Brigadier General James Monroe Williams

DeKalb County is a county located in the northwest portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,029.[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

Transit

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
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%
202011,029−14.5%
2023 (est.)9,899[6]−10.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2015[1]

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 11,597 people, 3,528 households and 2,473 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 inhabitants per square mile (10/km2). There were 3,839 housing units at an average density of 9 units per square mile (3.5/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%).

2020 Census

DeKalb County Racial Composition[12]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 9,653 87.52%
Black or African American (NH) 672 6.1%
Native American (NH) 30 0.27%
Asian (NH) 42 0.38%
Pacific Islander (NH) 2 0.02%
Other/Mixed (NH) 403 3.65%
Hispanic or Latino 227 2.06%

Education

Public Schools

Public libraries

  • Cameron Public Library[13]
  • DeKalb County Public Library[14]

Communities

Politics

Local

The Republican Party controls politics at the local level in DeKalb County.

State

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2020 78.14% 3,763 19.31% 930 2.55% 123
2016 66.63% 3,061 30.76% 1,413 2.61% 120
2012 55.06% 2,394 41.74% 1,815 3.20% 139
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

DeKalb County is a part of Missouri's 2nd District in the Missouri House of Representatives and is represented by Mazzie Boyd (R-Hamilton).[15]

Missouri House of Representatives — District 2 — DeKalb County (2020)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican J. Eggleston 3,905 82.35% -17.65
Democratic Mindi Smith 837 17.65% +17.65
Missouri House of Representatives — District 2 — DeKalb County (2018)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican J. Eggleston 3,349 100.00% ±0.00

DeKalb County is a part of Missouri's 12th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Rusty Black (R-Chillicothe).[16]

Missouri Senate - District 12 – DeKalb County (2018)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Dan Hegeman 2,899 78.27% -21.73
Democratic Terry Richard 805 21.73% +21.73
Missouri Senate - District 12 – DeKalb County (2014)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Dan Hegeman 2,300 100.00%

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

U.S. House of Representatives – Missouri’s 6th Congressional District – DeKalb County (2020)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Sam Graves 3,840 80.42% +2.68
Democratic Gena L. Ross 820 17.17% -1.13
Libertarian Jim Higgins 115 2.41% -1.55
U.S. House of Representatives – Missouri's 6th Congressional District – DeKalb County (2018)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Sam Graves 2,923 77.74% +1.32
Democratic Henry Robert Martin 688 18.30% -1.72
Libertarian Dan Hogan 149 3.96% +1.48

Daviess 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 — DeKalb County (2018)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Josh Hawley 2,584 68.52% +21.97
Democratic Claire McCaskill 1,011 26.81% -18.23
Independent Craig O'Dear 98 2.60%
Libertarian Japheth Campbell 58 1.54% -6.87
Green Jo Crain 20 0.53% +0.53
U.S. Senate — Class III — DeKalb County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Roy Blunt 2,826 61.83% +15.28
Democratic Jason Kander 1,478 32.33% -12.71
Libertarian Jonathan Dine 146 3.19% -5.22
Green Johnathan McFarland 50 1.09% +1.09
Constitution Fred Ryman 71 1.55% +1.55

