Small-town market profile · Missouri
Poplar Bluff, MO area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Poplar Bluff area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 41,904
- −0.4% since 2020
- Households
- 16,594
- Median household income
- $49,089
- Median home value
- $145,100
- Jobs located here
- 18,059
- Highest market score
- 57
- Gyms, #181 of 506 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Poplar Bluff area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Poplar Bluff area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 41,904 people live in the Poplar Bluff area, in 16,594 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of the Poplar Bluff area declined 0.4%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in the Poplar Bluff area is $49,089 a year, 39% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Set against the U.S., households in the Poplar Bluff area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 98, where 100 is the U.S. average, so still below it) and the least on child care and other personal services (49).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Poplar Bluff area are for gyms (57), gyms and studios (57) and primary care and pediatric clinics (55). The Poplar Bluff area ranks #181 of 506 scored small-town markets for gyms.
The Poplar Bluff area is made up of one county, Butler County. For its number of households, the Poplar Bluff area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for pizza places (twice the U.S. rate) and the fewest for gyms and studios (40% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Poplar Bluff area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Poplar Bluff area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gyms | 57 | #181 of 506 | 8 | 4.8 | $1.3M | 97 | 3 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 57 | #185 of 535 | 15 | 9.0 | $671K | 101 | 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 55 | #192 of 458 | 5 | 3.0 | $3.9M | 218 | 31 |
| Grocery stores | 53 | #241 of 506 | 9 | 5.4 | $9.7M | 105 | 5 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 44 | #337 of 538 | 37 | 22.3 | $2.4M | 70 | 8 |
| Chiropractors | 43 | #261 of 426 | 8 | 4.8 | $2.4M | 101 | 7 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 41 | #267 of 387 | 9 | 5.4 | $1.7M | 56 | 3 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 40 | #359 of 536 | 30 | 18.1 | $903K | 103 | 12 |
| Home repair trades | 40 | #373 of 526 | 18 | 10.8 | $2.1M | 85 | 20 |
| Funeral homes | 39 | #252 of 365 | 8 | 4.8 | $311K | 46 | 4 |
| Hair salons | 39 | #397 of 538 | 40 | 24.1 | $333K | 77 | 4 |
| Car washes and detailing | 38 | #318 of 441 | 9 | 5.4 | $1.7M | 69 | 3 |
| Convenience stores | 38 | #386 of 529 | 22 | 13.3 | $4M | 51 | 3 |
| Gas stations | 38 | #395 of 536 | 22 | 13.3 | $1.9M | 78 | 24 |
| Pet businesses | 38 | #404 of 527 | 22 | 13.3 | $499K | 57 | 4 |
| Tire shops | 37 | #318 of 431 | 8 | 4.8 | $1.9M | 78 | 5 |
| Insurance agencies | 37 | #382 of 537 | 22 | 13.3 | $1.1M | 90 | 12 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 37 | #385 of 507 | 13 | 7.8 | $3.9M | 95 | 8 |
| Spas and skin care | 37 | #397 of 504 | 14 | 8.4 | $951K | 109 | 3 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 37 | #432 of 533 | 33 | 19.9 | Index only | 111 | 4 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 36 | #391 of 536 | 24 | 14.5 | $1.1M | 89 | 12 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 33 | #443 of 529 | 17 | 10.2 | $3M | 81 | 8 |
| Physical therapy | 32 | #328 of 400 | 12 | 7.2 | $1.6M | 67 | 7 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 32 | #432 of 526 | 21 | 12.7 | $924K | 94 | 13 |
| Real estate | 32 | #489 of 536 | 43 | 25.9 | Index only | 107 | 11 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 31 | #478 of 538 | 79 | 47.6 | $169K | 79 | 9 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 30 | #342 of 400 | 11 | 6.6 | $1.8M | 56 | 4 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 28 | #332 of 378 | 7 | 4.2 | $1.4M | 71 | Under 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 28 | #438 of 476 | 11 | 6.6 | $3.4M | 71 | 15 |
| Auto repair and car care | 28 | #464 of 538 | 82 | 49.4 | $189K | 71 | 29 |
| Auto repair shops | 28 | #472 of 538 | 53 | 31.9 | $293K | 66 | 20 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 27 | #485 of 538 | 97 | 58.5 | $528K | 80 | 29 |
| Nail salons | 25 | #343 of 387 | 11 | 6.6 | $1.2M | 72 | Under 3 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 24 | #493 of 538 | 160 | 96.4 | $121K | 80 | 62 |
| Barbershops | 23 | #334 of 377 | 12 | 7.2 | $1.1M | 59 | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 22 | #484 of 537 | 24 | 14.5 | $2.1M | 70 | 40 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 21 | #510 of 538 | 181 | 109.1 | $283K | 76 | 79 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 19 | #369 of 387 | 11 | 6.6 | $997K | 39 | 4 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 15 | #176 of 177 | 7 | 4.2 | Index only | 73 | Under 3 |
