City · Missouri
Clarence, Missouri
Clarence, city, in Shelby County, Missouri. Clarence had 720 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 738 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 862 (±171). GEOID 2913978.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
720
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 738 · ACS 2020-2024: 862 ±171
Median household income
$31,734
±$5,462 (90% margin)
Missouri: $70,702
Median home value
$74,100
±$9,209 (90% margin)
Missouri: $230,300
Median gross rent
$638
±$46 (90% margin)
Missouri: $1,033
Where is Clarence and what county is it in?
Clarence is a city in Shelby County, Missouri. It covers 1.2 square miles of land, 638 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 Clarence, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 720 people lived in Clarence on July 1, 2025, down 2.4% since 2020, while Missouri grew 1.9%. The 2020 Census counted 738 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 862 (±171).
| Measure | Clarence | Shelby County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 862 ±171 | 5,986 | no clear change |
| Households | 383 ±72 | 2,391 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.15 ±0.30 | 2.41 | −0.51 |
| Housing units | 439 ±72 | 2,950 | no clear change |
Clarence's population since 2000
From 915 in 2000 to 720 in 2025: down 21.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Clarence 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 Clarence?
The median resident of Clarence is 51.1 years old; 16.2% are under 18 and 30.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 87.4%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.7%.
| Measure | Clarence | Shelby County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.1 ±8.8 | 42.7 | +13.6 |
| Under 18 years | 16.2% ±4.3 pts | 24.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 30.7% ±8.3 pts | 22.3% | – |
| Male | 50.2% ±6.4 pts | 51.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.1% ±3.3 pts | 2.3% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 87.4% ±4.8 pts | 93.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.6% ±2.8 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.7% ±4.3 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.0 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.7% ±0.8 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.9% ±2.7 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.4% ±5.7 pts | 9.7% | – |
| With a disability | 20.5% ±5.9 pts | 15.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.7% ±4.1 pts | 10.6% | −12.6 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 85.4% ±5.4 pts | 90.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 8.7% ±4.2 pts | 18.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.3% ±1.7 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.9% ±3.0 pts | 91.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.6% ±1.6 pts | 1.2% | – |
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 Clarence earn?
Half of Clarence's 383 households earn less than $31,734 a year (±$5,462), against $51,594 in Shelby County and $70,702 in Missouri. In 2015-2019 the median was $40,804 in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $9,070 after inflation. 26.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Clarence | Shelby County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $31,734 ±$5,462 | $51,594 | −$9,070 |
| Mean household income | $45,728 ±$7,035 | $71,488 | – |
| Per capita income | $21,365 ±$3,485 | $29,637 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 26.6% ±9.6 pts | 15.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 22.2% ±15.2 pts | 18.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.3% ±5.3 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 91.1% ±4.3 pts | 93.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 80.7% ±7.6 pts | 84.2% | – |
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 Clarence?
Owners occupy 65.8% of Clarence's occupied homes and renters 34.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $74,100 by its owner (±$9,209). The median renter pays $638 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Clarence | Shelby County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $74,100 ±$9,209 | $99,900 | +$13,796 |
| Median gross rent | $638 ±$46 | $625 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 22.8% ±17.7 pts | 17.2% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $825 ±$95 | $1,045 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 65.8% ±8.4 pts | 77.5% | −11.5 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 34.2% ±8.4 pts | 22.5% | – |
| Housing units | 439 ±72 | 2,950 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±12.9 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 13.2% ±7.3 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 70.2% ±8.2 pts | 77.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.9% ±3.6 pts | 12.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±7.7 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 28.9% ±9.3 pts | 22.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 10.4% ±6.0 pts | 4.8% | – |
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 Clarence building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Clarence in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 1.4 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 Clarence work and get to work?
89.8% of Clarence's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 21.7 minutes.
| Measure | Clarence | Shelby County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 46.1% ±8.0 pts | 54.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.8% ±4.7 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 89.8% ±4.5 pts | 79.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.1% ±3.7 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±10.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 1.5% ±1.6 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 1.5% ±1.9 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.7 min ±2.8 | 21.1 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 Clarence?
No census tract lies mostly in Clarence; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4503Shelby County | 1,815 | $53,984 |
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 Clarence) · Census block assignment files
How does Clarence compare with other places in Missouri?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Clarence is the 11,700th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 395th-most populous of 936 in Missouri.
Clarence 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 | 395th | 936 |
Clarence's figures with every place in Missouri (CSV)
Every place in Missouri, sortable · Compare Clarence 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 Clarence?
20 of the 57 figures for Clarence 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 Clarence 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 Clarence.