City · Missouri
Lamar, Missouri
Lamar, city, in Barton County, Missouri. Lamar had 4,337 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 4,266 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,284 (±17). GEOID 2940376.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
4,337
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 4,266 · ACS 2020-2024: 4,284 ±17
Median household income
$36,705
±$9,573 (90% margin)
Missouri: $70,702
Median home value
$117,200
±$13,417 (90% margin)
Missouri: $230,300
Median gross rent
$832
±$58 (90% margin)
Missouri: $1,033
Where is Lamar and what county is it in?
Lamar is a city in Barton County, Missouri. It covers 5.2 square miles of land, 818 residents per square mile in 2020.
Lamar is also the City Township: the township has the same area and residents, so this page carries both.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Lamar, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 4,337 people lived in Lamar on July 1, 2025, up 1.5% since 2020, in line with Missouri (+1.9%). The 2020 Census counted 4,266 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 4,284 (±17).
| Measure | Lamar | Barton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,284 ±17 | 11,690 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,730 ±166 | 4,454 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.42 ±0.23 | 2.60 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,163 ±151 | 5,285 | no clear change |
Lamar's population since 2000
From 4,425 in 2000 to 4,337 in 2025: down 2.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Lamar 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 Lamar?
The median resident of Lamar is 39.3 years old; 24.5% are under 18 and 23.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 92.1%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.3%.
| Measure | Lamar | Barton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 ±3.4 | 41.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 24.5% ±3.2 pts | 23.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 23.0% ±3.7 pts | 21.4% | – |
| Male | 47.4% ±3.9 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.1% ±0.7 pts | 3.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 92.1% ±4.0 pts | 89.9% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.3% ±3.7 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±1.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.8% ±1.0 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.9% ±3.5 pts | 6.0% | – |
| With a disability | 26.3% ±4.9 pts | 20.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.0% ±5.1 pts | 9.3% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.1% ±5.4 pts | 87.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 18.7% ±6.1 pts | 17.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.8% ±2.5 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.3% ±4.4 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.0% ±1.4 pts | 2.1% | – |
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 Lamar earn?
Half of Lamar's 1,730 households earn less than $36,705 a year (±$9,573), against $51,635 in Barton County and $70,702 in Missouri. In 2015-2019 it was $39,877 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 32.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Lamar | Barton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $36,705 ±$9,573 | $51,635 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $52,581 ±$8,282 | $66,871 | – |
| Per capita income | $21,320 ±$3,341 | $26,253 | −$6,556 |
| People below the poverty line | 32.6% ±11.5 pts | 20.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 48.9% ±20.9 pts | 25.8% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 30.1% ±10.1 pts | 18.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.8% ±3.3 pts | 91.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.8% ±5.1 pts | 82.7% | – |
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 Lamar?
Owners occupy 51.6% of Lamar's occupied homes and renters 48.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $117,200 by its owner (±$13,417). The median renter pays $832 a month including utilities, and 53.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Lamar | Barton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $117,200 ±$13,417 | $136,500 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $832 ±$58 | $805 | +$142 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 53.3% ±19.3 pts | 39.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,015 ±$126 | $1,170 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 51.6% ±9.4 pts | 68.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 48.4% ±9.4 pts | 31.9% | – |
| Housing units | 2,163 ±151 | 5,285 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 14.8% ±13.6 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 81.1% ±7.7 pts | 81.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.6% ±2.4 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 17.4% ±8.3 pts | 19.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 13.9% ±6.6 pts | 8.8% | – |
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 Lamar building?
Builders took permits for 46 new housing units in Lamar in 2025 (8 in single-family houses), 10.6 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 Lamar work and get to work?
90.2% of Lamar's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 21.9 minutes.
| Measure | Lamar | Barton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 49.2% ±8.3 pts | 54.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 90.2% ±5.4 pts | 84.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.8% ±5.3 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 1.0% ±1.5 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 2.1% ±3.0 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.9 min ±5.3 | 23.9 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 Lamar?
1 census tract lies mostly in Lamar (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9603Barton County | 4,805 | $39,048 |
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 Lamar) · Census block assignment files
How does Lamar compare with other places in Missouri?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Lamar is the 5,304th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 160th-most populous of 936 in Missouri.
Lamar ranks 398th of 416 places in Missouri with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 160th | 936 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 186th | 394 |
| Residents per square mile | 282nd | 420 |
| Median household income | 398th | 416 |
| Per capita income | 378th | 420 |
| Median home value | 314th | 416 |
| Median gross rent | 219th | 398 |
| Poverty rate | 19th | 373 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 233rd | 404 |
| Median age | 184th | 420 |
| Owner-occupied share | 370th | 418 |
| Travel time to work | 228th | 420 |
Lamar's figures with every place in Missouri (CSV)
Every place in Missouri, sortable · Compare Lamar 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 Lamar?
20 of the 57 figures for Lamar 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 Lamar 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 Lamar.