Linn County is a county located in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,874. Its county seat is Linneus. The county was organized January 1, 1837, and named after U.S. Senator Lewis F. Linn of Missouri.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.9%) is water.

Adjacent counties Sullivan County (north) Adair County (northeast) Macon County (east) Chariton County (south) Livingston County (west) Grundy County (northwest)

Major highways

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 11,874. The median age was 43.1 years, 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18, and 22.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.6 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 93.8% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.8% from some other race, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.4% of the population.

32.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 67.4% lived in rural areas.

There were 5,065 households in the county, of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 26.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 5,999 housing units, of which 15.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.4% were owner-occupied and 26.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.4%.

Racial and ethnic composition +Linn County, Missouri – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)15,18113,64513,40612,29711,02797.97%98.27%97.47%96.36%92.87%Black or African American alone (NH)1551078285671.00%0.77%0.60%0.67%0.56%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)19224726310.12%0.16%0.34%0.20%0.26%Asian alone (NH)20131926220.13%0.09%0.14%0.20%0.19%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 Census016xx0.00%0.01%0.05%Other race alone (NH)5413250.03%0.03%0.01%0.02%0.21%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census95130407xx0.69%1.02%3.43%Hispanic or Latino (any race)115941041932890.74%0.68%0.76%1.51%2.43%Total15,49513,88513,75412,76111,874 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 13,754 people, 5,697 households and 3,760 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 6,554 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.98% White, 0.60% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.15% from other races and 0.76% from two or more races. Approximately 0.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,697 households, out of which 29.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.60% were married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present and 34.00% were non-families. 30.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.40% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 24.40% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64 and 20.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 89.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,242, and the median income for a family was $36,134. Males had a median income of $25,635 versus $18,820 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,378. About 11.30% of families and 14.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.20% of those under age 18 and 14.10% of those age 65 or over.

Education Public schools School districts include: - Text list Brookfield R-III School District – Brookfield Brookfield Elementary School (PK-04) Brookfield Middle School (05-08) Brookfield High School (09-12) Bucklin R-II School District – Bucklin Bucklin Elementary School (PK-06) Bucklin High School (07-12) Linn County R-1 School District – Purdin Linn County Elementary School (PK-05) Linn County High School (06-12) Marceline R-V School District – Marceline Walt Disney Elementary School (K-05) Marceline Middle School (06-08) Marceline High School (09-12) Meadville R-IV School District – Meadville Meadville Elementary School (K-06) Meadville High School (07-12)

Private schools Father McCartan Memorial School – Marceline (PK-08) – Roman Catholic Locust Creek Mennonite School – Laclede (02-09) – Mennonite

Public libraries Brookfield Public Library Marceline Carnegie Library

Communities

Cities and towns

Brookfield Browning (partly in Sullivan County) Bucklin Laclede Linneus (county seat) Marceline Meadville Purdin

Census-designated place

St. Catherine

Unincorporated communities

Bear Branch Enterprise Eversonville Forker Fountain Grove Garner Grantsville Haseville Hecla Leverton Lowell New Boston North Salem Sedgwick Shafter Shelby

Townships

Baker Benton Brookfield Bucklin Clay Enterprise Grantsville Jackson Jefferson Locust Creek Marceline North Salem Parson Creek Yellow Creek

Notable people Doris Akers, gospel singer and composer, was born in Brookfield and resided there until age five. Gene Bartow, Hall of Fame college basketball coach and NBA executive. Walt Disney, lived on a farm near Marceline as a young boy. John J. Pershing, four-star General of the Armies, was born in Laclede.

Politics

Local

State + Past Gubernatorial Elections Results Year Republican Democratic Third Parties202476.26% 4,28521.50% 1,2082.24% 126202075.12% 4,27522.98% 1,3081.90% 108201661.38% 3,41435.71% 1,9862.91% 162201244.43% 2,45652.24% 2,8883.33% 184200840.10% 2,37157.56% 3,4032.33% 138200455.11% 3,25243.86% 2,5881.04% 61200048.02% 2,86950.26% 3,0031.72% 103199630.31% 1,78367.44% 3,9672.24% 132

Linn County is split between two districts in Missouri's House of Representatives, both of which are represented by Republicans.

District 6 — Tim Remole (R-Excello). Consists of a thin slice of the eastern part of the county.

District 7 — Rusty Black (R-Chillicothe). Consists of the central and western parts of the county.

All of Linn County is a part of Missouri's 18th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Brian Munzingler (R-Williamstown).

Federal

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

Political culture

See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Linn County, Missouri USS Linn County (LST-900)

References

Further reading A Compendium of History and Biography of Linn County Missouri (1912) online

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