State
County
Land Area
82.4 sq mi
Density
2,045.9/sq mi
2020 Growth Rate
0.20%
Growth Since 2010
5.69%
Rank in State
Rank in Country
Metro Population
478,354
Springfield is a city located in Missouri. With a 2020 population of 168,568, it is the 3rd largest city in Missouri (after Kansas City and St. Louis) and the 157th largest city in the United States. Springfield is currently growing at a rate of 0.20% annually and its population has increased by 5.69% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 159,498 in 2010. Springfield reached it's highest population of 168,568 in 2021. Spanning over 83 miles, Springfield has a population density of 2,046 people per square mile.
The average household income in Springfield is $51,407 with a poverty rate of 22.92%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to $744 per month, and the median house value is $118,100. The median age in Springfield is 33.1 years, 31.8 years for males, and 34.5 years for females. For every 100 females there are 94.1 males.
Springfield is a city located in the state of Missouri. The city serves as the county seat for Greene County and is part of the Springfield-Branson Metro Area. The city is also known as the "Queen City of the Ozarks".
One of the most unusual things about this city is its weather, which has been listed on Forbes’ list of “America’s Wildest Weather Cities” because of the many changes that can occur even in just one day.
Today, the city has undertaken many renovation projects, particularly in its downtown area. Downtown Springfield is now the site of restaurants, boutiques, loft apartments, bars, and music venues. The city is also home to many museums, parks and performing arts centers, as well as many interesting historical sites. Several institutions of higher education are located in Springfield, including Missouri State University.
The city also has many tourists, with over 3 million overnight visitors coming to the city each year. The national headquarters of many large companies including O’Reilly and Bass Pro Shops have also set up in Springfield, significantly contributing to the local economy.
The city’s primary industries are health care, manufacturing, education, tourism, and retail. The largest employer in the city is the Mercy Health System, which employs over 9,000 individuals. CoxHealth, Wal-Mart, Springfield Public Schools, and Missouri State University are among the city’s top employers.
There hasn’t been a time when the city of Springfield has experienced a decline in population. In its earliest years, it saw significant growth according to census data. In 1880, the population was just over 6,500. By the time of the next census, the population had grown to over 21,000. While population growth has slowed since that time, each 10-year census shows that the numbers continue to climb. In 1970, the city surpassed 100,000 residents. In 2000, that number jumped to over 150,000. Recent estimates indicate that the population has grown almost 5% since the last census taken in 2010. Based on these figures, it won’t be long until Springfield has over 200,000 residents.
The area that is now the city of Springfield was first inhabited by the Osage, Delaware, and Kickapoo tribes. A small village was constructed by the Kickapoo but was abandoned during the 1800s. Shortly after the tribe left the site, John Polk Campbell, the first settler, arrived with his brother from Tennessee. A natural well and small stream were what attracted Campbell to the site. Other immigrants came after, clearing the land for their farms and constructing a general store.
In the 1830s, Greene County was established. Campbell was given 50 acres of land which was to become the county seat. The town was incorporated in 1838. After its incorporation, Springfield grew at a relatively rapid rate. By the 1860s, the town had about 2,000 residents, and it was known for being a commercial center. Trouble was ahead, however, for the town.
The Civil War divided Springfield’s loyalty, leading to the Battle of Wilson’s Creek, which was won by the Confederates. Union troops retreated and upon their return, found that the majority of the Confederates had withdrawn. However, Charles Zagonyi attacked remaining Confederates during the First Battle of Springfield, and the Union was victorious. Confederate forces moved to take over Springfield but later withdrew on the same day. The Union controlled Springfield through the end of the war.
The city’s troubles weren’t over just yet. During the early 1900s, a mob lynched several black men, hanging and burning them in the town square. The attacks led to nationwide attention. Evidence later showed that the men were innocent of the sexual assaults they were accused of. Following this event, many African Americans left the area and today only make up a small percentage of the population.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Springfield was:
2019 and 2020 population is estimated by projecting the raw 2018 numbers.
