City · Missouri
Sheldon, Missouri
Sheldon, city, in Vernon County, Missouri. Sheldon had 438 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 435 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 443 (±118). GEOID 2967214.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
438
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 435 · ACS 2020-2024: 443 ±118
Median household income
$41,848
±$8,776 (90% margin)
Missouri: $70,702
Median home value
$67,500
±$23,056 (90% margin)
Missouri: $230,300
Median gross rent
$617
±$56 (90% margin)
Missouri: $1,033
Where is Sheldon and what county is it in?
Sheldon is a city in Vernon County, Missouri. It covers 0.5 square miles of land, 829 residents per square mile in 2020.
Sheldon lies entirely within Drywood Township, a township with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Sheldon, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 438 people lived in Sheldon on July 1, 2025, up 0.2% since 2020, slower than Missouri (+1.9%). The 2020 Census counted 435 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 443 (±118).
| Measure | Sheldon | Vernon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 443 ±118 | 19,687 | no clear change |
| Households | 190 ±54 | 7,754 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.33 ±0.36 | 2.46 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 224 ±52 | 8,928 | no clear change |
Sheldon's population since 2000
From 529 in 2000 to 438 in 2025: down 17.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Sheldon 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 Sheldon?
The median resident of Sheldon is 41.1 years old; 28.9% are under 18 and 16.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 90.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.4%.
| Measure | Sheldon | Vernon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 ±5.4 | 41.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 28.9% ±8.9 pts | 23.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.5% ±7.3 pts | 20.6% | – |
| Male | 44.0% ±4.8 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.4% ±5.7 pts | 2.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 90.7% ±7.5 pts | 92.6% | −8.4 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.6 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.6 pts | 0.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.4% ±4.1 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.5% ±3.6 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.1% ±3.8 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.4% ±3.0 pts | 5.8% | – |
| With a disability | 20.8% ±6.9 pts | 19.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.1% ±4.3 pts | 14.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 84.9% ±7.2 pts | 89.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 11.0% ±6.1 pts | 16.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.0% ±1.5 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 80.0% ±11.2 pts | 87.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.5% ±1.0 pts | 1.9% | – |
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 Sheldon earn?
Half of Sheldon's 190 households earn less than $41,848 a year (±$8,776), against $52,230 in Vernon County and $70,702 in Missouri. In 2015-2019 it was $44,099 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 37.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Sheldon | Vernon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $41,848 ±$8,776 | $52,230 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $52,676 ±$7,526 | $65,264 | – |
| Per capita income | $21,328 ±$4,195 | $25,885 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 37.0% ±12.9 pts | 18.8% | +18.5 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 64.1% ±21.6 pts | 22.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 19.5% ±8.9 pts | 14.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 86.8% ±9.8 pts | 90.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.2% ±10.3 pts | 84.3% | – |
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 Sheldon?
Owners occupy 43.2% of Sheldon's occupied homes and renters 56.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $67,500 by its owner (±$23,056). The median renter pays $617 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Sheldon | Vernon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $67,500 ±$23,056 | $158,800 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $617 ±$56 | $734 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 27.5% ±18.6 pts | 28.0% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $850 ±$47 | $1,171 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 43.2% ±11.7 pts | 71.3% | −19.5 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 56.8% ±11.7 pts | 28.7% | – |
| Housing units | 224 ±52 | 8,928 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±33.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.0% ±7.6 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 66.1% ±9.8 pts | 78.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 12.9% ±8.3 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±14.4 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.6% ±6.2 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 22.8% ±9.6 pts | 19.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.7% ±3.4 pts | 11.4% | – |
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 do people in Sheldon work and get to work?
89.4% of Sheldon's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 20.4 minutes.
| Measure | Sheldon | Vernon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 58.0% ±9.0 pts | 56.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2% ±4.7 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 89.4% ±7.2 pts | 73.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.1% ±5.1 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±17.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±17.6 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.4% ±4.5 pts | 11.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.4 min ±3.7 | 19.4 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 Sheldon?
No census tract lies mostly in Sheldon; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9506Vernon County | 2,572 | $58,819 |
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 Sheldon) · Census block assignment files
How does Sheldon compare with other places in Missouri?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Sheldon is the 13,745th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 490th-most populous of 936 in Missouri.
Sheldon 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 | 490th | 936 |
Sheldon's figures with every place in Missouri (CSV)
Every place in Missouri, sortable · Compare Sheldon 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 Sheldon?
23 of the 57 figures for Sheldon 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 Sheldon 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 Sheldon.