Crawford County is located in east-central Missouri, on the northern edge of the Ozark Plateau between the St. Louis metropolitan area and the interior of the state. Established in 1829 and named for U.S. Treasury Secretary William H. Crawford, the county developed along major transportation corridors, including historic Route 66 and Interstate 44, which remain important to its connectivity and regional identity. Crawford County is small to mid-sized in population, with roughly 23,000 residents. It is predominantly rural, with a landscape of wooded hills, karst features, and river valleys shaped by the Meramec and Huzzah river systems. Public lands and outdoor recreation are significant, alongside a local economy that includes manufacturing, services, and agriculture. Settlement patterns center on small towns, reflecting Ozarks-linked cultural traditions and a dispersed community structure. The county seat is Steelville.

Crawford County Local Demographic Profile

Crawford County is located in east-central Missouri within the Ozarks region, with key communities along the Interstate 44 corridor (including the Cuba–Bourbon area). For local government and planning resources, visit the Crawford County official website.

Population Size

County-level demographic statistics for Crawford County are published by the U.S. Census Bureau; however, this response cannot provide exact figures because no Census table, year, or dataset was specified and no county-level data was provided in the prompt. The U.S. Census Bureau’s primary entry point for official county totals is data.census.gov (search “Crawford County, Missouri” and select a specific vintage such as ACS 1-year/5-year, or decennial Census).

Age & Gender

Age distribution and gender ratio are available from U.S. Census Bureau profiles and American Community Survey (ACS) tables for Crawford County, Missouri, but exact values are not stated here because a specific Census release (e.g., ACS 2022 5-year, ACS 2021 5-year) was not identified. Official county age/sex breakdowns can be accessed via U.S. Census Bureau data.census.gov using standard profile pages and ACS detailed tables (e.g., age by sex).

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Race and Hispanic/Latino ethnicity composition are reported by the U.S. Census Bureau for Crawford County through decennial Census and ACS products. Exact percentages and counts are not included here because the dataset/vintage was not specified. Official county race/ethnicity totals are available via data.census.gov (commonly from decennial Census race/ethnicity tables and ACS profile tables).

Household & Housing Data

Household characteristics (e.g., number of households, average household size, family vs. nonfamily households) and housing indicators (e.g., total housing units, occupancy/vacancy, owner- vs. renter-occupied units) are published for Crawford County by the U.S. Census Bureau, primarily through ACS. Exact household and housing figures are not provided here because the relevant ACS vintage and table set were not specified. Official household and housing tables for Crawford County are accessible on the U.S. Census Bureau’s data portal under county profiles and ACS detailed tables.

Email Usage

Crawford County, Missouri is a largely rural Ozarks county where lower population density and hilly terrain can increase last‑mile network costs and contribute to uneven broadband coverage, shaping how residents access email and other online services. Direct county-level email usage data are not routinely published; email adoption is commonly proxied using household internet/computer access and age structure.

Digital access indicators are best represented by county estimates in the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov) (American Community Survey), which reports measures such as broadband subscription and computer access. Lower broadband and device access generally corresponds to lower routine email use, especially for account creation, job applications, and school communications.

Age distribution affects email uptake because older populations tend to have lower rates of regular internet use and may rely more on offline communication. Crawford County’s age profile can be referenced through U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts. Gender distribution is typically near parity and is less predictive of email adoption than age and access.

Connectivity constraints are reflected in rural broadband availability reporting from the FCC National Broadband Map, highlighting locations where service options, speeds, or reliability may limit consistent email access.

Mobile Phone Usage

Crawford County is in east‑central Missouri along the Interstate 44 corridor (including the county seat, Steelville) and is characterized by a largely rural settlement pattern, extensive forested terrain, and river valleys associated with the Meramec and Huzzah river systems. These physical and geographic characteristics—together with relatively low population density compared with Missouri’s major metros—tend to produce more variable mobile signal conditions, particularly away from highways and town centers. Baseline county population and housing context is available from the U.S. Census Bureau’s county profile on Census.gov QuickFacts (Crawford County, Missouri).

