Battle of Old Fort Wayne

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]

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
18404,325
18504,247−1.8%
18607,41774.6%
187016,730125.6%
188020,19620.7%
189020,6682.3%
190022,3027.9%
191019,453−12.8%
192018,857−3.1%
193018,615−1.3%
194018,000−3.3%
195016,532−8.2%
196015,771−4.6%
197015,368−2.6%
198015,7392.4%
199014,592−7.3%
200014,5880.0%
201015,1954.2%
202014,557−4.2%
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[10]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 13,368 92%
Black or African American (NH) 315 2.16%
Native American (NH) 47 0.32%
Asian (NH) 87 0.6%
Pacific Islander (NH) 5 0.03%
Other/Mixed (NH) 496 3.4%
Hispanic or Latino 239 1.64%

Education

Public schools

Private schools

Public libraries

  • Livingston County Library[11]

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.

State

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2020 78.37% 5,258 19.85% 1,332 1.77% 119
2016 66.09% 4,189 31.43% 1,992 2.48% 157
2012 48.72% 2,922 48.46% 2,906 2.82% 169
2008 43.74% 2,830 54.40% 3,520 1.86% 120
2004 58.25% 3,680 40.84% 2,580 0.92% 58
2000 51.99% 3,236 46.16% 2,873 1.85% 115
1996 29.66% 1,798 68.54% 4,155 1.80% 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)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Rusty Black 6,152 100.00% +16.86
Missouri House of Representatives — District 7 — Livingston County (2018)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Rusty Black 4,274 83.14% -16.86
Democratic Dennis VanDyke 867 16.86% +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)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Denny Hoskins 5,566 88.45% +12.68
Libertarian Mark Bliss 727 11.55% +7.00
Missouri Senate — District 21 — Livingston County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Denny Hoskins 4,575 75.77% +7.67
Democratic ElGene Ver Dught 1,188 19.68% -7.92
Libertarian Bill Wayne 275 4.55% +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)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Sam Graves 5,536 83.05% +3.44
Democratic Gena L. Ross 1,040 15.60% -3.11
Libertarian Jim Higgins 90 1.35% -0.34
U.S. House of Representatives – Missouri's 6th Congressional District – Livingston County (2018)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Sam Graves 4,107 79.61% +0.05
Democratic Henry Robert Martin 965 18.71% +0.98
Libertarian Dan Hogan 87 1.69% -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)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Josh Hawley 3,565 68.72% +25.19
Democratic Claire McCaskill 1,445 27.85% -20.47
Independent Craig O'Dear 80 1.54%
Libertarian Japheth Campbell 72 1.39% -6.76
Green Jo Crain 26 0.50% +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)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Roy Blunt 3,834 60.41% +16.88
Democratic Jason Kander 2,208 34.79% -13.53
Libertarian Jonathan Dine 158 2.49% -5.66
Green Johnathan McFarland 76 1.20% +1.20
Constitution Fred Ryman 71 1.12% +1.12

Political Culture

United States presidential election results for Livingston County, Missouri[12]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 5,267 77.94% 1,410 20.86% 81 1.20%
2016 4,879 75.99% 1,265 19.70% 277 4.31%
2012 4,006 66.17% 1,906 31.48% 142 2.35%
2008 3,993 60.94% 2,435 37.16% 124 1.89%
2004 4,029 63.49% 2,278 35.90% 39 0.61%
2000 3,709 59.10% 2,425 38.64% 142 2.26%
1996 2,384 38.89% 2,913 47.52% 833 13.59%
1992 2,370 34.53% 2,505 36.50% 1,988 28.97%
1988 3,462 52.88% 3,077 47.00% 8 0.12%
1984 4,090 60.24% 2,699 39.76% 0 0.00%
1980 3,654 50.26% 3,368 46.33% 248 3.41%
1976 3,010 43.90% 3,819 55.69% 28 0.41%
1972 5,253 66.37% 2,662 33.63% 0 0.00%
1968 3,827 48.99% 3,467 44.38% 518 6.63%
1964 2,703 33.69% 5,320 66.31% 0 0.00%
1960 5,045 57.07% 3,795 42.93% 0 0.00%
1956 5,165 57.71% 3,785 42.29% 0 0.00%
1952 5,594 59.77% 3,757 40.14% 8 0.09%
1948 3,835 47.75% 4,182 52.07% 14 0.17%
1944 4,697 54.55% 3,887 45.15% 26 0.30%
1940 5,298 53.21% 4,633 46.53% 25 0.25%
1936 4,678 47.04% 5,226 52.55% 40 0.40%
1932 3,659 43.40% 4,742 56.24% 30 0.36%
1928 5,742 63.94% 3,221 35.87% 17 0.19%
1924 4,517 50.26% 4,316 48.02% 155 1.72%
1920 5,093 57.51% 3,666 41.40% 97 1.10%
1916 2,424 47.45% 2,609 51.07% 76 1.49%
1912 885 18.37% 2,314 48.04% 1,618 33.59%
1908 2,400 48.92% 2,379 48.49% 127 2.59%
1904 2,480 48.10% 2,356 45.69% 320 6.21%
1900 2,493 45.31% 2,659 48.33% 350 6.36%
1896 2,377 41.00% 3,351 57.81% 69 1.19%
1892 1,958 39.01% 2,190 43.63% 871 17.35%
1888 2,031 42.73% 2,082 43.80% 640 13.47%

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)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Joe Biden 583 68.83
Democratic Bernie Sanders 202 23.85
Democratic Tulsi Gabbard 11 1.30
Democratic Others/Uncommitted 51 6.02

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)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Donald Trump 875 97.66
Republican Bill Weld 5 0.56
Republican Others/Uncommitted 16 1.79

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)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Donald Trump 1,191 46.06
Republican Ted Cruz 886 34.26
Republican John Kasich 261 10.09
Republican Marco Rubio 150 5.80
Republican Others/Uncommitted 98 3.79

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)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Bernie Sanders 398 48.60
Democratic Hillary Clinton 397 48.47
Democratic Others/Uncommitted 24 2.93

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)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican John McCain 488 38.88
Republican Mike Huckabee 426 33.94
Republican Mitt Romney 248 19.76
Republican Ron Paul 75 5.98
Republican Others/Uncommitted 18 1.44

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)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Hillary Clinton 948 59.85
Democratic Barack Obama 550 34.72
Democratic Others/Uncommitted 86 5.43

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "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. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  10. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Livingston County, Missouri".
  11. ^ Breeding, Marshall. "Livingston County Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  12. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 25, 2018.

External links

39°47′N 93°33′W / 39.78°N 93.55°W / 39.78; -93.55