DeKalb County, Missouri

DeKalb County, Missouri
DeKalb County Courthouse in Maysville
Map of Missouri highlighting DeKalb County
Location in the state of Missouri
Map of the United States highlighting Missouri
Missouri's location in the U.S.
Founded February 25, 1845
Named for Johann de Kalb
Seat Maysville
Largest city Cameron
Area
 • Total 426 sq mi (1,103 km2)
 • Land 421 sq mi (1,090 km2)
 • Water 4.5 sq mi (12 km2), 1.0
Population
 • (2010) 12,892
 • Density 31/sq mi (12/km²)
Congressional district 6th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.dekalbcountymo.org

DeKalb County is a county located in the northwest portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the population was 12,892.[1] Its county seat is Maysville.[2] The county was organized February 25, 1845[3] and named for General Johann de Kalb,[4] Baron de Kalb, of the Revolutionary War.

DeKalb County is part of the St. Joseph, MO-KS Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS Combined Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 426 square miles (1,100 km2), of which 421 square miles (1,090 km2) is land and 4.5 square miles (12 km2) (1.0%) is water.[5]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18502,075—
18605,224151.8%
18709,85888.7%
188013,33435.3%
189014,5399.0%
190014,418−0.8%
191012,531−13.1%
192011,694−6.7%
193010,270−12.2%
19409,751−5.1%
19508,047−17.5%
19607,226−10.2%
19707,3051.1%
19808,22212.6%
19909,96721.2%
200011,59716.4%
201012,89211.2%
Est. 201412,692−1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[1]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 11,597 people, 3,528 households, and 2,473 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile (11/km²). There were 3,839 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.09% White, 8.86% Black or African American, 0.66% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. Approximately 1.08% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,528 households out of which 32.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 9.60% were married couples living together, 7.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.90% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county the population was spread out with 20.70% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 36.30% from 25 to 44, 20.90% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 152.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 168.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,654, and the median income for a family was $37,329. Males had a median income of $28,434 versus $20,207 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,687. About 7.20% of families and 10.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.80% of those under age 18 and 75.20% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

According to the Association of Religion Data Archives County Membership Report (2010), DeKalb County is sometimes regarded as being on the northern edge of the Bible Belt, with evangelical Protestantism being the most predominant religion. The most predominant denominations among residents in DeKalb County who adhere to a religion are Southern Baptists (37.63%), United Methodists (19.88%), and Community of Christ (14.82%).

Education

Public Schools

Politics

Local

The Republican Party controls politics at the local level in DeKalb County. Republicans hold all but three of the elected positions in the county.

DeKalb County, Missouri
Elected countywide officials
Assessor Ruth A. Ross Democratic
Circuit Clerk Julie Whitsell Republican
County Clerk Melissa (Missy) Meek Republican
Collector Joan Jody Pearl Democratic
Commissioner
(Presiding)		 Harold O. Allison Republican
Commissioner
(District 1)		 Garry McFee Republican
Commissioner
(District 2)		 Joe Kagay Republican
Coroner Heath Turner Republican
Prosecuting Attorney Erik Tate Democratic
Public Administrator Connie Bray Republican
Recorder Julie Whitsell Republican
Sheriff Wes Raines Republican
Treasurer Joan Jody Pearl Democratic

State

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2008 50.13% 2,332 46.80% 2,177 3.07% 143
2004 57.93% 2,710 40.40% 1,890 1.67% 78
2000 52.93% 2,129 44.70% 1,798 2.37% 95
1996 34.11% 1,317 63.30% 2,444 2.59% 100

All of DeKalb County is a part of Missouri’s 5th District in the Missouri House of Representatives and is represented by Glen Klippenstein (R-Maysville).

Missouri House of Representatives - District 5 – DeKalb County (2010)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Glen Klippenstein 2,293 65.36
Democratic Judy Wright 1,095 31.21
Constitution Gary Murray 120 3.42

All of DeKalb County is a part of Missouri’s 12th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Brad Lager (R-Savannah).

