Miller County is a county located in the northern Ozarks region of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 24,722. Its county seat is Tuscumbia. The county was organized February 6, 1837, and named for John Miller, former U.S. Representative and Governor of Missouri.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.2%) is water.
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 24,722. The median age was 41.3 years. 23.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.9 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 93.4% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 4.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.9% of the population.
23.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 76.5% lived in rural areas.
There were 9,867 households in the county, of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 12,476 housing units, of which 20.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 74.1% were owner-occupied and 25.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.0%.
As of the census of 2000, there were 23,564 people, 9,284 households, and 6,443 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 11,263 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.99% White, 0.28% Black or African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. Approximately 0.98% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 9,284 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.00% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.60% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% 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 3.00.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.30% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 15.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,977, and the median income for a family was $36,770. Males had a median income of $26,225 versus $18,903 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,144. About 10.80% of families and 14.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.30% of those under age 18 and 14.70% of those age 65 or over.
Like most counties in rural western Missouri, Miller County is very Republican. It hasn't supported a Democrat for president since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. The only other time it supported a Democrat in the 20th century was in 1912, when Woodrow Wilson carried the county against a mortally divided GOP. Lyndon Johnson is the last Democrat to garner even 40 percent of the county's vote.
Underlining how Republican the county has been over the years, it rejected native son Harry Truman in 1944 as Roosevelt's running mate, and when he headed the ticket himself in 1948.
The Republican Party completely controls politics at the local level in Miller County. Republicans currently hold all of the elected positions in the county.
Miller County is divided into four legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, all of which are represented by Republicans.
All of Miller County is a part of Missouri's 6th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Mike Kehoe (R-Jefferson City).
All of Miller County is included in Missouri's 3rd Congressional District and is currently represented by Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-St. Elizabeth) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-Arkansas) received more votes, a total of 1,406, than any candidate from either party in Miller County during the 2008 presidential primary.