Political culture

United States presidential election results for DeKalb County, Missouri[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 3,828 78.90% 930 19.17% 94 1.94%
2016 3,540 76.52% 824 17.81% 262 5.66%
2012 3,056 70.25% 1,194 27.45% 100 2.30%
2008 2,889 61.29% 1,692 35.89% 133 2.82%
2004 2,941 62.76% 1,707 36.43% 38 0.81%
2000 2,363 58.36% 1,562 38.58% 124 3.06%
1996 1,627 42.30% 1,679 43.66% 540 14.04%
1992 1,318 31.60% 1,630 39.08% 1,223 29.32%
1988 1,863 48.48% 1,970 51.26% 10 0.26%
1984 2,188 59.91% 1,464 40.09% 0 0.00%
1980 2,062 53.08% 1,677 43.17% 146 3.76%
1976 1,739 46.02% 2,023 53.53% 17 0.45%
1972 2,766 67.38% 1,339 32.62% 0 0.00%
1968 2,112 54.87% 1,452 37.72% 285 7.40%
1964 1,679 41.70% 2,347 58.30% 0 0.00%
1960 2,484 59.41% 1,697 40.59% 0 0.00%
1956 2,538 57.55% 1,872 42.45% 0 0.00%
1952 3,073 63.28% 1,773 36.51% 10 0.21%
1948 2,098 50.74% 2,033 49.17% 4 0.10%
1944 2,658 57.47% 1,961 42.40% 6 0.13%
1940 3,072 54.93% 2,505 44.79% 16 0.29%
1936 2,872 51.56% 2,680 48.11% 18 0.32%
1932 1,747 40.74% 2,519 58.75% 22 0.51%
1928 3,338 63.53% 1,898 36.12% 18 0.34%
1924 2,730 52.58% 2,368 45.61% 94 1.81%
1920 3,001 57.83% 2,121 40.87% 67 1.29%
1916 1,640 49.22% 1,647 49.43% 45 1.35%
1912 1,090 33.11% 1,652 50.18% 550 16.71%
1908 1,703 50.53% 1,632 48.43% 35 1.04%
1904 1,768 51.23% 1,607 46.57% 76 2.20%
1900 1,669 46.21% 1,840 50.94% 103 2.85%
1896 1,590 42.00% 2,167 57.24% 29 0.77%
1892 1,339 41.61% 1,372 42.64% 507 15.76%
1888 1,598 48.57% 1,573 47.81% 119 3.62%

At the presidential level, DeKalb County is solidly Republican. Donald Trump carried the county easily in 2016 and 2020. Bill Clinton was the last Democratic presidential nominee to carry DeKalb County in 1996. The last Democrat to win majority support from the county's voters was Michael Dukakis in 1988.

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.) 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. 65.70% of DeKalb 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 DeKalb County by a wide margin. Biden went on to defeat President Donald Trump in the general election.

Missouri Democratic Presidential Primary – DeKalb County (2020)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Joe Biden 309 60.47
Democratic Bernie Sanders 162 31.70
Democratic Tulsi Gabbard 9 1.76
Democratic Others/Uncommitted 16 2.06

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

Missouri Republican Presidential Primary – DeKalb County (2020)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Donald Trump 486 96.24
Republican Bill Weld 6 1.19
Republican Others/Uncommitted 13 2.57

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 both DeKalb County and the state overall. He went on to win the presidency.

Missouri Republican Presidential Primary – DeKalb County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Donald Trump 800 43.96
Republican Ted Cruz 720 39.56
Republican John Kasich 128 7.03
Republican Marco Rubio 105 5.77
Republican Others/Uncommitted 67 3.68

On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (D-New York) won statewide by a small margin, but lost DeKalb County to Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont).

Missouri Democratic Presidential Primary – DeKalb County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Bernie Sanders 328 57.65
Democratic Hillary Clinton 223 39.19
Democratic Others/Uncommitted 18 3.16

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

In 2008, the Missouri Republican Presidential Primary was closely contested, with Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) prevailing and eventually winning the nomination. Former Governor Mitt Romney (R-Massachusetts) won the vote in Caldwell County.

Missouri Republican Presidential Primary – DeKalb County (2008)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mitt Romney 337 32.85
Republican John McCain 310 30.21
Republican Mike Huckabee 276 26.90
Republican Ron Paul 81 7.89
Republican Others/Uncommitted 22 2.14

Then-Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) received more votes than any candidate from either party in DeKalb 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 – DeKalb County (2008)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Hillary Clinton 596 57.86
Democratic Barack Obama 372 36.12
Democratic Others/Uncommitted 62 6.02

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "2020 Population and Housing State Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  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. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  6. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  7. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  8. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  9. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  10. ^ "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 15, 2014.
  11. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  12. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – DeKalb County, Missouri".
  13. ^ Breeding, Marshall. "Cameron Public Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  14. ^ "DeKalb County Public Library". Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  15. ^ "Missouri House of Representatives District 2". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  16. ^ "Missouri State Senate District 12". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  17. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 25, 2018.

External links

39°54′N 94°24′W / 39.90°N 94.40°W / 39.90; -94.40