Livingston County, Missouri

Last updated

Livingston County
Livingston County Missouri courthouse 20151003-083.jpg
Livingston County courthouse in Chillicothe
Map of Missouri highlighting Livingston County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Missouri in United States.svg
Missouri's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°47′N93°33′W / 39.78°N 93.55°W / 39.78; -93.55
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Missouri.svg  Missouri
FoundedJanuary 6, 1837
Named after Edward Livingston
Seat Chillicothe
Largest cityChillicothe
Area
  Total
539 sq mi (1,400 km2)
  Land532 sq mi (1,380 km2)
  Water6.2 sq mi (16 km2)  1.2%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
14,557
  Density27/sq mi (10/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
  Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 6th
Website www.livingstoncountymo.com
County seat Chillicothe is the birthplace of sliced bread Chili-livingston.jpg
County seat Chillicothe is the birthplace of sliced bread

Livingston County is a county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,557. [1] Its county seat is Chillicothe. [2] The county was organized January 6, 1837, and named for U.S. Secretary of State Edward Livingston. [3]

Contents

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 539 square miles (1,400 km2), of which 532 square miles (1,380 km2) is land and 6.2 square miles (16 km2) (1.2%) is water. [4]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1840 4,325
1850 4,247−1.8%
1860 7,41774.6%
1870 16,730125.6%
1880 20,19620.7%
1890 20,6682.3%
1900 22,3027.9%
1910 19,453−12.8%
1920 18,857−3.1%
1930 18,615−1.3%
1940 18,000−3.3%
1950 16,532−8.2%
1960 15,771−4.6%
1970 15,368−2.6%
1980 15,7392.4%
1990 14,592−7.3%
2000 14,5880.0%
2010 15,1954.2%
2020 14,557−4.2%
U.S. Decennial Census [5]
1790-1960 [6] 1900-1990 [7]
1990-2000 [8] 2010-2015 [1]

As of the 2010 census, there were 15,195 people, 5,871 households and 3,834 families residing in the county. The population density was 28 per square mile (11/km2). There were 6,730 housing units at an average density of 12 units per square mile (4.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.39% White, 2.42% Black or African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.38% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. Approximately 1.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,871 households, of which 29.59% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.29% were married couples living together, 10.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.70% were non-families. 29.94% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.43% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.90.

Age distribution was 21.91% under the age of 18, 7.74% from 18 to 24, 25.34% from 25 to 44, 26.81% from 45 to 64, and 18.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 81.02 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.47 males.

The median household income was $39,683, and the median family income was $53,325. Males had a median income of $38,282 versus $24,944 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,295. About 15.8% of families and 20.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.4% of those under age 18 and 18.4% of those age 65 or over.

2020 Census

Livingston County Racial Composition [9]
RaceNum.Perc.
White (NH)13,36892%
Black or African American (NH)3152.16%
Native American (NH)470.32%
Asian (NH)870.6%
Pacific Islander (NH)50.03%
Other/Mixed (NH)4963.4%
Hispanic or Latino 2391.64%

Education

Public schools

Private schools

Public libraries

Communities

Cities

Villages

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated place

Notable people

Politics

Local

The Republican Party predominantly controls politics at the local level in Livingston County. Republicans hold a majority of the elected positions in the county.

Livingston County, Missouri
Elected countywide officials
Assessor Steve Ripley Democratic
Circuit Clerk Jane Gann Republican
County Clerk Sherry Parks Democratic
Collector Diana Havens Republican
Commissioner
(Presiding)
Ed Douglas Republican
Commissioner
(District 1)
Alvin Thompson Republican
Commissioner
(District 2)
Dave Mapel Republican
Coroner J. Scott Lindley Democratic
Prosecuting Attorney Adam L. Warren Republican
Public Administrator Geri Curtis Republican
Recorder Amy Baker Democratic
Sheriff Steve Cox Republican
Surveyor Vacant
Treasurer Diana Havens Republican

State

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2024 78.76%5,29519.57% 1,3161.67% 112
2020 78.37%5,25819.85% 1,3321.77% 119
2016 66.09%4,18931.43% 1,9922.48% 157
2012 48.72%2,92248.46% 2,9062.82% 169
2008 43.74% 2,83054.40%3,5201.86% 120
2004 58.25%3,68040.84% 2,5800.92% 58
2000 51.99%3,23646.16% 2,8731.85% 115
1996 29.66% 1,79868.54%4,1551.80% 109

All of Livingston County is a part of Missouri's 7th District in the Missouri House of Representatives and is currently represented by Rusty Black (R-Chillicothe).

