counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How does Bates County rent compare with Missouri?
$786 locally versus $1,033 for the state, 24% below.
What are the biggest places in Bates County?
By population: Butler, Adrian, Rich Hill, Hume, Rockville. The county has 10 Census places in all.
Are Bates County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.
Where can someone in Bates 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.