Year | Total Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | 478,354 | 4,027 | 0.84% |
2020 | 474,327 | 4,027 | 0.85% |
2019 | 470,300 | 4,027 | 0.86% |
2018 | 466,273 | 4,183 | 0.90% |
2017 | 462,090 | 4,173 | 0.90% |
2016 | 457,917 | 2,324 | 0.51% |
2015 | 455,593 | 4,037 | 0.89% |
2014 | 451,556 | 3,129 | 0.69% |
2013 | 448,427 | 4,098 | 0.91% |
2012 | 444,329 | 3,897 | 0.88% |
2011 | 440,432 | 3,083 | 0.70% |
2010 | 437,349 | 0.00% |
Race | Population | Percentage |
---|---|---|
White | 147,124 | 88.07% |
Black or African American | 7,281 | 4.36% |
Two or More Races | 6,002 | 3.59% |
Asian | 3,482 | 2.08% |
Some Other Race | 1,955 | 1.17% |
American Indian and Alaska Native | 1,119 | 0.67% |
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 88 | 0.05% |
Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
---|---|---|---|
All | 75,948 | 2.06 | 42.3 |
Non Family | 39,244 | 1.3 | 32 |
Married | 25,355 | 2.83 | 62.6 |
Female | 7,986 | 2.97 | 30.4 |
Male | 3,363 | 2.89 | 37.6 |
2.76
Average Family Size
2.06
Average Household Size
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 2,949 | 2.80% |
9th to 12th Grade | 7,096 | 6.75% |
High School Graduate | 30,205 | 28.73% |
Some College | 27,616 | 26.26% |
Associates Degree | 8,520 | 8.10% |
Bachelors Degree | 17,713 | 16.85% |
Graduate Degree | 11,047 | 10.51% |
Name | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 92,794 | 84,771 | 25,791 |
Black | 4,118 | 3,369 | 551 |
Hispanic | 3,546 | 2,765 | 845 |
Multiple Races | 2,265 | 2,018 | 596 |
Asian | 1,856 | 1,763 | 927 |
Other Race | 954 | 637 | 295 |
Native American | 782 | 610 | 124 |
Islander | 55 | 55 | 11 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100.00%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 49.95%.
$31,029
Average Earnings
$34,346
Average Male
$27,243
Average Female
94.43% of Springfield residents speak only English, while 5.57% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 2.75% of the population.
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
White | 133,747 | 28,853 | 21.57% |
Black | 6,242 | 2,032 | 32.55% |
Hispanic | 6,766 | 1,842 | 27.22% |
Multiple | 5,747 | 1,609 | 28.00% |
Asian | 3,429 | 1,401 | 40.86% |
Other | 1,865 | 474 | 25.42% |
Native | 988 | 227 | 22.98% |
Islander | 52 | 34 | 65.38% |
22.92%
Overall Poverty Rate
21.48%
Male Poverty Rate
24.28%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Springfield is Islander, with 65.38% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Springfield is White, with 21.57% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.76%. Among those working part-time, it was 37.60%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 33.39%.
38.0%
Overall Marriage Rate
40.2%
Male Marriage Rate
36.1%
Female Marriage Rate
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 8,956 | 7.30% |
Black | 373 | 6.42% |
Hispanic | 220 | 4.45% |
2 or More | 184 | 5.67% |
Indian | 116 | 12.99% |
Asian | 64 | 2.10% |
Other | 33 | 2.38% |
11.12%
Veteran Poverty Rate
35.65%
Veteran Disability Rate
59.3%
Labor Force Participation
56.3%
Employment Rate
4.9%
Unemployment Rate
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
96.58%
Native Born
3.42%
Foreign Born
2.03%
Non Citizen
1.39%
Naturalized
96.58% of Springfield residents were born in the United States, with 62.75% having been born in Missouri. 2.03% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | 168,568 | 343 | 0.20% |
2020 | 168,225 | 343 | 0.20% |
2019 | 167,882 | 343 | 0.20% |
2018 | 167,539 | 423 | 0.25% |
2017 | 167,116 | 575 | 0.35% |
2016 | 166,541 | 408 | 0.25% |
2015 | 166,133 | 1,384 | 0.84% |
2014 | 164,749 | 1,041 | 0.64% |
2013 | 163,708 | 1,793 | 1.11% |
2012 | 161,915 | 1,669 | 1.04% |
2011 | 160,246 | 870 | 0.55% |
2010 | 159,376 | 7,796 | 0.50% |
2000 | 151,580 | 11,086 | 0.76% |
1990 | 140,494 | 7,378 | 0.54% |
1980 | 133,116 | 13,020 | 1.03% |
1970 | 120,096 | 24,231 | 2.28% |
1960 | 95,865 | 29,134 | 3.69% |
1950 | 66,731 | 5,493 | 0.86% |
1940 | 61,238 | 3,711 | 0.63% |
1930 | 57,527 | 17,896 | 3.80% |
1920 | 39,631 | 4,430 | 1.19% |
1910 | 35,201 | 11,934 | 4.23% |
1900 | 23,267 | 1,417 | 0.63% |
1890 | 21,850 | 15,328 | 12.85% |
1880 | 6,522 | 967 | 1.62% |
1870 | 5,555 | 5,155 | 14.06% |
1850 | 400 | 0.00% |