Platte County, Missouri

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 427 sqmi, of which 420 sqmi is land and 6.6 sqmi (1.5%) is water. The county's southwestern border with Kansas is formed by the Missouri River.

Adjacent counties

• Buchanan County (north)
• Clinton County (northeast)
• Clay County (east)
• Wyandotte County, Kansas (south)
• Leavenworth County, Kansas (southwest)
• Atchison County, Kansas (northwest)

Major highways

• [[Image:I-29 (MO).svg|20px]] Interstate 29
• [[Image:I-435 (MO).svg|20px]] Interstate 435
• [[Image:I-635 (MO).svg|20px]] Interstate 635
• [[Image:US 69.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 69
• [[Image:US 71.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 71
• [[Image:MO-9.svg|20px]] Route 9
• [[Image:MO-45.svg|20px]] Route 45
• [[Image:MO-92.svg|20px]] Route 92
• [[Image:MO-152.svg|20px]] Route 152
• [[Image:MO-273.svg|20px]] Route 273
• [[Image:MO-371.svg|20px]] Route 371

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 106,718. The median age was 38.3 years. 23.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.2 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 78.3% White, 7.8% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6% Asian, 0.7% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.0% from some other race, and 8.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 6.7% of the population.

86.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 13.6% lived in rural areas.

There were 42,452 households in the county, of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 45,307 housing units, of which 6.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 65.0% were owner-occupied and 35.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.2%.

Racial and ethnic composition

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 73,781 people, 29,278 households, and 20,231 families residing in the county. The population density was 176 /mi2. There were 30,902 housing units at an average density of 74 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 91.45% White, 3.49% Black or African American, 0.46% Native American, 1.48% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 1.05% from other races, and 1.87% from two or more races. Approximately 3.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 23.4% were of German, 12.5% Irish, 12.2% American and 11.4% English ancestry.

There were 29,278 households, out of which 34.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.80% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 32.60% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 8.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $55,849, and the median income for a family was $65,236. Males had a median income of $44,310 versus $31,005 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,356. About 3.30% of families and 4.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.70% of those under age 18 and 5.70% of those age 65 or over.

Education

School districts

School districts (all full K-12) include:

• East Buchanan County C-1 School District
• North Kansas City 74 School District
• North Platte County R-I School District
• Park Hill School District
• Platte County R-III School District
• Smithville R-II School District
• West Platte County R-II School District

Public schools

• North Platte R-I School District – Dearborn
  • North Platte Elementary School (PK-03)
  • North Platte Intermediate School (04-06)
  • North Platte Junior High School (07-08)
  • North Platte High School (09-12)
• Park Hill School District – Kansas City
  • Russell Jones Education Center (K-12) – (Special Education)
  • Hopewell Elementary School (K-05)
  • Alfred L. Renner Elementary School (K-05)
  • Thomas B. Chinn Elementary School (K-05)
  • English Landing Elementary School (K-05)
  • Graden Elementary School (K-05)
  • Hawthorn Elementary School (K-05)
  • Line Creek Elementary School (K-05)
  • Gerner Family Early Education Center (PK)
  • Prairie Point Elementary School (K-05)
  • Southeast Elementary School (K-05)
  • Tiffany Ridge Elementary School (K-05)
  • Union Chapel Elementary School (K-05)
  • Congress Middle School (06-08)
  • Lakeview Middle School (06-08)
  • Plaza Middle School (06-08)
  • Walden Middle School (06-08)
  • Park Hill High School (09-12) -- within Kansas City city limits
  • Park Hill South High School (09-12) – Riverside
  • LEAD Innovation Studio (09-12)
• Platte County R-III School District – Platte City
  • Donald D. Siegrist Elementary School (K-5)
  • Pathfinder Elementary School (PK-5)
  • Compass Elementary School (PK-5)
  • Barry Elementary School (PK-5)
  • Platte Purchase Middle School (06-08)
  • Platte City Middle School (06-08)
  • Platte County High School (09-12)
• West Platte County R-II School District – Weston
  • Central Elementary School (PK-06)
  • West Platte County High School (07-12)

Private schools

• Clay-Platte Children's House Montessori School – Kansas City (PK-08) – Nonsectarian
• Martin Luther Academy – Kansas City (K-08) – Lutheran
• Northland Christian Education System – Kansas City (PK-12) – Nondenominational Christian
• St. Therese School – Kansas City (K-08) – Roman Catholic
• Prairie View KinderCare – Kansas City (NS/PK) – Nonsectarian
• Christ Lutheran Pre-Kindergarten School – Platte Woods (NS/PK) – Lutheran
• Our Savior Christian Academy - Platte City and Smithville (PK-12)

College and universities

Metropolitan Community College has a service area that includes all of the county, though only the portion in the Park Hill school district is in the community college district's in-district taxation zone.