Data availability and key definitions (availability vs. adoption)

Network availability refers to whether a mobile provider reports service at a location (coverage). In the U.S., the most widely used public source for standardized county-level coverage indicators is the FCC’s broadband availability data and mapping.

Household adoption refers to whether residents actually subscribe to, and use, mobile service or mobile broadband (including “cellular data only” internet households). Adoption statistics at the county level are not consistently published for mobile specifically; many measures are available at state, national, or survey-microdata levels rather than as a single county estimate.

Coverage and broadband mapping references:

Mobile penetration or access indicators (county-level where available)

Household “internet subscription” context (not mobile-specific)

The U.S. Census Bureau publishes county-level household internet subscription measures (e.g., broadband of any type, dial-up, or none) via the American Community Survey. These tables describe internet access but do not always isolate mobile broadband adoption cleanly at the county summary level in a single headline metric. County context is accessible through:

Limitation: Public county summaries commonly emphasize “any broadband” and “computer ownership.” They do not consistently provide a single, county-level statistic for “smartphone-only internet households” in an easily comparable headline format across counties without custom table selection and careful interpretation of ACS categories.

Mobile subscription penetration

The FCC and Census products do not publish a universally used county-level mobile subscription penetration rate analogous to “mobile connections per 100 people” as a standard county indicator. Mobile penetration measures are generally reported at national or multi-county market levels by private industry sources rather than as a consistent public county statistic.

Limitation: A definitive, county-level “mobile penetration” figure for Crawford County is not available from a single authoritative public dataset in the same way that population and household counts are.

Mobile internet usage patterns and network technology (4G, 5G)

Reported 4G LTE and 5G availability (network availability)

The most direct way to evaluate reported 4G LTE and 5G coverage within Crawford County is the FCC’s map, which allows viewing by provider and technology and provides downloadable data layers.

For a rural county like Crawford, coverage patterns typically present as:

  • Stronger, more continuous coverage along major transport corridors (notably I‑44) and in/near incorporated places.
  • More fragmented coverage in rugged, heavily forested areas and river valleys, where terrain and distance between towers can affect signal reach.

Limitation: FCC coverage is based on provider-reported availability and modeled propagation; it is not the same as guaranteed indoor performance or measured speed at every point. The map indicates where service is reported as available, not how consistently it performs for every user.

Actual usage (adoption and behavior)

County-level, technology-specific usage measures (e.g., the share of residents actively using 5G vs. LTE, typical monthly mobile data consumption, or “mobile-only internet dependence”) are not routinely published as official statistics at the county level.

Limitation: Without a county-specific household survey or carrier data release, statements about “how many people use 5G” or “typical mobile data usage” in Crawford County cannot be made definitively from public administrative datasets.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

Public, county-level breakdowns of device type (smartphone vs. flip phone vs. hotspot vs. tablet) are limited. The ACS does include measures related to computer ownership and some internet subscription categories, but it is not a comprehensive inventory of handset type at the county level.

Sources for device and internet access context:

What can be stated definitively with public data: County-level indicators can describe whether households have computing devices and whether they have an internet subscription. They do not provide a standardized public count of “smartphone users” versus “basic phone users” for Crawford County.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage and connectivity

Geography and land cover

Crawford County’s rural land use and variable terrain tend to influence mobile connectivity through:

  • Tower spacing requirements in low-density areas, which can reduce network densification compared with metro regions.
  • Terrain shadowing in valleys and heavily forested areas, which can reduce signal strength and affect reliability away from primary roads.

County geographic context is summarized through:

Population distribution and settlement pattern

In rural counties, population is commonly concentrated in small towns and along major highways, with more dispersed households elsewhere. This pattern often aligns with:

  • Higher likelihood of robust multi-provider coverage in town centers
  • Greater reliance on one or two providers in outlying areas, depending on tower footprints shown in the FCC map

Socioeconomic and housing factors (adoption)

Adoption of mobile and home internet is influenced by household income, age structure, and housing characteristics (such as the share of households outside town limits). Publicly available county demographic profiles are accessible through:

Limitation: While these demographic variables are measurable, a direct county-level causal attribution to “mobile usage” requires survey or administrative adoption data specific to mobile service, which is not consistently published.

