City · Missouri
Steele, Missouri
Steele, city, in Pemiscot County, Missouri. Steele had 1,692 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 8.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,853 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,493 (±299). GEOID 2970558.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,692
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,853 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,493 ±299
Median household income
$54,600
±$10,297 (90% margin)
Missouri: $70,702
Median home value
$119,200
±$26,066 (90% margin)
Missouri: $230,300
Median gross rent
$707
±$100 (90% margin)
Missouri: $1,033
Where is Steele and what county is it in?
Steele is a city in Pemiscot County, Missouri. It covers 2.2 square miles of land, 857 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 Steele, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,692 people lived in Steele on July 1, 2025, down 8.5% since 2020, while Missouri grew 1.9%. The 2020 Census counted 1,853 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,493 (±299).
| Measure | Steele | Pemiscot County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,493 ±299 | 14,958 | −483 |
| Households | 622 ±117 | 6,333 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.30 ±0.27 | 2.33 | −0.58 |
| Housing units | 798 ±124 | 7,501 | no clear change |
Steele's population since 2000
From 2,263 in 2000 to 1,692 in 2025: down 25.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Steele 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 Steele?
The median resident of Steele is 38.4 years old; 24.8% are under 18 and 15.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 75.8%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 14.1%.
| Measure | Steele | Pemiscot County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 ±9.6 | 38.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 24.8% ±6.5 pts | 26.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.9% ±4.4 pts | 18.2% | – |
| Male | 43.9% ±5.4 pts | 47.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.7% ±3.0 pts | 3.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 75.8% ±8.7 pts | 65.1% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 7.4% ±6.0 pts | 24.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 14.1% ±6.7 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.4% ±1.6 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.7% ±3.8 pts | 6.2% | – |
| With a disability | 22.3% ±5.8 pts | 22.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.3% ±4.4 pts | 12.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 88.8% ±4.7 pts | 84.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 17.8% ±7.2 pts | 12.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.2% ±3.7 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 76.2% ±10.8 pts | 85.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.3% ±2.7 pts | 1.7% | – |
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 Steele earn?
Half of Steele's 622 households earn less than $54,600 a year (±$10,297), against $40,089 in Pemiscot County and $70,702 in Missouri. In 2015-2019 it was $37,631 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 24.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Steele | Pemiscot County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,600 ±$10,297 | $40,089 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $76,891 ±$14,658 | $62,320 | – |
| Per capita income | $31,976 ±$6,485 | $26,378 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 24.4% ±10.3 pts | 29.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 24.1% ±18.0 pts | 37.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 24.0% ±10.9 pts | 30.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 89.2% ±5.8 pts | 88.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.7% ±5.7 pts | 84.8% | – |
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 Steele?
Owners occupy 49.4% of Steele's occupied homes and renters 50.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $119,200 by its owner (±$26,066). The median renter pays $707 a month including utilities, and 44.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Steele | Pemiscot County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $119,200 ±$26,066 | $97,000 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $707 ±$100 | $695 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 44.8% ±17.4 pts | 48.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,507 ±$212 | $1,211 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 49.4% ±9.9 pts | 55.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 50.6% ±9.9 pts | 44.4% | – |
| Housing units | 798 ±124 | 7,501 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±10.8 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 10.3% ±11.8 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 89.1% ±4.6 pts | 73.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.3% ±3.4 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.5% ±3.3 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.4% ±4.8 pts | 10.5% | – |
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 Steele building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Steele in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 0.6 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 Steele work and get to work?
79.8% of Steele's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 18.7 minutes.
| Measure | Steele | Pemiscot County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.1% ±6.4 pts | 53.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 16.0% ±13.1 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 79.8% ±9.5 pts | 79.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 14.6% ±8.8 pts | 13.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 1.5% ±1.8 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 1.9% ±2.1 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.7 min ±2.0 | 20.6 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 Steele?
No census tract lies mostly in Steele; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4706Pemiscot County | 2,231 | $56,384 |
| Tract 4705Pemiscot County | 2,965 | $55,702 |
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 Steele) · Census block assignment files
How does Steele compare with other places in Missouri?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Steele is the 8,305th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 267th-most populous of 936 in Missouri.
Steele ranks 241st 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 | 267th | 936 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 390th | 394 |
| Residents per square mile | 272nd | 420 |
| Median household income | 241st | 416 |
| Per capita income | 168th | 420 |
| Median home value | 308th | 416 |
| Median gross rent | 304th | 398 |
| Poverty rate | 68th | 373 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 248th | 404 |
| Median age | 218th | 420 |
| Owner-occupied share | 379th | 418 |
| Travel time to work | 330th | 420 |
Steele's figures with every place in Missouri (CSV)
Every place in Missouri, sortable · Compare Steele 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 Steele?
21 of the 57 figures for Steele 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 Steele 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 Steele.