1st Advantage MortgageRipley County (10,708 residents) has a $42,037 median household income and $654 median rent, by the latest Census five-year survey. Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in Missouri before sharing details.
On this page
- A quick profile of Ripley County
- How Ripley County residents earn a living
- Ripley County against other Missouri counties
- What it costs to live in Ripley County
- The $42,037 median and what sits around it
- Ripley County communities by population
- Nearby counties: income, rent, ownership
- More Ripley County figures
- Before borrowing in Ripley County
- Debt-to-income at Ripley County's medians
- Four steps for Ripley County borrowers
- Verifying a lender from Ripley County
- More guides for Ripley County
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Ripley County
With an estimated 10,708 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Ripley County ranks 82nd of 115 in Missouri for population. Ripley County spans 630 square miles; with 10,708 people, that is 17.0 per square mile. Metro status: none; Ripley County sits outside the 2023 OMB metro areas. Doniphan is the biggest of its 3 Census places, at roughly 2,345 people (22% of the county total).
How Ripley County residents earn a living
Education and health care (24%), manufacturing (15%) and professional and administrative services (10%) lead Ripley County's job mix. Ripley County over-indexes on manufacturing: 15% versus 11% in Missouri. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 3.7% in Ripley County. Commutes of 45 minutes-plus: 28%; under 15 minutes: 28%. Only 7.4% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Top industries | Ripley County share | +/- vs Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.7% | -0.6 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.3% | +4.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 9.7% | -0.8 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 9.6% | +3.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.0% | -2.3 pts |
| Construction | 6.8% | 0.0 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.
Ripley County against other Missouri counties
Where Ripley County lands at the extremes of Missouri's county rankings:
- On the share of renters paying 30% or more of income for rent, Ripley County sits near the top of Missouri at 64%, the highest of 115. Make sure a consolidation loan lowers what you pay each month.
- The share of households earning $100,000 or more: 15% in Ripley County. Only 2 of 115 Missouri counties are lower. Most budgets here are modest, so keep payments small.
- Ripley County ranks 3rd highest of 115 Missouri counties for the poverty rate: 24.8%, against 12.6% statewide. Free help, such as utility and rent assistance, should come before any loan.
What it costs to live in Ripley County
$654 a month is the median gross rent in Ripley County, 37% below the state. By the Census definition, 64% of Ripley County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $119,600, a typical Ripley County house costs 2.8 times what the median household earns in a year. In Ripley County, 79% of occupied homes are owned by the people living in them.
| Measure | Ripley County | Missouri | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent-burdened renters | 64% | 46% | +17.9 pts |
| Mobile homes | 20.5% | 5.2% | +15.4 pts |
| Owners | 79% | 68% | +11.0 pts |
| Burdened owners | 29% | 22% | +7.1 pts |
| Median home value | $119,600 | $230,300 | 48% lower |
| Median gross rent | $654/mo | $1,033/mo | 37% lower |
Because most Ripley 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. Rent pressure is real here, so run any payment through the debt-to-income calculator before you apply.
The $42,037 median and what sits around it
At $42,037, the typical Ripley County household income is 36% below the median U.S. county ($65,681).
| Yearly household income | Ripley County | Gap to Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 44.4% | +20.8 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 40.8% | -1.7 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 13.5% | -11.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 1.3% | -7.3 pts |
On the low end, 44% of Ripley County households report under $35,000; at the top, 15% report $100,000-plus. Ripley County counts about 2,654 residents below the poverty line, 24.8% of the population. A household earning below the $42,037 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Ripley County communities by population
Here are the 3 most populous of the county's 3 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 26% of Ripley County residents live in one of the 3. None of the 3 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doniphan | city | 2,345 | $37,650 | $664 | 3 mi |
| Naylor | city | 388 | $28,462 | $607 | 16 mi |
| Oxly | CDP | 33 | $47,917 | n/a | 11 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Nearby counties: income, rent, ownership
Six nearby counties, 21 to 39 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Clay County leads the group on income ($51,481), Oregon County trails ($43,069), and Ripley County out-earns 0 of the six. Some neighbors are in Arkansas. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Ripley County resident follows Missouri rules.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ripley County | - | $42,037 | $654/mo | 79% |
| Carter County, MO | 21 mi | $50,000 | $656/mo | 61% |
| Randolph County, AR | 23 mi | $50,911 | $674/mo | 74% |
| Butler County, MO | 27 mi | $49,089 | $780/mo | 65% |
| Oregon County, MO | 29 mi | $43,069 | $639/mo | 75% |
| Clay County, AR | 32 mi | $51,481 | $707/mo | 75% |
| Wayne County, MO | 39 mi | $47,226 | $665/mo | 75% |
More Ripley County figures
College graduates make up 13% of the adult population. Health coverage gaps: 15.6% of Ripley County residents are uninsured.
| Indicator | Ripley County | +/- Missouri | +/- U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.7 | +1.7 yrs | -0.8 yrs |
| Bachelor's or higher | 12.6% | -19.8 pts | -9.6 pts |
| No high school diploma | 17.4% | +9.3 pts | n/a |
| No health insurance | 15.6% | +6.9 pts | +7.8 pts |
| No vehicle | 7.4% | +0.7 pts | +1.9 pts |
| Work from home | 9.7% | -3.3 pts | +1.1 pts |
| Poverty rate | 24.8% | +12.2 pts | +11.6 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.7% | -0.3 pts | -0.7 pts |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 28.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 25.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 18.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 8.4% |
| 60+ min | 19.9% |
Before borrowing in Ripley County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Ripley County borrowers.
- 16% uninsured. In Ripley County, ask for an itemized bill and a payment plan first (medical bills).
- Commuter costs. 28% drive 45 minutes or more. Compare shop financing with a loan, and keep a small repair fund.
- Repairs on manufactured housing. With 21% of homes here, compare a personal loan with any dealer or park repair program.
- 25% below poverty. Emergency aid, payment plans and counseling (list) come first.
Debt-to-income at Ripley County's medians
How much room does a median Ripley County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Median income divided by twelve: $3,503 before taxes
- Median rent: $654, or 19 cents of every gross dollar
- With a 40% ceiling, about $747 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Ripley County's.
Four steps for Ripley County borrowers
Steps that save money for Ripley County residents:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Verifying a lender from Ripley County
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Ripley County borrowers answers to the Missouri Division of Finance. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. More on Missouri: Missouri personal loans.
More guides for Ripley County
For statewide rules and data, see the Missouri guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ripley County a high-income county?
Its $42,037 median ranks 113th of 115 Missouri counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
What do renters pay in Ripley County?
$654 a month at the median, about 19% of median household income.
Should Ripley County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 79% of Ripley 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 Ripley County?
By population: Doniphan, Naylor, Oxly. The county has 3 Census places in all.
Will a Ripley County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Missouri as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.