1st Advantage MortgageScott County households have a median income of $62,782 and median rent of $873 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). 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
- Scott County at a glance
- What Scott County households earn
- Rent, home values and ownership in Scott County
- Jobs and commutes in Scott County
- The counties around Scott County
- Towns and communities in Scott County
- A Scott County household budget, worked through
- Scott County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Borrowing situations common in Scott County
- Before you sign
- Checking a lender's license in Missouri
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Scott County at a glance
Roughly 37,933 residents live in Scott County, Missouri, 31st by population among the state's 115 counties and county equivalents. It covers 420 square miles of land, or about 90 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Scott County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 16 places in the county (14 incorporated, 2 census-designated); the largest is Sikeston, with about 16,320 residents, or 43% of the county.
What Scott County households earn
The median household income in Scott County is $62,782; statewide it is $70,702, so Scott County runs 11% below Missouri as a whole.
| Household income | Scott County | vs Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 27.8% | +4.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 47.9% | +5.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 19.0% | -6.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.3% | -3.4 pts |
About 28% of households earn under $35,000, while 24% clear $100,000. 12.8% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 12.6%). None of these numbers decides a Scott County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Rent, home values and ownership in Scott County
A typical Scott County rental runs $873 a month including utilities, which is 15% below Missouri. 44% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 21% spend half or more. Home values center on $154,400, or 2.5 years of median income. The ownership rate is 71%. The median home was built in 1976, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Scott County | Missouri | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $873/mo | $1,033/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $154,400 | $230,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 71% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 44% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 17% | 22% | n/a |
Jobs and commutes in Scott County
Education and health care employs 26% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 14%. The sharpest difference from the state is in manufacturing, at 14% locally and 11% for Missouri. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 2.9% in Scott County. 6% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 4% work from home. 4.8% of households have no vehicle.
| Where residents work | Scott County | Difference from Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.2% | +1.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 13.6% | +2.4 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.9% | +1.5 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 7.3% | +1.4 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 6.9% | -1.2 pts |
| Construction | 6.3% | -0.5 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
The counties around Scott County
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (15 to 31 miles). Income ranges from $42,463 in Pulaski County to $68,464 in Cape Girardeau County; 2 of these neighbors top Scott County's median. Some neighbors are in Illinois and Kentucky. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Scott County resident follows Missouri rules.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott County | - | $62,782 | $873/mo | 71% |
| Alexander County, IL | 15 mi | $47,043 | $656/mo | 78% |
| Mississippi County, MO | 21 mi | $48,160 | $762/mo | 63% |
| Cape Girardeau County, MO | 24 mi | $68,464 | $881/mo | 67% |
| Stoddard County, MO | 25 mi | $57,957 | $760/mo | 72% |
| Pulaski County, IL | 27 mi | $42,463 | $634/mo | 68% |
| Ballard County, KY | 31 mi | $66,164 | $817/mo | 76% |
Towns and communities in Scott County
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 16 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 76% of Scott County residents live in one of the 16. Benton has the highest median household income on the list ($86,023) and Chaffee the lowest ($43,542), counting places with at least 500 residents. Median rent ranges from $591 in Kelso to $933 in Scott City. Live in one of these Scott County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sikeston | city | 16,320 | $58,915 | $891 | 11 mi |
| Scott City | city | 4,371 | $62,599 | $933 | 12 mi |
| Chaffee | city | 3,026 | $43,542 | $632 | 11 mi |
| Oran | city | 1,033 | $65,200 | $663 | 5 mi |
| Miner | city | 950 | $52,000 | $713 | 10 mi |
| Benton | city | 826 | $86,023 | $889 | 4 mi |
| Kelso | village | 603 | $56,875 | $591 | 10 mi |
| Morley | city | 540 | $47,132 | $825 | 2 mi |
| New Hamburg | CDP | 247 | $98,750 | n/a | 6 mi |
| Vanduser | village | 198 | $42,500 | $866 | 8 mi |
| Blodgett | city | 196 | n/a | $1,044 | 4 mi |
| Haywood City | village | 180 | $37,857 | n/a | 3 mi |
| Diehlstadt | village | 113 | $46,250 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Perkins | CDP | 106 | $48,558 | $890 | 12 mi |
A Scott County household budget, worked through
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Scott County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Monthly gross at the median, Scott County: $5,232
- Housing at the median rent of $873 uses 17%
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $1,377 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.
Scott County residents: age, schooling, coverage
22% of Scott County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. 10.7% of residents have no health coverage.
| Scott County | Missouri | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.7 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 22.1% | 32.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 12.4% | 8.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 10.7% | 8.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 4.4% | 13.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.9% | 4.0% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 45.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 32.4% |
| 30 to 44 min | 16.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 2.3% |
| 60+ min | 3.7% |
Borrowing situations common in Scott County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Scott County borrowers.
- Uninsured care. 11% lack coverage here; nonprofit hospitals must publish an assistance policy, so ask for it first (guide).
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
Before you sign
A short checklist for Scott County borrowers:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Checking a lender's license in Missouri
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Scott County borrowers answers to the Missouri Division of Finance. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. Statewide data and rules: Missouri guide.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Missouri guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Scott County?
$62,782 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $70,702 for Missouri. It ranks 44th of 115 in the state.
How much is rent in Scott County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $873 a month; 44% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I live in a small Scott County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Sikeston, Scott City, Chaffee, Oran, Miner and 11 more.
Does living in Scott 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 Scott County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Where can someone in Scott 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.