City · Missouri
Odessa, Missouri
Odessa, city, in Lafayette County, Missouri. Odessa had 5,721 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,593 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,620 (±17). GEOID 2954038.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
5,721
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,593 · ACS 2020-2024: 5,620 ±17
Median household income
$100,022
±$21,672 (90% margin)
Missouri: $70,702
Median home value
$238,200
±$27,080 (90% margin)
Missouri: $230,300
Median gross rent
$1,063
±$105 (90% margin)
Missouri: $1,033
Where is Odessa and what county is it in?
Odessa is a city in Lafayette County, Missouri. It covers 4.1 square miles of land, 1,364 residents per square mile in 2020.
Odessa is in the Kansas City, MO-KS metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 14 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Odessa, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 5,721 people lived in Odessa on July 1, 2025, up 2.2% since 2020, in line with Missouri (+1.9%). The 2020 Census counted 5,593 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 5,620 (±17).
| Measure | Odessa | Lafayette County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,620 ±17 | 33,115 | +410 |
| Households | 2,231 ±212 | 12,576 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.50 ±0.24 | 2.58 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,370 ±227 | 14,221 | no clear change |
Odessa's population since 2000
From 4,818 in 2000 to 5,721 in 2025: up 18.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Odessa 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 Odessa?
The median resident of Odessa is 40.0 years old; 24.4% are under 18 and 19.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.4%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.3%.
| Measure | Odessa | Lafayette County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.0 ±4.3 | 40.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 24.4% ±5.0 pts | 23.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.1% ±3.5 pts | 19.3% | – |
| Male | 50.1% ±3.9 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 3.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 94.4% ±2.1 pts | 89.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±1.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.3% ±2.1 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.1% ±0.8 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 12.5% ±3.9 pts | 9.5% | – |
| With a disability | 14.1% ±4.2 pts | 17.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.0% ±2.3 pts | 8.2% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.8% ±4.3 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 31.2% ±9.1 pts | 26.2% | +13.9 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 12.5% ±4.9 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.1% ±6.6 pts | 84.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 1.6% | – |
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 Odessa earn?
Half of Odessa's 2,231 households earn less than $100,022 a year (±$21,672), against $80,612 in Lafayette County and $70,702 in Missouri. In 2015-2019 the median was $64,838 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $35,184 after inflation. 6.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Odessa | Lafayette County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $100,022 ±$21,672 | $80,612 | +$35,184 |
| Mean household income | $101,770 ±$12,894 | $93,896 | – |
| Per capita income | $39,629 ±$4,942 | $36,530 | +$8,876 |
| People below the poverty line | 6.1% ±3.2 pts | 9.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.0% ±5.7 pts | 12.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 3.1% ±3.2 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.3% ±1.9 pts | 94.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.6% ±3.3 pts | 87.0% | – |
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 Odessa?
Owners occupy 72.8% of Odessa's occupied homes and renters 27.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $238,200 by its owner (±$27,080). The median renter pays $1,063 a month including utilities, and 25.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Odessa | Lafayette County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $238,200 ±$27,080 | $216,500 | +$68,487 |
| Median gross rent | $1,063 ±$105 | $928 | +$176 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 25.1% ±16.2 pts | 31.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,392 ±$96 | $1,371 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 72.8% ±7.9 pts | 75.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 27.2% ±7.9 pts | 24.3% | – |
| Housing units | 2,370 ±227 | 14,221 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.2% ±10.2 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 75.0% ±8.2 pts | 81.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.3% ±3.2 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.9% ±1.9 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.2% ±6.2 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 10.1% ±5.7 pts | 14.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.3% ±2.2 pts | 3.3% | – |
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 Odessa building?
Builders took permits for 23 new housing units in Odessa in 2025 (9 in single-family houses), 4.0 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 Odessa work and get to work?
87.0% of Odessa's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 24.5 minutes.
| Measure | Odessa | Lafayette County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.3% ±4.8 pts | 62.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 87.0% ±6.6 pts | 79.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.7% ±4.8 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.2% ±5.0 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.5 min ±2.8 | 24.9 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 Odessa?
1 census tract lies mostly in Odessa, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 906.01Lafayette County | 6,130 | $100,086 |
| Tract 901Lafayette County | 4,830 | $73,151 |
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 Odessa) · Census block assignment files
How does Odessa compare with other places in Missouri?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Odessa is the 4,541st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 123rd-most populous of 936 in Missouri.
Odessa ranks 45th 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 | 123rd | 936 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 167th | 394 |
| Residents per square mile | 125th | 420 |
| Median household income | 45th | 416 |
| Per capita income | 83rd | 420 |
| Median home value | 85th | 416 |
| Median gross rent | 108th | 398 |
| Poverty rate | 324th | 373 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 102nd | 404 |
| Median age | 158th | 420 |
| Owner-occupied share | 147th | 418 |
| Travel time to work | 153rd | 420 |
Odessa's figures with every place in Missouri (CSV)
Every place in Missouri, sortable · Compare Odessa 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 Odessa?
23 of the 57 figures for Odessa 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 Odessa 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 Odessa.