Marion County, Missouri

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 444 square miles (1,150 km²), of which 437 square miles (1,130 km²) is land, and 7.4 square miles (19 km²) (1.7%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Lewis County (north)
• Adams County, Illinois (northeast)
• Pike County, Illinois (southeast)
• Ralls County (south)
• Monroe County (southwest)
• Shelby County (west)

Major roadways

• I-72
• US 24
• 
  US 36 / Route 110 (CKC)
  • 
    US 36 Bus. (Monroe City)
• US 61
• Route 6
• Route 79
• Route 168

Transit

• Burlington Trailways
• OATS Transit
• Amtrak Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg (proposed)

Railroads

• BNSF Railway
• Norfolk Southern Railway

Marion County was created by the state legislature in 1845 from parts of Ralls and Shelby Counties. It was settled from Virginia and Kentucky by farmers looking for cheap farmland; some owned slaves. It was named after Francis Marion, a general in the Revolutionary War. The county seat is Palmyra, which was established in 1833. Hannibal became a locally important river port on the Mississippi. By the late 1800s, the county was the center of a thriving agricultural community. Tobacco was the main crop, though cotton, wheat, barley, oats, and hay were also grown. Livestock included horses, mules, and cattle.

The best known native son is Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens) born in 1835, in the village of Florida. His youthful experiences in Hannibal became the setting for the adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Other prominent locals included Governor John S. Phelps, and Confederate General A.P. Morehead. The region was bitterly divided in the Civil War but Unionist elements prevailed. Palmyra was the site of a skirmish in 1862, and the county was the site of several other battles and raids. Today, Marion County continues to be primarily an agricultural county. It is home to a number of historic sites and buildings, with a major tourist industry focused on Mark Twain characters and settings.

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 28,525. The median age was 40.1 years.

23.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.8 males age 18 and over.

61.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 39.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 11,491 households in the county, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 27.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 12,847 housing units, of which 10.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 64.7% were owner-occupied and 35.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.1%.

Racial and ethnic composition

The racial makeup of the county was 88.1% White, 4.8% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.6% from some other race, and 5.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.8% of the population.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 28,781 people, 11,066 households, and 7,524 families residing in the county. The population density was 65 inhabitants per square mile (25/km²). There were 12,443 housing units at an average density of 28 units per square mile (11/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.26% White, 4.62% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 1.32% from two or more races. Approximately 0.89% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 28.5% were German, 25.6% American, 11.0% Irish, and 10.3% English ancestry.

There were 11,066 households, out of which 33.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.50% were married couples living together, 11.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.00% were non-families. 28.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44, and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.70% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 16.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,774, and the median income for a family was $41,290. Males had a median income of $30,935 versus $20,591 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,964. About 9.30% of families and 12.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.30% of those under age 18 and 10.50% of those age 65 or over.

School districts in Marion County (including those which may have schools and/or administration buildings in other counties)

Public schools

• Hannibal Public School District No. 60 – Hannibal
  • Veterans Elementary School (K-05)
  • A.D. Stowell Elementary School (K-05)
  • Mark Twain Elementary School (K-05)
  • Oakwood Elementary School (K-05)
  • Eugene Field Elementary School (K-05)
  • Early Childhood Center (PK)
  • Hannibal Middle School (06-08)
  • Hannibal High School (09-12)
• Palmyra R-I School District – Palmyra
  • Palmyra Elementary School (K-04)
  • Palmyra Middle School (05-08)
  • Palmyra High School (09-12)
• Marion County R-II School District – Philadelphia
  • Marion County Elementary School (K-06)
  • Marion County High School (07-12)

Private schools

• Holy Family Catholic School – Hannibal (K-09) – Roman Catholic
• St. John's Lutheran School – Hannibal (K-06) – Lutheran
• Mission Hill Christian Academy - Palmyra, Missouri (K-12)

Post-secondary

• Hannibal–LaGrange University – Hannibal – A private, four-year Southern Baptist university.

Public libraries

Hannibal Free Public Library

• Palmyra Bicentennial Public Library

Cities and towns

• Hannibal
• Monroe City (mostly in Monroe County and a small part in Ralls County)
• Palmyra (county seat)

Census-designated place

• Philadelphia

Unincorporated communities

Former communities

• Cherry Dell
• Lamb
• Mark

State

Marion County is in Missouri's 5th district in the Missouri House of Representatives, represented by Louis Riggs (R-Hannibal).

All of Marion County is a part of Missouri's 18th District in the Missouri Senate; it is represented by Brian Munzlinger (R-Williamstown).

Federal

Marion County is included in Missouri's 6th Congressional District and is represented by Sam Graves (R-Tarkio) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Historically a Democratic county in the 20th century, with the exception of Republican landslides in 1972 and 1984, Marion County has been reliably Republican since 2000. The last Democrat to receive 40% or more of the vote was Al Gore that same year.

Missouri presidential preference primary (2008)

Former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) received more votes, a total of 1,587, than any candidate from either party in Marion County during the 2008 presidential primary.