Census-designated place · Missouri
Shell Knob, Missouri
Shell Knob, census-designated place, mostly in Barry County (64.8% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Stone County, Missouri. Shell Knob had 1,254 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,486 (±398). GEOID 2967232.
Residents, 2020 Census
1,254
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 1,486 ±398
Median household income
$54,925
±$10,861 (90% margin)
Missouri: $70,702
Median home value
$321,700
±$41,350 (90% margin)
Missouri: $230,300
Median gross rent
$1,274
±$477 (90% margin)
Missouri: $1,033
Where is Shell Knob and what county is it in?
Shell Knob is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, mostly in Barry County (64.8% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Stone County, Missouri. It covers 9.5 square miles of land, 132 residents per square mile in 2020.
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Barry County | 812 | 64.8% |
| Stone County | 442 | 35.3% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Shell Knob, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 1,254 residents in Shell Knob, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 1,486 (±398).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Shell Knob is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Shell Knob | Barry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,486 ±398 | 35,033 | no clear change |
| Households | 758 ±168 | 13,336 | +235 |
| Average household size | 1.96 ±0.27 | 2.61 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,540 ±258 | 17,063 | no clear change |
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 Shell Knob?
The median resident of Shell Knob is 59.6 years old; 7.9% are under 18 and 37.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 82.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 8.6%.
| Measure | Shell Knob | Barry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.6 ±5.1 | 43.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 7.9% ±4.7 pts | 22.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 37.8% ±10.3 pts | 22.0% | – |
| Male | 46.6% ±7.2 pts | 50.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8.6% ±9.6 pts | 10.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 82.2% ±9.8 pts | 80.2% | −15.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.3 pts | 2.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.9% ±7.5 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.9% ±1.3 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.1% ±0.4 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.9% ±5.3 pts | 8.0% | – |
| With a disability | 21.1% ±7.5 pts | 16.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.7% ±4.9 pts | 12.1% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 89.9% ±5.7 pts | 86.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.0% ±10.1 pts | 14.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.1% ±5.2 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.7% ±13.1 pts | 89.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 10.6% ±12.6 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 Shell Knob earn?
Half of Shell Knob's 758 households earn less than $54,925 a year (±$10,861), against $58,346 in Barry County and $70,702 in Missouri. In 2015-2019 it was $46,865 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 14.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Shell Knob | Barry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,925 ±$10,861 | $58,346 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $73,059 ±$12,910 | $80,612 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,079 ±$5,593 | $31,611 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 14.7% ±9.2 pts | 15.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 22.2% ±30.8 pts | 20.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.7% ±4.3 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 86.7% ±9.8 pts | 92.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 81.9% ±11.2 pts | 84.5% | – |
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 Shell Knob?
Owners occupy 85.6% of Shell Knob's occupied homes and renters 14.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $321,700 by its owner (±$41,350). The median renter pays $1,274 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Shell Knob | Barry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $321,700 ±$41,350 | $187,800 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,274 ±$477 | $766 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 44.7% ±36.5 pts | 35.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,745 ±$143 | $1,236 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 85.6% ±8.0 pts | 77.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 14.4% ±8.0 pts | 22.7% | – |
| Housing units | 1,540 ±258 | 17,063 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±5.0 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 15.5% ±21.0 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 85.9% ±6.5 pts | 74.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.5% ±4.7 pts | 14.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 3.2% ±2.3 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.2% ±5.1 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.7% ±2.6 pts | 4.4% | – |
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 Shell Knob work and get to work?
58.6% of Shell Knob's workers drive alone and 26.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.9 minutes.
| Measure | Shell Knob | Barry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 45.2% ±11.2 pts | 56.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 8.4% ±5.7 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 58.6% ±19.8 pts | 72.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 14.2% ±12.6 pts | 14.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±6.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±6.3 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 26.5% ±15.4 pts | 10.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.9 min ±7.1 | 23.7 min | −13.4 min |
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 Shell Knob?
No census tract lies mostly in Shell Knob; 3 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 902.02Stone County | 2,692 | $60,360 |
| Tract 9601.02Barry County | 2,675 | $53,233 |
| Tract 9606Barry County | 2,583 | $52,647 |
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 Shell Knob) · Census block assignment files
How does Shell Knob compare with other places in Missouri?
Shell Knob ranks 238th of 416 places in Missouri with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 356th | 420 |
| Residents per square mile | 365th | 420 |
| Median household income | 238th | 416 |
| Per capita income | 116th | 420 |
| Median home value | 44th | 416 |
| Median gross rent | 48th | 398 |
| Poverty rate | 203rd | 373 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 146th | 404 |
| Median age | 3rd | 420 |
| Owner-occupied share | 44th | 418 |
| Work from home | 10th | 270 |
| Travel time to work | 266th | 420 |
Shell Knob's figures with every place in Missouri (CSV)
Every place in Missouri, sortable · Compare Shell Knob 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 Shell Knob?
22 of the 57 figures for Shell Knob 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 Shell Knob 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' school search.