1st Advantage MortgageAbout 79% of Linn County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $61,635. 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
- Getting oriented in Linn County
- How much Linn County households make
- Rent, home values and ownership in Linn County
- Work, industries and travel time in Linn County
- Linn County towns compared
- Counties near Linn County
- Debt-to-income at Linn County's medians
- People and households in Linn County
- What the numbers mean for Linn County borrowers
- Checking a lender's license in Missouri
- A Linn County borrower's checklist
- More guides for Linn County
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Linn County
With an estimated 11,852 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Linn County ranks 77th of 115 in Missouri for population. Spread over 616 square miles, that works out to roughly 19.3 residents per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Linn County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Brookfield is the biggest of its 9 Census places, at roughly 4,144 people (35% of the county total).
How much Linn County households make
At $61,635, the typical Linn County household income is 6% below the median U.S. county ($65,681). Only 48 Missouri counties post a higher median.
| Households earning | Linn County | +/- vs Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 25.2% | +1.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 45.8% | +3.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 22.9% | -2.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.0% | -2.6 pts |
About 25% of households earn under $35,000, while 29% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 13.7%, 1 point higher than the state's 12.6%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.436 here. A household earning below the $61,635 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Rent, home values and ownership in Linn County
Renters in Linn County pay a median of $620 a month, 40% below the Missouri figure of $1,033. 35% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 20% spend half or more. Home values center on $123,300, or 2.0 years of median income. Owners occupy 79% of homes.
| Measure | Linn County | Missouri | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $620/mo | $1,033/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $123,300 | $230,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 79% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 35% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 18% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 6.4% | 5.2% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 20% | 11% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Linn County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Work, industries and travel time in Linn County
The biggest employer of Linn County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 23% of workers, followed by manufacturing (16%). Compared with Missouri, the county leans toward manufacturing (16% against 11%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 3.2% in Linn County. 9% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 9% work from home.
| Sector | Linn County | Compared with Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.6% | -1.7 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.7% | +4.5 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 9.0% | +3.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 8.8% | -2.5 pts |
| Public administration | 8.3% | +4.1 pts |
| Construction | 7.7% | +0.8 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Linn County towns compared
The table lists the 9 largest of 9 Census places in Linn County, by population. Together all 9 hold about 8,105 people, so roughly 32% of residents live outside any named place. This guide covers each of the 9 places and the rural areas around them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookfield | city | 4,144 | $53,000 | $711 | 6 mi |
| Marceline | city | 2,292 | $63,355 | $642 | 13 mi |
| Meadville | city | 480 | $73,571 | $610 | 11 mi |
| Bucklin | city | 418 | $42,188 | $617 | 13 mi |
| Laclede | city | 301 | $56,875 | $356 | 6 mi |
| Browning | city | 224 | $18,594 | $388 | 12 mi |
| Linneus | city | 167 | $53,750 | $313 | 4 mi |
| Purdin | city | 69 | $31,250 | $281 | 7 mi |
| St. Catharine | CDP | 10 | n/a | n/a | 8 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Counties near Linn County
Sullivan County is closest, 24 miles from center to center; the sixth, Adair County, is 35 miles off. 3 of the six report a higher median household income than Linn County; Chariton County is highest at $71,520 and Grundy County lowest at $51,975.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linn County | - | $61,635 | $620/mo | 79% |
| Sullivan County, MO | 24 mi | $56,964 | $673/mo | 75% |
| Livingston County, MO | 24 mi | $63,627 | $768/mo | 72% |
| Chariton County, MO | 25 mi | $71,520 | $567/mo | 83% |
| Macon County, MO | 29 mi | $62,357 | $672/mo | 77% |
| Grundy County, MO | 30 mi | $51,975 | $696/mo | 70% |
| Adair County, MO | 35 mi | $61,536 | $772/mo | 61% |
Debt-to-income at Linn County's medians
Here is the Linn County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- Monthly gross at the median, Linn County: $5,136
- 12% goes to median rent ($620)
- With a 35% ceiling, about $1,178 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
- 45% debt-to-income limit: $1,691 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.
People and households in Linn County
Degree holders: 19% of adults over 25. 9.3% of residents have no health coverage.
| People and households | Linn County | Missouri | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.1 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 19.2% | 32.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.5% | 8.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 9.3% | 8.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.0% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 13.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.2% | 4.0% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Linn County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 47.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 25.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 18.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 2.9% |
| 60+ min | 5.6% |
What the numbers mean for Linn County borrowers
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Linn County borrowers.
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Linn County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
Checking a lender's license in Missouri
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Linn County, check 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.
A Linn County borrower's checklist
Quick steps for Linn County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Missouri.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
More guides for Linn County
For statewide rules and data, see the Missouri guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Linn County?
$61,635 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $70,702 for Missouri. It ranks 49th of 115 in the state.
Is Linn County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $620 against $1,033 statewide, and 35% of renter households are cost-burdened.
I live in a small Linn County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Brookfield, Marceline, Meadville, Bucklin, Laclede and 4 more.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Linn County or elsewhere in Missouri, the same rules apply.
Where can someone in Linn 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.