Warrensburg, Missouri

History

Warrensburg was founded in 1835 by European-American settlers John and Martin D. Warren, who gave the town their last name. A post office called Warrensburg has been in operation since 1837.

The phrase "Man's best friend" is based on a famous trial over the killing of Old Drum, a dog that was shot in Warrensburg. In 1958, a statue of Old Drum was erected on the Johnson County Courthouse lawn containing a summation of US Senator George G. Vest's closing speech, “A man’s best friend is his dog.”

Demographics

The current mayor is Jim Kushner.

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 20,313 people, 7,398 households, and 3,418 families in Warrensburg. The population density was 2,054.9 PD/sqmi. The 8,202 housing units had an average density of 871.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 79.07% White, 7.78% African American, 0.55% Native American or Alaska Native, 2.7% Asian, 0.58% Pacific Islander, 1.41% from other races, and 7.92% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race was 4.5% of the population.

Of the 7,398 households, 24.7% had children under 18, 33.7% were married couples living together, 34.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.5% were individuals living alone, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.4 and the average family size was 3.1.

The city's age distribution was 19.1% under 18, 33.6% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 16.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 or older. The median age was 24.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 98.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 96.2 males.

The 2016-2020 five-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $48,306 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,061) and the median family income was $73,995 (+/- $4,609). Males had a median income of $23,972 (+/- $2,489) versus $14,801 (+/- $2,763) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $18,108 (+/- $3,142). About 7.7% of families and 22.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under 18 and 12.8% of those 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, 18,838 people, 6,803 households, and 3,400 families were living in the city. The population density was 2128.6 PD/sqmi. The 7,450 housing units had an average density of 841.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 85.3% White, 7.5% African American, 0.5% Native American, 2.8% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.1% of the population.

Of the 6,803 households, 26.5% had children under 18 living with them, 36.1% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 50.0% were not families. About 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.96.

The median age in the city was 23.7 years. The age distribution was 17.6% under 18, 36.2% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44; 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 16,340 people, 5,951 households, and 3,035 families were living in the city. The population density was 1,938.5 PD/sqmi. There were 6,380 housing units at an average density of 756.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 90.09% White, 6.46% African American, 0.64% Native American, 2.79% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 0.78% from other races, and 2.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.44% of the population.

Of the3,951 households, 26.6% had children under 18 living with them, 38.5% were married couples]living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.0% were not families. About 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the city, the age distribution was 18.0% under 18, 36.5% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 12.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,332, and for a family was $45,845. Males had a median income of $30,354 versus $22,154 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,714. About 13.6% of families and 24.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.92 sqmi, of which 0.07 sqmi (or about 45 acres) is covered by water.

Climate

|Jan record high F = 75 |Feb record high F = 82 |Mar record high F = 92 |Apr record high F = 94 |May record high F = 103 |Jun record high F = 108 |Jul record high F = 116 |Aug record high F = 111 |Sep record high F = 107 |Oct record high F = 96 |Nov record high F = 86 |Dec record high F = 75 |year record high F =

|Jan avg record high F = 63.3 |Feb avg record high F = 68.8 |Mar avg record high F = 77.3 |Apr avg record high F = 84.0 |May avg record high F = 87.6 |Jun avg record high F = 93.6 |Jul avg record high F = 98.0 |Aug avg record high F = 98.0 |Sep avg record high F = 92.5 |Oct avg record high F = 85.6 |Nov avg record high F = 73.3 |Dec avg record high F = 66.2 |year avg record high F = 99.6

|Jan avg record low F = -1.9 |Feb avg record low F = 4.1 |Mar avg record low F = 14.6 |Apr avg record low F = 27.3 |May avg record low F = 38.2 |Jun avg record low F = 51.4 |Jul avg record low F = 58.0 |Aug avg record low F = 54.8 |Sep avg record low F = 41.3 |Oct avg record low F = 28.0 |Nov avg record low F = 16.7 |Dec avg record low F = 6.3 |year avg record low F = -4.4

|Jan record low F = −20 |Feb record low F = −26 |Mar record low F = −9 |Apr record low F = 16 |May record low F = 23 |Jun record low F = 39 |Jul record low F = 49 |Aug record low F = 43 |Sep record low F = 29 |Oct record low F = 18 |Nov record low F = −3 |Dec record low F = −17 |year record low F =

|Jan snow depth inch = 1.9 |Feb snow depth inch = 1.9 |Mar snow depth inch = 1.1 |Apr snow depth inch = 0.0 |May snow depth inch = 0.1 |Jun snow depth inch = 0.0 |Jul snow depth inch = 0.0 |Aug snow depth inch = 0.0 |Sep snow depth inch = 0.0 |Oct snow depth inch = 0.0 |Nov snow depth inch = 0.3 |Dec snow depth inch = 1.6 |year snow depth inch = 3.4

| access-date = August 2, 2021 | archive-date = June 5, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210605100301/https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=eax | url-status = dead | access-date = August 2, 2021}}