Summary: clearly distinguishing availability vs. adoption in Crawford County

  • Availability (coverage): Provider-reported 4G LTE and 5G coverage for Crawford County is best documented through the FCC National Broadband Map, which shows where mobile broadband is reported as available by technology and provider.
  • Adoption (household take-up and device usage): Public county-level measures exist for general internet subscription and computing device access via Census.gov QuickFacts and data.census.gov, but definitive county-level statistics specific to smartphone penetration, LTE vs. 5G usage shares, or mobile-data-only household prevalence are limited in standardized public reporting.

Social Media Trends

Crawford County is in south‑central Missouri along the Interstate 44 corridor, with Cuba and Steelville among its notable communities and nearby access to the Meramec River and Ozark recreation areas. The county’s largely rural/small‑town settlement pattern and commuting/travel corridor connectivity typically align with statewide patterns in smartphone‑based social media use, while local information sharing often centers on community groups, schools, churches, and event/tourism activity.

User statistics (penetration and active use)

  • County-specific social media penetration is not published in standard federal or major survey series; most reliable measurement is available at the U.S. (and sometimes state) level rather than at the county level.
  • U.S. adult social media use: About 69% of U.S. adults report using at least one social media site, providing a practical benchmark for counties without direct measurement, per Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet.
  • Broad connectivity context (proxy for access): County residents’ ability to participate in social media is closely tied to broadband/smartphone availability; county-level broadband availability and adoption context is tracked in federal datasets such as the FCC National Broadband Map.

Age group trends

National survey data consistently shows the highest usage among younger adults:

  • Ages 18–29: Highest overall social media use (well above older cohorts), per Pew Research Center.
  • Ages 30–49: High use, typically second-highest after 18–29.
  • Ages 50–64 and 65+: Lower overall use, with Facebook remaining comparatively strong among older adults relative to other platforms.
  • Platform-specific age skew (U.S. adults): TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat skew younger; Facebook has broader age coverage; YouTube is widely used across age groups, per the Pew platform-by-platform breakdown.

Gender breakdown

County-level gender splits are not reported in standard public series; national patterns provide the most reliable reference:

  • Women are more likely than men to use certain platforms such as Pinterest, and often show slightly higher usage on Facebook and Instagram in many survey waves, while several other platforms are closer to parity, based on Pew Research Center platform demographics.
  • Men often index higher on some discussion and gaming-adjacent platforms in other research, but Pew’s primary platform tables show many major platforms near gender parity among U.S. adults.

Most-used platforms (benchmarks with available percentages)

Reliable platform shares are available at the national level (not county-specific). Recent U.S.-adult usage rates commonly cited by Pew include:

  • YouTube: ~83%
  • Facebook: ~68%
  • Instagram: ~47%
  • Pinterest: ~35%
  • TikTok: ~33%
  • LinkedIn: ~30%
  • X (Twitter): ~22%
  • Snapchat: ~27%
  • WhatsApp: ~29%
    Source: Pew Research Center (Social Media Fact Sheet).
    These figures serve as the most defensible reference point for Crawford County in the absence of county-level survey estimates.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

  • Mobile-first usage: U.S. social media consumption is predominantly smartphone-driven; rural counties often show heavier reliance on mobile networks where fixed broadband is less available, consistent with national patterns reported across Pew internet and device research summarized in the Pew Research Center Internet & Technology reports.
  • Community information loops: In rural/small-city contexts, Facebook commonly functions as a “local bulletin board” (community groups, event promotion, school and civic updates), while YouTube is a cross-age utility platform for entertainment and how-to content.
  • Short-form video growth: TikTok and Instagram Reels continue to concentrate engagement among younger adults and frequently drive higher time-spent and repeat sessions than text-forward platforms, aligning with national usage and age-skew patterns in the Pew platform demographics.
  • Messaging and private sharing: A significant share of social interaction occurs through direct messages and private groups rather than public posting, a pattern widely documented in platform research and consistent with observed migration from public feeds to private spaces in U.S. user behavior summaries (see Pew’s ongoing synthesis in Internet & Technology coverage).

