Pettis County is a county located in west central U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 42,980. Its county seat is Sedalia. The county was organized on January 24, 1833, and named after former U.S. Representative Spencer Darwin Pettis. Pettis County comprises the Sedalia, MO Micropolitan Statistical Area. The county is home to the site of the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.6%) is water. It is drained by the Lamine River and branches.

Adjacent counties Saline County (north) Cooper County (east) Morgan County (southeast) Benton County (south) Henry County (southwest) Johnson County (west) Lafayette County (northwest)

Major highways U.S. Route 50 U.S. Route 65 Route 52 Route 127 Route 135 Route 765

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 42,980. The median age was 37.9 years. 25.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.2 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 82.6% White, 3.2% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 5.0% from some other race, and 7.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 9.3% of the population.

+Pettis County, Missouri – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)34,59133,78135,81036,70134,75195.09%95.33%90.88%86.97%80.85%Black or African American alone (NH)1,3741,1641,1811,2441,3533.78%3.28%3.00%2.95%3.15%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)87961301371590.24%0.27%0.33%0.32%0.37%Asian alone (NH)881141542472940.24%0.32%0.39%0.59%0.68%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census1830120xx0.05%0.07%0.28%Other race alone (NH)151445411190.04%0.04%0.11%0.10%0.28%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census5387552,168xx1.37%1.79%5.04%Hispanic or Latino (any race)2232681,5273,0464,0160.61%0.76%3.88%7.22%9.34%Total36,37835,43739,40342,20142,980 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

60.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 39.4% lived in rural areas.

There were 16,588 households in the county, of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 25.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 29.0% 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 18,563 housing units, of which 10.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 67.2% were owner-occupied and 32.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.4%.

2000 census

Per the 2000 census, there were 39,403 people, 15,568 households, and 10,570 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 16,963 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 92.06% White, 3.04% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.46% from other races, and 1.62% from two or more races. Approximately 3.88% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 15,568 households, out of which 32.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.30% were married couples living together, 10.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.10% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.30% under the age of 18, 9.30% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 21.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,822, and the median income for a family was $38,073. Males had a median income of $29,221 versus $19,554 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,251. About 10.20% of families and 12.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.60% of those under age 18 and 10.50% of those age 65 or over.

Education This is a list of K-12 school districts with any amount of area in the county: - Text list

Cole Camp R-I School District Green Ridge R-VIII School District Henry County R-I School District Knob Noster R-VIII School District La Monte R-IV School District Pettis County R-V School District Pilot Grove C-4 School District Sedalia 200 School District Smithton R-VI School District Sweet Springs R-VII School District

There is one elementary school district, Pettis County R-XII School District.

Public schools Green Ridge R-VIII School District – Green Ridge Green Ridge Elementary School (K-06) Green Ridge High School (07-12) La Monte R-IV School District – La Monte La Monte Elementary School (PK-06) La Monte High School (07-12) Pettis County R-V School District – Hughesville Northwest Elementary School (K-06) Northwest High School (07-12) Pettis County R-XII School District – Sedalia Pettis County Elementary School (PK-08) Sedalia School District No. 200] – Sedalia Sedalia Early Childhood Education Center (PK) Heber Hunt Elementary School (K-04) Skyline Elementary School (K-04) Parkview Elementary School (K-04) Horace Mann Elementary School (K-04) Washington Elementary School (K-04) Sedalia Middle School (05) Smith-Cotton Junior High School (06-08) Smith-Cotton High School (9-12) Smithton School District – Smithton Smithton Elementary School (PK-06) Smithton High School (07-12)

Private schools St. Paul's Lutheran School – Sedalia (PK-08) – Lutheran Sedalia Seventh-day Adventist School – Sedalia (01-08) – Seventh-day Adventist Show-Me Christian School – La Monte (K-12) – Nondenominational Christian Applewood Christian School – Sedalia (K-12) – Nondenominational Christian Sacred Heart Schools – Sedalia (K-12) – Roman Catholic Sacred Heart Elementary School (K-06) Sacred Heart High School (07-12)

Post-secondary State Fair Community College – Sedalia – A public, two-year/community college.

Public libraries Boonslick Regional Library Sedalia Public Library

Government and politics

Local The Republican Party predominantly controls politics at the local level in Pettis County. Republicans currently hold all of the elected positions in the county.

State Gubernatorial + Past Gubernatorial Elections Results Year Republican Democratic Third Parties202474.16% 13,87323.71% 4,4362.13% 397202071.85% 13,64525.68% 4,8762.47% 470201661.95% 11,15034.90% 6,2813.14% 566201247.32% 8,07349.77% 8,4902.91% 498200842.55% 7,66054.63% 9,8342.82% 507200457.30% 10,03841.63% 7,2931.06% 186200054.65% 8,53642.85% 6,6922.50% 390199644.63% 6,80451.51% 7,8533.86% 589

Missouri House of Representatives Pettis County is divided into four legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, all of which are held by Republicans. District 48 — Dave Muntzel (R-Boonville). Consists of the community of Smithton and the northeast section of the county.

District 51 — Dean Dohrman (R-La Monte). Consists of the communities of Houstonia, Hughesville, and La Monte and the northwest portion of the county.

District 52 — Nathan Beard (R-Sedalia). Consists of the community of Sedalia.

District 54 — Dan Houx (R-Warrensburg). Consists of the community of Green Ridge and the southern portion of the county.

Missouri Senate All of Pettis County is a part of Missouri's 28th District in the Missouri Senate and was previously represented by Mike Parson but the seat is currently vacant.

Federal US Senate

Missouri House of Representatives All of Pettis County is included in Missouri's 4th Congressional District and is currently represented by Vicky Hartzler (R-Harrisonville) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Presidential

Communities Cities and Towns

Green Ridge Houstonia Hughesville Ionia La Monte Sedalia (county seat) Smithton Windsor

Unincorporated communities

Bahner Beaman Bryson Dresden Dunksburg Georgetown Longwood Manila Newland Postal Spring Fork Stokley Tedieville

See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Pettis County, Missouri

References

External links Digitized 1930 Plat Book of Pettis County from University of Missouri Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books