City · Missouri
Tarkio, Missouri
Tarkio, city, in Atchison County, Missouri. Tarkio had 1,478 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,506 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,471 (±180). GEOID 2972340.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,478
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,506 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,471 ±180
Median household income
$56,927
±$10,465 (90% margin)
Missouri: $70,702
Median home value
$87,800
±$6,414 (90% margin)
Missouri: $230,300
Median gross rent
$660
±$71 (90% margin)
Missouri: $1,033
Where is Tarkio and what county is it in?
Tarkio is a city in Atchison County, Missouri. It covers 1.4 square miles of land, 1,086 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 Tarkio, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,478 people lived in Tarkio on July 1, 2025, down 2.2% since 2020, while Missouri grew 1.9%. The 2020 Census counted 1,506 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,471 (±180).
| Measure | Tarkio | Atchison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,471 ±180 | 5,187 | no clear change |
| Households | 683 ±80 | 2,287 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.08 ±0.17 | 2.23 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 797 ±74 | 2,726 | no clear change |
Tarkio's population since 2000
From 1,935 in 2000 to 1,478 in 2025: down 23.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Tarkio 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 Tarkio?
The median resident of Tarkio is 51.0 years old; 17.7% are under 18 and 25.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 89.7%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 4.8%.
| Measure | Tarkio | Atchison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.0 ±5.8 | 46.7 | +7.9 |
| Under 18 years | 17.7% ±3.8 pts | 20.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 25.1% ±4.1 pts | 25.2% | – |
| Male | 50.7% ±3.2 pts | 50.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.9% ±1.9 pts | 2.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 89.7% ±4.4 pts | 92.6% | −6.6 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±1.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.8% ±4.3 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.2% ±1.1 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.2% ±3.0 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.8% ±2.2 pts | 7.8% | – |
| With a disability | 18.3% ±3.8 pts | 17.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 13.2% ±4.9 pts | 11.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 89.9% ±3.5 pts | 91.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 23.1% ±6.4 pts | 22.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.5% ±3.0 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.6% ±3.9 pts | 93.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.7% ±3.0 pts | 2.5% | – |
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 Tarkio earn?
Half of Tarkio's 683 households earn less than $56,927 a year (±$10,465), against $58,750 in Atchison County and $70,702 in Missouri. In 2015-2019 it was $57,637 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 14.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tarkio | Atchison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,927 ±$10,465 | $58,750 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $76,041 ±$11,074 | $77,295 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,495 ±$5,014 | $34,574 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 14.4% ±5.7 pts | 11.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 28.6% ±18.7 pts | 19.6% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.6% ±3.2 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 91.1% ±3.2 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 85.8% ±4.3 pts | 87.5% | – |
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 Tarkio?
Owners occupy 73.4% of Tarkio's occupied homes and renters 26.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $87,800 by its owner (±$6,414). The median renter pays $660 a month including utilities, and 21.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tarkio | Atchison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $87,800 ±$6,414 | $106,800 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $660 ±$71 | $631 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 21.7% ±8.5 pts | 20.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $882 ±$72 | $1,111 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 73.4% ±4.3 pts | 76.8% | +10.3 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 26.6% ±4.3 pts | 23.2% | – |
| Housing units | 797 ±74 | 2,726 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±6.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.1% ±10.0 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 78.7% ±5.3 pts | 86.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.8% ±4.2 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.9% ±2.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±4.3 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 35.4% ±6.7 pts | 33.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.3% ±3.1 pts | 3.1% | – |
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 Tarkio building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Tarkio in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 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 Tarkio work and get to work?
81.7% of Tarkio's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 22.8 minutes.
| Measure | Tarkio | Atchison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.6% ±5.2 pts | 62.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% ±2.7 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 81.7% ±5.9 pts | 81.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.6% ±3.7 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 3.1% ±3.6 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Walked | 1.5% ±1.6 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 3.8% ±2.6 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.8 min ±2.9 | 20.3 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 Tarkio?
No census tract lies mostly in Tarkio; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9501Atchison County | 2,888 | $56,803 |
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 Tarkio) · Census block assignment files
How does Tarkio compare with other places in Missouri?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Tarkio is the 8,792nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 283rd-most populous of 936 in Missouri.
Tarkio ranks 214th 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 | 283rd | 936 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 327th | 394 |
| Residents per square mile | 196th | 420 |
| Median household income | 214th | 416 |
| Per capita income | 107th | 420 |
| Median home value | 379th | 416 |
| Median gross rent | 342nd | 398 |
| Poverty rate | 213th | 373 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 162nd | 404 |
| Median age | 19th | 420 |
| Owner-occupied share | 140th | 418 |
| Travel time to work | 200th | 420 |
Tarkio's figures with every place in Missouri (CSV)
Every place in Missouri, sortable · Compare Tarkio 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 Tarkio?
17 of the 57 figures for Tarkio 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 Tarkio 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 Tarkio.