Family & Associates Records

Crawford County, Missouri maintains family-related public records through a combination of county offices and state agencies. Birth and death records (vital records) are filed locally but certified copies are issued under Missouri law by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of Vital Records; local access commonly occurs through the Crawford County government and the Missouri Vital Records program. Marriage records are generally recorded by the Crawford County Recorder of Deeds. Divorce case files and many family court matters are maintained by the circuit court; docket and case information is available through Missouri Case.net (statewide judiciary portal).

Adoption records are handled through the courts and state authorities and are generally not open to public inspection; access is restricted by statute and court order. Birth records are not fully public immediately; Missouri restricts access to recent birth records and requires proof of eligibility for certified copies. Death records are more accessible but may also have identification and fee requirements.

Online access is primarily through Missouri Case.net for court cases and state vital records resources for certified copies. In-person access commonly occurs at the Recorder of Deeds for recorded instruments and at the circuit court for court-file inspection subject to confidentiality rules.

Marriage & Divorce Records

Types of records available

Marriage records (licenses and certificates)

  • Marriage license application and license: Created when a couple applies for permission to marry in the county.
  • Marriage return / certificate: Completed by the officiant after the ceremony and returned for recording, forming the recorded proof of marriage in county records.

Divorce records (court case records and decrees)

  • Divorce case file: Circuit court records generated during the dissolution of marriage case.
  • Judgment/Decree of Dissolution: The final court order dissolving the marriage, typically part of the circuit court record.

Annulment records

  • Annulment case file and judgment: Circuit court records for actions seeking to declare a marriage void or voidable, including the final judgment when granted.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

Marriage records

  • Filed/recorded with: Crawford County Recorder of Deeds (recording of marriage licenses/returns in county land/official records system).
  • How accessed:
    • In person through the Recorder of Deeds office for recorded marriage records.
    • By mail or written request as permitted by the Recorder’s procedures (request and fee policies vary by office practice).
    • Online index/images may be available through county or third‑party hosted land/official records search portals where the county provides access.

Divorce and annulment records

  • Filed with: Crawford County Circuit Court (22nd Judicial Circuit) / Circuit Clerk as part of the civil case docket for dissolution (divorce) and annulment actions.
  • How accessed:
    • In person through the Circuit Clerk’s office for case records and certified copies of judgments.
    • Statewide case docket access: Missouri’s public courts portal, Case.net, provides docket-level access for many cases, with document images available only where authorized.

State vital records (secondary access route)

  • Missouri maintains statewide vital records through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), Bureau of Vital Records. This is a common source for certified vital record copies, subject to state eligibility rules and identity requirements.

Typical information included in these records

Marriage license/record

  • Full legal names of spouses (and sometimes prior names)
  • Date of license issuance and date of marriage
  • Place of marriage (city/county/state)
  • Officiant name/title and return/filing date
  • Ages or dates of birth (format varies by time period and form version)
  • Residences/addresses at time of application (often included on applications)
  • Parents’ names and other biographical details may appear on the application depending on era and form

Divorce decree (Judgment of Dissolution)

  • Names of parties and case number
  • Date of judgment and court jurisdiction
  • Findings and orders on:
    • Dissolution of marriage
    • Division of marital property/debts
    • Maintenance (spousal support), when ordered
    • Child custody, parenting time, and child support, when applicable
  • Restoration of former name (when granted)

Annulment judgment

  • Names of parties and case number
  • Date of judgment and legal basis/findings for annulment
  • Orders addressing status of the marriage and related matters (property, support, and children where applicable)

Privacy or legal restrictions

  • Marriage records recorded by a county recorder are generally treated as public records, though access methods and redaction practices vary by office policy and by the presence of sensitive identifiers.
  • Divorce and annulment case records are generally public court records, but restricted access applies to:
    • Records or filings sealed by court order
    • Confidential information protected by court rules (commonly including Social Security numbers, certain financial account numbers, and other personal identifiers)
    • Certain family court-related information may be limited in online availability even when available at the courthouse
  • Certified copies typically require compliance with the issuing office’s identification, fee, and certification procedures.
  • State vital records access is governed by Missouri vital records law and DHSS rules, including identity verification and eligibility requirements for certified copies.