Public libraries

• Mid-Continent Public Library

Communities

Cities

• Camden Point
• Dearborn
• Edgerton
• Houston Lake
• Kansas City (partly in Jackson and Clay counties and a small part in Cass County)
• Lake Waukomis
• Northmoor
• Parkville
• Platte City (county seat)
• Platte Woods
• Riverside
• Smithville (mostly in Clay County)
• Tracy
• Weatherby Lake
• Weston

Villages

• Farley
• Ferrelview
• Iatan
• Ridgely

Civil townships

• Carroll
• Fair
• Fox
• Green
• Kickapoo
• Lee
• Marshall
• May
• Pawnee
• Pettis
• Preston
• Sioux
• Waldron
• Weston

Census-designated place

• New Market

Unincorporated communities

• Beverly
• Dye
• East Leavenworth
• Edgerton Junction
• Hoover
• Kerrville
• Stillings
• Stubbs
• Waldron
• West Platte
• Woodruff

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 US census of Platte County.

† County seat †† Partly within adjacent counties

Politics

Local

The Republican Party controls politics at the local level in Platte County. Republicans hold all of the elected positions in the county. However, Governor Jay Nixon carried the county in his two successful elections, and in 2004, Claire McCaskill of Jackson County narrowly won a majority of the county's votes over Republican victor Matt Blunt. While the county has swung to the Republican party, the presence of Kansas City has helped keep the county competitive into the 21st century.

State

Platte County is divided into three legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, two held by Republicans and one held by a Democrat.

• District 12 — Mike Jones (R-Kansas City). Consists of Parkville, Riverside, and Platte Woods.

• District 13 — Sean Pouche (R-Kansas City). Consists of the communities of Platte City, Weston, Farley, Ferrelview, and a part of the city of Kansas City. District 13 also consists of portions of Buchanan County.

• District 14 – Ashley Aune (D-Kansas City). Consists of the communities of Houston Lake, Lake Waukomis, Weatherby Lake, Northmoor, and part of the city of Kansas City.

Along with Buchanan County, all of Platte County is a part of Missouri's 34th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Tony Luetkemeyer (R-Parkville).

Federal

All of Platte County is included in Missouri's 6th Congressional District. It is currently represented by Sam Graves (R-Tarkio) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Missouri presidential preference primary (2008)

Main article: 2008 Missouri Democratic presidential primary, 2008 Missouri Republican presidential primary

Former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) received more votes, a total of 5,434, than any candidate from either party in Platte County during the 2008 presidential primary.

References

References

1. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
2. "Platte County History". Platte County, Missouri.
3. (1923). "Soil Survey". U.S. Dept of Agriculture.
4. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
5. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
6. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
7. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
8. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
9. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
10. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
11. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
12. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
13. "1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - Missouri- Table 16 - Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980".
14. "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Missouri: Table 5 - Race and Hispanic Origin".
15. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Platte County, Missouri".
16. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Platte County, Missouri".
17. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Platte County, Missouri".
18. included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
19. included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
20. not an option in the 1980 Census
21. not an option in the 1990 Census
22. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
23. Geography Division. (January 12, 2021). "2020 Census – School District Reference Map: Platte County, MO". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
24. "MCC Service Areas". [[Metropolitan Community College (Missouri).
25. Breeding, Marshall. "Mid-Continent Public Library". Libraries.org.
26. "2023-2024 Official Manual of the State of Missouri".
27. (November 5, 2024). "2024 official Results". Platte County Board of Election.
28. (November 8, 2022). "2022 Official Results". Platte County Board of Elections.
29. "Platte County Board of Elections".
30. "Platte County 2018 Election Results".
31. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".