Missouri House of Representatives — District 7 — Livingston County (2020)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Rusty Black6,152100.00%+16.86
Missouri House of Representatives — District 7 — Livingston County (2018)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Rusty Black4,27483.14%−16.86
Democratic Dennis VanDyke86716.86%+16.86

All of Livingston County is a part of Missouri's 21st District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Denny Hoskins (R-Warrensburg).

Missouri Senate — District 21 — Livingston County (2020)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Denny Hoskins5,56688.45%+12.68
Libertarian Mark Bliss72711.55%+7.00
Missouri Senate — District 21 — Livingston County (2016)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Denny Hoskins4,57575.77%+7.67
Democratic ElGene Ver Dught1,18819.68%−7.92
Libertarian Bill Wayne2754.55%+0.25

Federal

All of Livingston 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. Graves was elected to an eleventh term in 2020 over Democratic challenger Gena Ross.

U.S. House of Representatives – Missouri’s 6th Congressional District – Livingston County (2020)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Sam Graves5,53683.05%+3.44
Democratic Gena L. Ross1,04015.60%−3.11
Libertarian Jim Higgins901.35%−0.34
U.S. House of Representatives – Missouri's 6th Congressional District – Livingston County (2018)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Sam Graves4,10779.61%+0.05
Democratic Henry Robert Martin96518.71%+0.98
Libertarian Dan Hogan871.69%−0.13

Livingston County, along with the rest of the state of Missouri, is represented in the U.S. Senate by Josh Hawley (R-Columbia) and Roy Blunt (R-Strafford).

U.S. Senate – Class I – Livingston County (2018)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Josh Hawley3,56568.72%+25.19
Democratic Claire McCaskill1,44527.85%−20.47
Independent Craig O'Dear801.54%
Libertarian Japheth Campbell721.39%−6.76
Green Jo Crain260.50%+0.50

Blunt was elected to a second term in 2016 over then-Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander.

U.S. Senate — Class III — Livingston County (2016)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Roy Blunt3,83460.41%+16.88
Democratic Jason Kander2,20834.79%−13.53
Libertarian Jonathan Dine1582.49%−5.66
Green Johnathan McFarland761.20%+1.20
Constitution Fred Ryman711.12%+1.12

Political Culture

United States presidential election results for Livingston County, Missouri [11]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.%No.%No.%
2024 5,39578.50%1,42220.69%560.81%
2020 5,26777.94%1,41020.86%811.20%
2016 4,87975.99%1,26519.70%2774.31%
2012 4,00666.17%1,90631.48%1422.35%
2008 3,99360.94%2,43537.16%1241.89%
2004 4,02963.49%2,27835.90%390.61%
2000 3,70959.10%2,42538.64%1422.26%
1996 2,38438.89%2,91347.52%83313.59%
1992 2,37034.53%2,50536.50%1,98828.97%
1988 3,46252.88%3,07747.00%80.12%
1984 4,09060.24%2,69939.76%00.00%
1980 3,65450.26%3,36846.33%2483.41%
1976 3,01043.90%3,81955.69%280.41%
1972 5,25366.37%2,66233.63%00.00%
1968 3,82748.99%3,46744.38%5186.63%
1964 2,70333.69%5,32066.31%00.00%
1960 5,04557.07%3,79542.93%00.00%
1956 5,16557.71%3,78542.29%00.00%
1952 5,59459.77%3,75740.14%80.09%
1948 3,83547.75%4,18252.07%140.17%
1944 4,69754.55%3,88745.15%260.30%
1940 5,29853.21%4,63346.53%250.25%
1936 4,67847.04%5,22652.55%400.40%
1932 3,65943.40%4,74256.24%300.36%
1928 5,74263.94%3,22135.87%170.19%
1924 4,51750.26%4,31648.02%1551.72%
1920 5,09357.51%3,66641.40%971.10%
1916 2,42447.45%2,60951.07%761.49%
1912 88518.37%2,31448.04%1,61833.59%
1908 2,40048.92%2,37948.49%1272.59%
1904 2,48048.10%2,35645.69%3206.21%
1900 2,49345.31%2,65948.33%3506.36%
1896 2,37741.00%3,35157.81%691.19%
1892 1,95839.01%2,19043.63%87117.35%
1888 2,03142.73%2,08243.80%64013.47%

