1st Advantage MortgageThe median Ray County household earns $74,573, and 13% of residents live below the poverty line. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- A quick profile of Ray County
- Rent, home values and ownership in Ray County
- Paychecks and income spread in Ray County
- Work, industries and travel time in Ray County
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Places inside Ray County
- A Ray County household budget, worked through
- Local borrowing considerations for Ray County
- People and households in Ray County
- Checking a lender's license in Missouri
- Before you sign
- More guides for Ray County
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Ray County
Roughly 23,145 residents live in Ray County, Missouri, 49th by population among the state's 115 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 569 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 41 per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Kansas City, MO-KS metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Richmond is the biggest of its 12 Census places, at roughly 5,959 people (26% of the county total).
Rent, home values and ownership in Ray County
Renters in Ray County pay a median of $782 a month, 24% below the Missouri figure of $1,033. By the Census definition, 42% of Ray County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $198,800, about 2.7 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 77%. The median home was built in 1974, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Housing | Ray County | Missouri statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $782/mo | $1,033/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $198,800 | $230,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 77% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 42% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 22% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 4.4% | 5.2% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 8% | 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).
Paychecks and income spread in Ray County
Ray County households have a median income of $74,573 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 14th of 115 in Missouri.
| Yearly household income | Ray County | Gap to Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 24.2% | +0.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.0% | +0.6 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 26.9% | +1.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.9% | -2.8 pts |
Some 24% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 33% have six-figure incomes. 12.6% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 12.6%). Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.437 here. For a borrower in Ray 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.
Work, industries and travel time in Ray County
The biggest employer of Ray County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 19% of workers, followed by manufacturing (16%). Compared with Missouri, the county leans toward manufacturing (16% against 11%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 3.4% in Ray County. Long commutes are common here: 30% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. 4.9% of households have no vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Ray County | Gap to Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 18.7% | -5.7 pts |
| Manufacturing | 16.2% | +5.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 13.7% | +2.3 pts |
| Construction | 8.2% | +1.4 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 7.7% | +1.8 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.2% | -4.2 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
Neighboring counties at a glance
Lafayette County is closest, 20 miles from center to center; the sixth, Clinton County, is 30 miles off. Clay County leads the group on income ($88,468), Carroll County trails ($62,154), and Ray County out-earns 4 of the six.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ray County | - | $74,573 | $782/mo | 77% |
| Lafayette County, MO | 20 mi | $80,612 | $928/mo | 76% |
| Clay County, MO | 23 mi | $88,468 | $1,243/mo | 69% |
| Caldwell County, MO | 24 mi | $64,806 | $640/mo | 78% |
| Carroll County, MO | 28 mi | $62,154 | $822/mo | 72% |
| Jackson County, MO | 28 mi | $68,577 | $1,197/mo | 59% |
| Clinton County, MO | 30 mi | $70,627 | $1,008/mo | 76% |
Places inside Ray County
12 Census places fall mainly inside Ray County; the 12 biggest are below. They account for 9,671 residents, leaving about 58% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Wood Heights has the highest median household income on the list ($89,688) and Richmond the lowest ($59,556), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Richmond ($722) and steepest in Wood Heights ($1,446). Live in one of these Ray County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | city | 5,959 | $59,556 | $722 | 3 mi |
| Wood Heights | city | 784 | $89,688 | $1,446 | 9 mi |
| Orrick | city | 727 | $73,000 | $750 | 10 mi |
| Hardin | city | 681 | $78,320 | $958 | 9 mi |
| Crystal Lakes | city | 436 | $69,107 | n/a | 11 mi |
| Henrietta | city | 390 | $60,417 | $775 | 6 mi |
| Vibbard | CDP | 244 | $94,250 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Homestead | village | 146 | $66,250 | $633 | 12 mi |
| Camden | city | 135 | $50,000 | n/a | 8 mi |
| Rayville | CDP | 84 | $2,499 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Fleming | city | 68 | $53,750 | n/a | 8 mi |
| Elmira | village | 17 | $31,250 | n/a | 16 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
A Ray County household budget, worked through
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Ray County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Monthly gross at the median, Ray County: $6,214
- Housing at the median rent of $782 uses 13%
- Under a 35% cap, $2,175 total minus rent leaves $1,393
- With a 45% ceiling, about $2,014 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Local borrowing considerations for Ray County
What the Ray County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Long drives. With 30% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Ray County budgets.
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
People and households in Ray County
16% of Ray County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 9.1%, against 8.8% for Missouri.
| Measure | Ray County | Missouri statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 16.2% | 32.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 10.3% | 8.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 9.1% | 8.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 10.6% | 13.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.4% | 4.0% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Ray County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 23.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 19.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 27.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 17.4% |
| 60+ min | 12.7% |
Checking a lender's license in Missouri
Ray County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Missouri Division of Finance. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. Statewide data and rules: Missouri guide.
Before you sign
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Price the Ray County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
More guides for Ray County
For statewide rules and data, see the Missouri guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Ray County earn?
The median is $74,573; 33% earn $100,000 or more and 24% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How does Ray County rent compare with Missouri?
$782 locally versus $1,033 for the state, 24% below.
Should Ray County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 77% of Ray County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
What are the biggest places in Ray County?
By population: Richmond, Wood Heights, Orrick, Hardin, Crystal Lakes. The county has 12 Census places in all.
Are Ray 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.