City · Missouri
Alton, Missouri
Alton, city, in Oregon County, Missouri. Alton had 702 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 707 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 744 (±225). GEOID 2900964.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
702
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 707 · ACS 2020-2024: 744 ±225
Median household income
$50,208
±$7,828 (90% margin)
Missouri: $70,702
Median home value
$114,200
±$106,487 (90% margin)
Missouri: $230,300
Median gross rent
$639
±$78 (90% margin)
Missouri: $1,033
Where is Alton and what county is it in?
Alton is a city in Oregon County, Missouri. It covers 1.6 square miles of land, 451 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Alton, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 702 people lived in Alton on July 1, 2025, down 0.1% since 2020, while Missouri grew 1.9%. The 2020 Census counted 707 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 744 (±225).
| Measure | Alton | Oregon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 744 ±225 | 8,673 | no clear change |
| Households | 318 ±100 | 3,380 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.14 ±0.38 | 2.53 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 338 ±101 | 4,321 | no clear change |
Alton's population since 2000
From 668 in 2000 to 702 in 2025: up 5.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Alton as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Alton?
The median resident of Alton is 36.5 years old; 22.6% are under 18 and 17.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 83.2%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 8.1%.
| Measure | Alton | Oregon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.5 ±6.1 | 44.5 | −13.6 |
| Under 18 years | 22.6% ±6.7 pts | 23.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.6% ±5.9 pts | 23.0% | – |
| Male | 56.2% ±8.8 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.5% ±3.5 pts | 1.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 83.2% ±8.7 pts | 92.6% | −12.0 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.8% ±4.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 8.1% ±7.7 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.7% ±4.9 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.7% ±5.1 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.8% ±3.9 pts | 6.6% | – |
| With a disability | 24.7% ±8.9 pts | 23.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 23.7% ±9.6 pts | 16.3% | +12.2 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 84.4% ±7.9 pts | 85.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.3% ±12.2 pts | 12.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 12.6% ±12.2 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 78.9% ±10.5 pts | 88.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 6.1% ±6.1 pts | 3.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Alton earn?
Half of Alton's 318 households earn less than $50,208 a year (±$7,828), against $43,069 in Oregon County and $70,702 in Missouri. In 2015-2019 the median was $23,653 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $26,555 after inflation. 16.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Alton | Oregon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,208 ±$7,828 | $43,069 | +$26,555 |
| Mean household income | $49,656 ±$9,635 | $58,216 | – |
| Per capita income | $23,366 ±$4,852 | $23,212 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 16.5% ±8.0 pts | 23.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 13.1% ±12.8 pts | 36.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 19.8% ±9.9 pts | 19.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.5% ±5.5 pts | 90.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.7% ±7.6 pts | 77.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Alton?
Owners occupy 55.7% of Alton's occupied homes and renters 44.3%. The median renter pays $639 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Alton | Oregon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $114,200 ±$106,487 | $113,300 | – |
| Median gross rent | $639 ±$78 | $639 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 9.4% ±8.4 pts | 34.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $939 ±$63 | $1,073 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 55.7% ±15.0 pts | 74.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 44.3% ±15.0 pts | 25.1% | – |
| Housing units | 338 ±101 | 4,321 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±17.8 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±21.8 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 69.2% ±13.2 pts | 73.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.3% ±3.8 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±9.8 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.1% ±5.1 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 14.8% ±10.0 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.7% ±6.7 pts | 5.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Alton building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Alton in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 2.8 across Missouri.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Alton work and get to work?
73.2% of Alton's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 15.9 minutes.
| Measure | Alton | Oregon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 50.6% ±10.7 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.7% ±7.5 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 73.2% ±13.3 pts | 76.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 17.5% ±14.3 pts | 12.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 4.3% ±7.1 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Walked | 0.4% ±0.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.6% ±6.2 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 15.9 min ±4.3 | 23.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Alton?
No census tract lies mostly in Alton; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4801Oregon County | 2,779 | $44,246 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Alton) · Census block assignment files
How does Alton compare with other places in Missouri?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Alton is the 11,824th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 399th-most populous of 936 in Missouri.
Alton is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 399th | 936 |
Alton's figures with every place in Missouri (CSV)
Every place in Missouri, sortable · Compare Alton with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Alton?
26 of the 57 figures for Alton on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Alton are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Alton.