At the presidential level, Livingston County has become solidly Republican in recent years. Bill Clinton was the last Democratic presidential nominee to carry Livingston County in 1996 with a plurality of the vote, and a Democrat hasn't won majority support from the county's voters in a presidential election since Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Like most rural areas throughout northern Missouri, voters in Livingston County generally adhere to socially and culturally conservative principles which tend to influence their Republican leanings, at least on the state and national levels. Despite support for socially conservative platforms, voters in the county have a penchant for advancing populist causes. In 2018, Missourians voted on a proposition (Proposition A) concerning right to work, the outcome of which ultimately reversed the right to work legislation passed in the state the previous year. 67.72% of Livingston County voters cast their ballots to overturn the law.

Missouri presidential preference primaries

2020

The 2020 presidential primaries for both the Democratic and Republican parties were held in Missouri on March 10. On the Democratic side, former Vice President Joe Biden (D-Delaware) both won statewide and carried Livingston County by a wide margin. Biden went on to defeat Trump in the general election.

Missouri Democratic Presidential Primary – Livingston County (2020)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Joe Biden58368.83
Democratic Bernie Sanders20223.85
Democratic Tulsi Gabbard111.30
Democratic Others/Uncommitted516.02

Incumbent President Donald Trump (R-Florida) faced a primary challenge from former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld, but won both Livingston County and statewide by large margins.

Missouri Republican Presidential Primary – Livingston County (2020)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Donald Trump87597.66
Republican Bill Weld50.56
Republican Others/Uncommitted161.79

2016

The 2016 presidential primaries for both the Republican and Democratic parties were held in Missouri on March 15. Businessman Donald Trump (R-New York) narrowly won the state overall and won a plurality of the vote in Livingston County. He went on to win the presidency.

Missouri Republican Presidential Primary – Livingston County (2016)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Donald Trump1,19146.06
Republican Ted Cruz88634.26
Republican John Kasich26110.09
Republican Marco Rubio1505.80
Republican Others/Uncommitted983.79

On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (D-New York) narrowly won statewide, but Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) carried Livingston County by a single vote.

Missouri Democratic Presidential Primary – Livingston County (2016)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Bernie Sanders39848.60
Democratic Hillary Clinton39748.47
Democratic Others/Uncommitted242.93

2012

The 2012 Missouri Republican Presidential Primary's results were nonbinding on the state's national convention delegates. Voters in Livingston 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 congressional district and state conventions were chosen at a county caucus, which selected a delegation favoring former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Incumbent President Barack Obama easily won the Missouri Democratic Primary and renomination. He defeated Romney in the general election.

2008

In 2008, the Missouri Republican Presidential Primary was closely contested, with Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) prevailing and eventually winning the nomination.

Missouri Republican Presidential Primary – Livingston County (2008)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican John McCain48838.88
Republican Mike Huckabee42633.94
Republican Mitt Romney24819.76
Republican Ron Paul755.98
Republican Others/Uncommitted181.44

Then-Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) received more votes than any candidate from either party in Livingston County during the 2008 presidential primary. Despite initial reports that Clinton had won Missouri, Barack Obama (D-Illinois), also a Senator at the time, narrowly defeated her statewide and later became that year's Democratic nominee, going on to win the presidency.

Missouri Democratic Presidential Primary – Livingston County (2008)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Hillary Clinton94859.85
Democratic Barack Obama55034.72
Democratic Others/Uncommitted865.43

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. Eaton, David Wolfe (1916). How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named. The State Historical Society of Missouri. pp.  188.
  4. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  5. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  6. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  7. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  8. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  9. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Livingston County, Missouri".
  10. Breeding, Marshall. "Livingston County Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  11. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 25, 2018.

39°47′N93°33′W / 39.78°N 93.55°W / 39.78; -93.55