Education

Public elementary and secondary schools in Warrensburg are part of the Warrensburg R-VI School District. The district includes four elementary schools for grades preschool through fifth grade. Maple Grove and Ridgeview Elementary schools are for grades preschool through second grade while Martin Warren and Sterling elementary schools house students in grades three through five. Warrensburg Middle School serves students in grades six through eight and Warrensburg High School is for grades nine through 12. The district also operates the Reese Education Center, which houses the Gateway Alternative School and the district's special needs and gifted education programs. The Warrensburg Area Career Center specializes in vocational education for high school-aged students in Warrensburg and Johnson County.

The city is also home of the University of Central Missouri (UCM), known as Central Missouri State University until 2006. The university offers programs in 150 areas of study and serves around 12,500 students as of 2014.

Warrensburg has two public libraries, one of them a branch of the Trails Regional Library, and the other, the James C. Kirkpatrick Library, in the University of Central Missouri.

Transportation

Major roads

• • Links to Lee's Summit and further to Kansas City to the west and Sedalia to the east.
• • or Maguire Street, essentially divides the town in half though Old Highway 13 or Holden Street forms the division between east and west. This is a highway linking Warrensburg to Interstate 70 to the north, and Truman Lake to the south.

Air

• Skyhaven Airport

Other

• The Warrensburg Amtrak station provides Amtrak service between Kansas City and St. Louis via the Missouri River Runner.
• Jefferson Lines bus service to/from Kansas City and Springfield, Missouri
• "Emergency Taxi Service" – taxi service serving the Johnson County area.

Media

Newspapers

• Warrensburg Star-Journal – Tuesday and Friday

Television

• KMOS-TV (PBS), PBS 6.1, CREATE CHANNEL 6.2 and PBS WORLD 6.3. The city of license is Sedalia, MO. The offices and studios are located on the campus of UCM in Warrensburg.

Radio

Notable people

• John William 'Blind' Boone (1864–1927), concert pianist, composer and principal for the Blind Boone Concert Company
• Francis M. Cockrell, Confederate military commander and politician
• Curtis Niles Cooper, mathematician and professor at the University of Central Missouri
• Errett Lobban Cord, automobile manufacturer and advocate of front-wheel-drive vehicles
• Cena Christopher Draper, children's book author and playwright
• Ada and Minna Everleigh, proprietors of the Everleigh Club brothel in Chicago
• Mary Fallin, Governor of Oklahoma and former lieutenant governor of Oklahoma
• Douglas Eads Foster, member of the Los Angeles City Council
• Robert P. Foster, president of Northwest Missouri State University 1964–1977
• Archie Scott Gobber, visual artist
• Dan Houx, member of the Missouri House of Representatives
• Dean Hughes (born 1943), children's author and academic
• Henry Warren Ogden (1842–1905), member of the United States House of Representatives
• Shawn Pelton (born 1963), musician
• Butch Reed, professional wrestler
• Aaron Rehkop, state senator
• U.S. Grant Tayes (1885–1972), African American painter, educator, musician, and newspaper columnist
• Sidney Toler (April 28, 1874February 12, 1947), actor and writer
• Kimberly Wyatt, former member of female pop group The Pussycat Dolls
• Brendan Vintedge, singer songwriter

References

References

1. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau.
2. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
3. {{cite gnis. 2397195. City of Warrensburg. July 3, 2025
4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
5. Eaton, David Wolfe. (1916). "How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named". The State Historical Society of Missouri.
6. "Post Offices". Jim Forte Postal History.
7. Coren, Stanley. (October 21, 2009). ""A Man's Best Friend is his Dog": The Senator, the Dog, and the Trial". [[Psychology Today]].
8. (June 5, 2003). "The New York Times Television Reviews 2000". [[Taylor & Francis]].
9. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov.
10. "Explore Census Data".
11. "City Council". City of Warrensburg.
12. "Explore Census Data".
13. "Explore Census Data".
14. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
15. "US Gazetteer files 2010". [[United States Census Bureau]].
16. (2015). "Warrensburg Schools". Warrensburg R-VI School District.
17. "Locations". Trails Regional Library.
18. "James C. Kirkpatrick Library".
19. "U.S. Grant Tayes".