Missouri Senate - District 12 – DeKalb County (2010)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Brad Lager 2,978 100.00

Federal

All of DeKalb County is included in Missouri’s 6th Congressional District and is currently represented by Sam Graves (R-Tarkio) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. House of Representatives – Missouri’s 6th Congressional District – DeKalb County (2010)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Sam Graves 2,606 74.39
Democratic Clint Hylton 897 25.61

All of DeKalb County, along with the rest of the state of Missouri, is represented in the U.S. Senate by Claire McCaskill (D-Kirkwood) and Roy Blunt (R-Strafford). McCaskill was elected in 2006 by a narrow margin statewide, but DeKalb County supported her opponent, incumbent Jim Talent. She is seeking re-election in 2012 against Congressman Todd Akin.

U.S. Senate - Class I - DeKalb County (2006)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jim Talent 2,021 52.17 -1.07
Democratic Claire McCaskill 1,693 43.70 -0.82
Libertarian Frank Gilmour 124 3.20 +1.35
Progressive Lydia Lewis 36 0.93 +0.93

Blunt was elected in 2010 over Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan.

U.S. Senate - Class III - DeKalb County (2010)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Roy Blunt 1,750 61.58 -2.47
Democratic Robin Carnahan 848 29.84 -4.67
Libertarian Jonathan Dine 131 4.61 +3.89
Constitution Jerry Beck 113 3.98 +3.26

Political culture

Past Presidential Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2008 61.29% 2,889 35.89% 1,692 2.82% 133
2004 62.76% 2,941 36.43% 1,707 0.81% 38
2000 58.36% 2,363 38.58% 1,562 3.06% 124
1996 42.30% 1,627 43.66% 1,679 14.04% 540

At the presidential level, DeKalb County is Republican-leaning. George W. Bush carried the county easily in 2000 and 2004. Bill Clinton was the last Democratic presidential nominee to carry DeKalb County in 1996, and like many of the rural counties throughout Missouri, DeKalb County strongly favored John McCain over Barack Obama in 2008.

Like most rural areas throughout northwest Missouri, voters in DeKalb County generally adhere to socially and culturally conservative principles which tend to influence their Republican leanings, at least on the state and national levels. In 2004, Missourians voted on a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union between a man and a woman—it overwhelmingly passed in DeKalb County with 80.7% of the vote. The initiative passed the state with 71% support from voters. In 2006, Missourians voted on a constitutional amendment to fund and legalize embryonic stem cell research in the state—it failed in DeKalb County with 55.9% voting against the measure. The initiative narrowly passed the state with 51% of support from voters as Missouri became one of the first states in the nation to approve embryonic stem cell research. Despite DeKalb County's longstanding tradition of supporting socially conservative platforms, voters in the county have a penchant for advancing populist causes like increasing the minimum wage. In 2006, Missourians voted on a proposition (Proposition B) to increase the minimum wage in the state to $6.50 an hour—it passed in DeKalb County with 67.7% of the vote. The proposition strongly passed every single county in Missouri with 78.99% voting in favor. (During the same election, voters in five other states also strongly approved increases in the minimum wage.)

Missouri Presidential Preference Primary

2012

In the 2012 Missouri Republican Presidential Primary, voters in DeKalb County supported former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pennsylvania), who finished first in the state at large, but eventually lost the nomination to former Governor Mitt Romney (R-Massachusetts). Delegates to the state convention were chosen at a county caucus, which selected a delegation favoring Santorum.

2008

DeKalb County, Missouri
2008 Republican primary in Missouri
John McCain 310 (30.21%)
Mike Huckabee 276 (26.90%)
Mitt Romney 337 (32.85%)
Ron Paul 81 (7.89%)
DeKalb County, Missouri
2008 Democratic primary in Missouri
Hillary Rodham Clinton 596 (57.86%)
Barack Obama 372 (36.12%)
John Edwards (withdrawn) 51 (4.95%)
Uncommitted 8 (0.78%)

Communities

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ Eaton, David Wolfe (1916). How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named. The State Historical Society of Missouri. p. 284.
  4. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 103.
  5. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  10. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.

External links

 Gentry County
Andrew County Daviess County
   DeKalb County, Missouri  
Buchanan County Clinton County Caldwell County

Coordinates: 39°54′N 94°24′W / 39.90°N 94.40°W