City · Missouri
Thayer, Missouri
Thayer, city, in Oregon County, Missouri. Thayer had 1,898 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,883 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,333 (±387). GEOID 2972826.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,898
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,883 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,333 ±387
Median household income
$37,417
±$5,193 (90% margin)
Missouri: $70,702
Median home value
$67,500
±$20,126 (90% margin)
Missouri: $230,300
Median gross rent
$627
±$41 (90% margin)
Missouri: $1,033
Where is Thayer and what county is it in?
Thayer is a city in Oregon County, Missouri. It covers 2.4 square miles of land, 771 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 Thayer, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,898 people lived in Thayer on July 1, 2025, up 1.2% since 2020, slower than Missouri (+1.9%). The 2020 Census counted 1,883 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,333 (±387).
| Measure | Thayer | Oregon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,333 ±387 | 8,673 | no clear change |
| Households | 915 ±161 | 3,380 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.47 ±0.32 | 2.53 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,077 ±175 | 4,321 | no clear change |
Thayer's population since 2000
From 2,201 in 2000 to 1,898 in 2025: down 13.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Thayer 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 Thayer?
The median resident of Thayer is 40.6 years old; 30.9% are under 18 and 19.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.1%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.8%.
| Measure | Thayer | Oregon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 ±6.8 | 44.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 30.9% ±6.1 pts | 23.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.9% ±7.2 pts | 23.0% | – |
| Male | 48.8% ±6.7 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.7% ±0.7 pts | 1.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.1% ±2.6 pts | 92.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.8% ±2.3 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.5% ±0.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.2% ±4.8 pts | 6.6% | – |
| With a disability | 24.9% ±6.4 pts | 23.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 18.0% ±6.1 pts | 16.3% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 84.2% ±5.7 pts | 85.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 20.0% ±6.5 pts | 12.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 12.8% ±6.2 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.7% ±7.5 pts | 88.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.9% ±2.1 pts | 3.8% | – |
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 Thayer earn?
Half of Thayer's 915 households earn less than $37,417 a year (±$5,193), against $43,069 in Oregon County and $70,702 in Missouri. In 2015-2019 it was $35,698 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 34.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Thayer | Oregon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $37,417 ±$5,193 | $43,069 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $46,591 ±$6,188 | $58,216 | – |
| Per capita income | $18,973 ±$2,629 | $23,212 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 34.3% ±11.2 pts | 23.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 57.9% ±20.1 pts | 36.2% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 31.7% ±8.4 pts | 19.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.3% ±2.8 pts | 90.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 78.7% ±12.8 pts | 77.3% | – |
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 Thayer?
Owners occupy 68.1% of Thayer's occupied homes and renters 31.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $67,500 by its owner (±$20,126). The median renter pays $627 a month including utilities, and 28.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Thayer | Oregon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $67,500 ±$20,126 | $113,300 | −$32,186 |
| Median gross rent | $627 ±$41 | $639 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 28.7% ±17.1 pts | 34.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,076 ±$128 | $1,073 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 68.1% ±10.0 pts | 74.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 31.9% ±10.0 pts | 25.1% | – |
| Housing units | 1,077 ±175 | 4,321 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 4.3% ±4.9 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±11.3 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 79.0% ±7.0 pts | 73.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.6% ±4.5 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.5% ±3.8 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 12.7% ±5.5 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.0% ±5.3 pts | 5.7% | – |
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 Thayer building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Thayer 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 Thayer work and get to work?
78.8% of Thayer's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 17.5 minutes.
| Measure | Thayer | Oregon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 43.6% ±8.4 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% ±3.5 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 78.8% ±10.2 pts | 76.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 14.0% ±9.3 pts | 12.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.6% ±1.8 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Walked | 0.7% ±1.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.9% ±4.3 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.5 min ±5.1 | 23.0 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 Thayer?
1 census tract lies mostly in Thayer, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4802Oregon County | 4,037 | $39,317 |
| Tract 4803Oregon County | 1,857 | $55,804 |
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 Thayer) · Census block assignment files
How does Thayer compare with other places in Missouri?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Thayer is the 7,871st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 248th-most populous of 936 in Missouri.
Thayer ranks 393rd 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 | 248th | 936 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 197th | 394 |
| Residents per square mile | 297th | 420 |
| Median household income | 393rd | 416 |
| Per capita income | 400th | 420 |
| Median home value | 407th | 416 |
| Median gross rent | 364th | 398 |
| Poverty rate | 13th | 373 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 211th | 404 |
| Median age | 142nd | 420 |
| Owner-occupied share | 191st | 418 |
| Travel time to work | 359th | 420 |
Thayer's figures with every place in Missouri (CSV)
Every place in Missouri, sortable · Compare Thayer 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 Thayer?
18 of the 57 figures for Thayer 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 Thayer 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 Thayer.