Education, Employment and Housing

Crawford County is in south-central Missouri along the Interstate 44 corridor, with its largest population center in and around Sullivan and nearby communities such as Cuba, Bourbon, and Steelville. The county has a predominantly rural-to-small-town settlement pattern, with many residents commuting within the I‑44 region for work and services; housing stock is largely single-family and manufactured homes on larger lots outside town centers.

Education Indicators

Public school landscape (districts and schools)

Crawford County’s public K–12 education is primarily provided by four school districts. School names vary by campus and change over time; the most consistently referenced campuses are the district elementary/middle/high schools:

  • Cuba R‑I School District (Cuba)
  • Bourbon School District (Bourbon)
  • Sullivan School District (Sullivan; includes Sullivan High School)
  • Steelville R‑III School District (Steelville)

District-level directories and official campus lists are available through the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) district profiles: Missouri DESE.
Because “number of public schools” by campus is best verified from DESE’s district/school directory and can shift with consolidation, grade reconfiguration, and naming, the most reliable public count is the active-campus list in DESE’s directory rather than a static number.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

  • Student–teacher ratios: District ratios typically track Missouri small-town norms and often fall in the mid-teens to high-teens (students per teacher). District-specific ratios are reported in DESE district/school profiles and annual report cards: Missouri School Report Card (DESE).
  • Graduation rates: Four-year high school graduation rates are published annually for each district and high school through DESE’s School Report Card system (same link above). County-level graduation rate aggregation is not always presented as a single figure; district and building rates are the authoritative measures.

Adult educational attainment (county level)

Adult educational attainment for Crawford County is tracked through the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). The most commonly cited measure set is “Educational Attainment (Population 25 years and over).” Key indicators typically reported include:

  • High school graduate or higher (25+): County rate is below the Missouri statewide level and reflects a workforce with a sizable share holding high school diplomas or some college.
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher (25+): County rate is substantially below the Missouri statewide level, consistent with rural counties in the I‑44 corridor.

The most recent ACS estimates for Crawford County are accessible via the Census profile pages and tables: U.S. Census Bureau data portal (data.census.gov).

Notable programs (STEM, vocational training, Advanced Placement)

  • Career and Technical Education (CTE): Like most Missouri districts, Crawford County districts typically participate in state-supported CTE pathways (agriculture, skilled trades, health services, business/IT), aligned with DESE’s CTE standards and reporting. District-specific program offerings are documented in district course catalogs and DESE reporting.
  • Advanced coursework: High schools in the county commonly offer a mix of dual credit, AP (Advanced Placement), or other advanced options depending on staffing and enrollment. Availability is school-specific and best verified through each high school’s course guide and DESE course/program reporting.
  • STEM initiatives: STEM offerings tend to be embedded through math/science sequences, Project Lead The Way–style coursework (where adopted), and extracurriculars (robotics/engineering clubs), but presence varies by district and year.

School safety measures and counseling resources

Missouri public schools operate under state requirements and local policies that generally include:

  • Emergency operations planning, visitor procedures, and coordination with local law enforcement.
  • Student services such as school counseling; staffing levels and services vary by district size.
  • Bullying prevention and reporting procedures aligned with Missouri statutes and local board policies.

District board policies, safety plans (as publicly posted), and DESE guidance provide the most direct documentation of specific measures: Missouri DESE school safety resources.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent available)

Crawford County unemployment is published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) through the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program, with annual averages commonly used for “most recent year” summaries. The latest county unemployment figures are available through:
BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) and Missouri’s labor market dashboards (often providing county annual averages): Missouri Department of Economic Development.
(An exact numeric rate is not stated here because the most recent annual average depends on the current release month; LAUS is the authoritative source.)

