Town · Missouri
Wardell, Missouri
Wardell, town, in Pemiscot County, Missouri. Wardell had 283 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 8.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 310 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 445 (±160). GEOID 2976966.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
283
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 310 · ACS 2020-2024: 445 ±160
Median household income
$40,250
±$8,009 (90% margin)
Missouri: $70,702
Median home value
$54,300
±$13,151 (90% margin)
Missouri: $230,300
Median gross rent
$563
±$510 (90% margin)
Missouri: $1,033
Where is Wardell and what county is it in?
Wardell is a town in Pemiscot County, Missouri. It covers 0.3 square miles of land, 1,099 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 Wardell, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 283 people lived in Wardell on July 1, 2025, down 8.4% since 2020, while Missouri grew 1.9%. The 2020 Census counted 310 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 445 (±160).
| Measure | Wardell | Pemiscot County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 445 ±160 | 14,958 | no clear change |
| Households | 187 ±50 | 6,333 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.38 ±0.53 | 2.33 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 205 ±49 | 7,501 | no clear change |
Wardell's population since 2000
From 278 in 2000 to 283 in 2025: up 1.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Wardell 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 Wardell?
The median resident of Wardell is 54.6 years old; 15.3% are under 18 and 27.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 87.6%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 11.0%.
| Measure | Wardell | Pemiscot County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.6 ±5.1 | 38.1 | +9.2 |
| Under 18 years | 15.3% ±8.0 pts | 26.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 27.2% ±10.1 pts | 18.2% | – |
| Male | 52.6% ±8.7 pts | 47.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.2% ±0.6 pts | 3.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 87.6% ±7.8 pts | 65.1% | −10.7 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±1.8 pts | 24.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 11.0% ±7.5 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±7.6 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.4% ±1.8 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.6% ±5.3 pts | 6.2% | – |
| With a disability | 42.5% ±8.2 pts | 22.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 14.2% ±5.5 pts | 12.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 80.4% ±8.4 pts | 84.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 12.3% ±7.0 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.9% ±4.0 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 67.2% ±17.9 pts | 85.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.7% ±3.6 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 Wardell earn?
Half of Wardell's 187 households earn less than $40,250 a year (±$8,009), against $40,089 in Pemiscot County and $70,702 in Missouri. In 2015-2019 the median was $51,671 in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $11,421 after inflation. 42.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Wardell | Pemiscot County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $40,250 ±$8,009 | $40,089 | −$11,421 |
| Mean household income | $63,018 ±$21,078 | $62,320 | – |
| Per capita income | $26,261 ±$10,004 | $26,378 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 42.9% ±16.0 pts | 29.6% | +26.2 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 77.9% ±19.5 pts | 37.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 24.1% ±13.6 pts | 30.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.0% ±5.9 pts | 88.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.3% ±6.7 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 Wardell?
Owners occupy 81.8% of Wardell's occupied homes and renters 18.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $54,300 by its owner (±$13,151).
| Measure | Wardell | Pemiscot County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $54,300 ±$13,151 | $97,000 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $563 ±$510 | $695 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 48.1% ±38.7 pts | 48.8% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $937 ±$100 | $1,211 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 81.8% ±11.2 pts | 55.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 18.2% ±11.2 pts | 44.4% | – |
| Housing units | 205 ±49 | 7,501 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±19.6 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.6% ±10.6 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 77.6% ±10.6 pts | 73.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 14.6% ±7.9 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±15.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.9% ±3.1 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 21.0% ±12.8 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.0% ±8.1 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 Wardell building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Wardell 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 Wardell work and get to work?
87.8% of Wardell's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 23.6 minutes.
| Measure | Wardell | Pemiscot County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 39.2% ±12.8 pts | 53.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.7% ±1.5 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 87.8% ±10.0 pts | 79.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.8% ±6.2 pts | 13.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±21.0 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±21.0 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.4% ±8.6 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.6 min ±2.6 | 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 Wardell?
No census tract lies mostly in Wardell; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4701Pemiscot County | 1,544 | $45,987 |
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 Wardell) · Census block assignment files
How does Wardell compare with other places in Missouri?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Wardell is the 15,340th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 584th-most populous of 936 in Missouri.
Wardell 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 | 584th | 936 |
Wardell's figures with every place in Missouri (CSV)
Every place in Missouri, sortable · Compare Wardell 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 Wardell?
23 of the 57 figures for Wardell 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 Wardell 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 Wardell.