| Child care and preschools | 14 | #439 of 454 | 11 | 6.6 | $428K | 43 | 15 |
| Pizza | 13 | #516 of 520 | 27 | 16.3 | $1.9M | 37 | 40 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.4 | $9.3M | 110 | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.4 | $2.7M | 101 | Under 3 |
| Electricians | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.8 | $12.4M | 103 | 5 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.8 | $5.7M | 337 | 16 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.2 | $8.5M | Too few | 6 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.2 | $13.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.2 | $7.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.2 | $5.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.2 | Index only | Too few | 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $17M | Too few | 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 7 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 3 |
Household spending in the Poplar Bluff area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $15.5M | $936 | 98 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $40.8M | $2,457 | 95 |
| Food away from home | $51.2M | $3,086 | 76 |
| Groceries | $87.6M | $5,279 | 84 |
| Personal care products and services | $13.3M | $803 | 80 |
| Child care and other personal services | $4.7M | $283 | 49 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $10.1M | $607 | 62 |
| Medical and dental services | $19.4M | $1,169 | 91 |
| Pets | $11M | $661 | 73 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $27.1M | $1,633 | 79 |
| Vehicle insurance | $24.8M | $1,493 | 76 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $37.1M | $2,235 | 74 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $17M | $1,024 | 72 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $199M | $11,991 | 72 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Poplar Bluff area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 41,904−0.4% since 2020
- Households
- 16,594
- Median age
- 40.6
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 65%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.7
- Land area
- 695 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 60
- Median household income
- $49,089
- Average household income
- $67,066
- Median home value
- $145,100
- Jobs located here
- 18,059
- Daytime population
- 43,334Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Poplar Bluff area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Poplar Bluff area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Poplar Bluff area 1
- Butler County, MO42,020 people
Other markets based in Missouri 12
- St. Louis, MO-IL metro area2,810,850 people
- Kansas City, MO-KS metro area2,218,142 people
- Springfield, MO metro area486,785 people
- Columbia, MO metro area215,014 people
- Joplin, MO-KS metro area203,626 people
- Jefferson City, MO metro area150,437 people
- St. Joseph, MO-KS metro area120,012 people
- Cape Girardeau, MO-IL metro area98,169 people
- Farmington, MO area66,999 people
- Branson, MO area56,529 people
- Warrensburg, MO area54,732 people
- Fort Leonard Wood, MO area53,894 people
Questions
How fast is the Poplar Bluff, MO area growing?
Population estimates put the Poplar Bluff area at 41,904 people in 2025, down 0.4% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 16,594 households.
How much do households in the Poplar Bluff, MO area spend?
Households in the Poplar Bluff area spend about $199M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $87.6M on groceries and $51.2M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Poplar Bluff area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 98, where 100 is the U.S. average, so still below it) and lowest on child care and other personal services (49).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Poplar Bluff, MO area?
Of the business types scored in the Poplar Bluff area, gyms (57), gyms and studios (57) and primary care and pediatric clinics (55) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For gyms, that ranks #181 of 506 scored small-town markets.
How does the Poplar Bluff, MO area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Poplar Bluff area is $49,089, 39% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 0.4% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $145,100, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for pizza places (twice the U.S. rate) and lowest for gyms and studios (40% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 41 of the 56 business types have a score in the Poplar Bluff area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Poplar Bluff area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Poplar Bluff area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Poplar Bluff area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.