1st Advantage MortgageThe median Cole County household earns $74,876, and 9% of residents live below the poverty line. 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
- Cole County, MO: the basics
- The Cole County job picture
- How much Cole County households make
- Renting and owning in Cole County
- How Cole County compares with nearby counties
- Cole County towns compared
- Cole County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Reading the Cole County data as a borrower
- What a median Cole County budget can carry
- Licensing and complaints for Cole County
- Steps before you apply in Cole County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Cole County, MO: the basics
With an estimated 77,032 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Cole County ranks 16th of 115 in Missouri for population. Packed into 392 square miles, that is close to 197 residents for every square mile of land. It is one of the counties that make up the Jefferson City, MO metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 9 places in the county (8 incorporated, 1 census-designated); the largest is Jefferson City, with about 42,488 residents, or 55% of the county.
The Cole County job picture
Education and health care employs 22% of working residents, the largest share; public administration is next with 15%. Public administration stands out: 15% of workers here, versus 4% statewide. The survey's unemployment rate for Cole County averages 2.9% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.0%). Long commutes are the exception here: 6% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 5.5% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Cole County | Gap to Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.3% | -2.0 pts |
| Public administration | 15.5% | +11.2 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.0% | -0.3 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.9% | -1.5 pts |
| Construction | 8.1% | +1.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.0% | -3.3 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
How much Cole County households make
Cole County households have a median income of $74,876 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 13th of 115 in Missouri.
| Band | Cole County | Compared with Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 20.9% | -2.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 42.1% | -0.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 28.9% | +3.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 8.1% | -0.5 pts |
The spread is wide: 37% of Cole County households make $100,000 or more, and 21% make less than $35,000. Census counts 9.0% of Cole County residents in poverty, against 12.6% across Missouri. None of these numbers decides a Cole County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Renting and owning in Cole County
Renters in Cole County pay a median of $834 a month, 19% below the Missouri figure of $1,033. 35% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 18% spend half or more. With a median value of $229,600, a typical Cole County house costs 3.1 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 68%.
| Home costs | Cole County | Missouri | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $834/mo | $1,033/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $229,600 | $230,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 68% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 35% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 16% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 2.3% | 5.2% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 7% | 11% | n/a |
How Cole County compares with nearby counties
Six nearby counties, 19 to 33 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Osage County leads the group on income ($76,681), Morgan County trails ($53,412), and Cole County out-earns 5 of the six.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cole County | - | $74,876 | $834/mo | 68% |
| Moniteau County, MO | 19 mi | $65,715 | $735/mo | 79% |
| Miller County, MO | 21 mi | $56,736 | $763/mo | 74% |
| Osage County, MO | 23 mi | $76,681 | $639/mo | 79% |
| Callaway County, MO | 30 mi | $74,176 | $887/mo | 76% |
| Maries County, MO | 30 mi | $59,455 | $590/mo | 78% |
| Morgan County, MO | 33 mi | $53,412 | $721/mo | 80% |
Cole County towns compared
9 Census places fall mainly inside Cole County; the 9 biggest are below. They account for 48,296 residents, leaving about 37% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $56,750 in Russellville to $121,222 in Wardsville. No Cole County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 9.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson City | city | 42,488 | $66,371 | $802 | 7 mi |
| Wardsville | village | 1,579 | $121,222 | $885 | 5 mi |
| Taos | city | 1,242 | $98,854 | $419 | 10 mi |
| St. Martins | city | 1,228 | $89,250 | $796 | 7 mi |
| Russellville | city | 833 | $56,750 | $822 | 9 mi |
| Centertown | town | 297 | $46,875 | $1,028 | 11 mi |
| Lohman | city | 243 | $89,167 | $745 | 5 mi |
| St. Thomas | town | 228 | $89,688 | $1,042 | 10 mi |
| Eugene | CDP | 158 | $58,846 | n/a | 12 mi |
Cole County residents: age, schooling, coverage
College graduates make up 39% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 5.8%, against 8.8% for Missouri.
| Indicator | Cole County | All of Missouri | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.9 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 38.9% | 32.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.8% | 8.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.8% | 8.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.5% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.2% | 13.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.9% | 4.0% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 43.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 40.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 11.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.6% |
| 60+ min | 2.5% |
Reading the Cole County data as a borrower
Based on the Cole County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
- Fraud. Gift cards, wire transfers or fees to unlock a loan mean walk away (report it).
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
What a median Cole County budget can carry
How much room does a median Cole County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- $6,240 a month: gross income for a household at the Cole County median
- Median rent: $834, or 13 cents of every gross dollar
- Under a 40% cap, $2,496 total minus rent leaves $1,662
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Cole County's.
Licensing and complaints for Cole County
The Missouri Division of Finance is the place to verify any lender's Missouri license. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. Statewide data and rules: Missouri guide.
Steps before you apply in Cole County
Quick steps for Cole County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Missouri borrowers.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Related local guides
The Missouri guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Cole County household make?
About $74,876 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 6% above the Missouri median.
How does Cole County rent compare with Missouri?
$834 locally versus $1,033 for the state, 19% below.
What are the biggest places in Cole County?
By population: Jefferson City, Wardsville, Taos, St. Martins, Russellville. The county has 9 Census places in all.
Does living in Cole County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Cole County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Who regulates personal lenders for Cole County residents?
The Missouri Division of Finance licenses consumer lenders in Missouri; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.