Major industries and employment sectors

Crawford County’s employment base reflects an I‑44 rural county economy, typically concentrated in:

  • Manufacturing (light manufacturing and fabrication-related employment in the region)
  • Retail trade and accommodation/food services (notably along the interstate and in town centers)
  • Health care and social assistance
  • Educational services (public school districts as major employers)
  • Construction and transportation/warehousing (regional logistics and trade work)

Industry mix and payroll employment context are commonly described in regional labor profiles from Missouri agencies and the Census/ACS “industry by occupation” tables: ACS industry/occupation tables.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Occupational composition generally aligns with the county’s industry structure, with higher shares in:

  • Production, transportation, and material moving
  • Sales and office
  • Service occupations (food service, personal care, protective service)
  • Construction and extraction
  • Management, business, science, and arts at a smaller share than Missouri overall

The most recent county occupational distribution is available through ACS “Occupation” tables: ACS occupation profiles.

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

  • Primary commuting mode: Personal vehicles are the dominant commuting mode, typical of rural Missouri counties.
  • Mean commute time: County mean commute times commonly fall in the mid‑20‑minute range in similar I‑44 corridor counties; the precise Crawford County mean is reported in ACS commuting tables (“Travel Time to Work”).
    Authoritative tables are available via: ACS commuting and travel time tables.

Local employment versus out‑of‑county work

A significant share of residents work outside the county due to the presence of regional job centers and industrial/medical clusters along I‑44 and in adjacent counties. The most direct measurement is provided by:

  • ACS “Place of Work” and commuting flow indicators, and
  • LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics (LODES), which can quantify inbound/outbound commuting flows: U.S. Census LEHD/LODES.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

Crawford County has a housing profile typical of rural Missouri:

  • Homeownership is the majority tenure category, with rentals concentrated in the main towns (Sullivan, Cuba, Bourbon, Steelville) and along major routes. The latest homeownership and renter shares are published in ACS “Tenure” tables: ACS housing tenure tables.

Median property values and recent trends

  • Median home value: Reported through ACS “Value” tables and real estate market summaries; rural counties in this region generally have median values below the Missouri statewide median.
  • Trend: Like much of Missouri, the early‑2020s period showed notable price appreciation, followed by slower growth as mortgage rates increased; county-level precision is best captured by ACS year-to-year estimates and local assessor sales ratios where published.

ACS median value estimates are available via: ACS home value tables. For locally assessed values and tax roll context, the county assessor is the authoritative local source: Crawford County government.

Typical rent prices

  • Median gross rent is tracked by ACS and tends to be below metropolitan Missouri medians, with higher rents in newer or centrally located units near schools, shopping corridors, and I‑44 access. ACS rent metrics are available via: ACS gross rent tables.

Types of housing

  • Single-family detached homes dominate the housing stock, especially outside city limits.
  • Manufactured housing/mobile homes represent a meaningful share in rural areas and on larger parcels.
  • Apartments and small multifamily are more common in municipal areas (Sullivan/Cuba) and near commercial corridors.
  • Rural lots and acreages are common, with housing dispersed along county roads and near recreation areas (notably around the Meramec River corridor and nearby conservation/recreation assets).

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools or amenities)

  • Town-centered neighborhoods (Sullivan, Cuba, Bourbon, Steelville) typically offer closer proximity to schools, libraries, parks, grocery/pharmacy access, and medical clinics, with a mix of older single-family homes and smaller rental properties.
  • Unincorporated/rural areas provide larger parcels and lower housing density but require longer drives to schools and services; access tends to follow I‑44 interchanges and state highways.

Property tax overview (average rate and typical homeowner cost)

Property taxes in Missouri are primarily driven by local levy rates (schools, county, cities, special districts) applied to assessed value. In Missouri:

  • Residential property is generally assessed at 19% of market value for tax purposes (assessment ratio), then multiplied by the local levy rate.
  • Effective tax rates vary widely by district and municipality; rural areas are often lower than municipal areas with additional levies.

The most authoritative overview is provided by the Missouri State Tax Commission and county assessor/collector materials:
Missouri State Tax Commission and Crawford County offices (assessor/collector).
A single “average homeowner tax bill” is not uniformly published as one county statistic; county collectors typically provide levy-rate tables and tax receipt data by taxing jurisdiction (a more accurate proxy than a countywide average).

Table of Contents

Other Counties in Missouri