Facts & Figures

Overview: Scott County was organized in 1821 and named after Missouri congressman John Scott. It has a 2000 population of 40,422, increasing 2.7% over 1990. The fastest growing township is the Blodgett area, where the population has increased by 45% since 1990. The county covers 423 square miles. It includes 99 county bridges and 384 miles of roads which are maintained by the county. Mid- to upper-range housing construction is accelerating in the Kelso and Benton areas as well as areas northeast of Miner and west of Sikeston. The county's average household income is $31,352, ranking 48th of Missouri's 114 counties.

Budget: Annual revenue includes real estate and personal property taxes, general revenue and law enforcement sales taxes, transfers from the state, and other fees and services charges - primarily associated with the courts, collector, and recorder functions. The county's assessed property valuation is $348 million. Sales taxes are collected on retail sales nearing $300 million.

Twelve elected officials and approximately 100 employees are paid through the county budget. Four elected officials and 18 employees within the Circuit Court offices are paid by the state. The sheriff's department and road department account for more than half of the county jobs.

Labor Force: About 18,650 people are employed in Scott County and a slight increase is expected by year-end. More than 5,100 people commute into Scott County from the surrounding region and nearly 6,200 commute from Scott County, primarily to Cape Girardeau and New Madrid counties. The unemployment rate is currently at 5.2%, below both the state and national averages.

Commerce: Six of the 50 largest manufacturers in the 14-county SEMO region are located in Scott County, including Good Humor-Breyers, HAVCO Wood Products, Essex Superior, Steward Steel, Blair Industries and Heritage-American Homes. The county's economy is characterized by manufacturing, distribution, and service industries in its northern and southern regions, with agriculture predominating through the center portion.

Schools: Seven public school districts operate within Scott County, serving 9,000 students. Seven parochial and private schools also serve children in the area. The Sikeston Area Higher Education Center reached an enrollment of nearly 1,450 in the spring semester.

Other Political Subdivisions: In addition to the school districts, the County includes seven cities (plus Cape Girardeau's regional airport), six villages, two ambulance districts, five fire districts, one library district, three road districts, the county health department, and the sheltered workshop - all with their own governing boards and tax rates.

In a Given Year: The County Recorder certifies nearly 10,000 deeds and documents . . . the Assessor sets values on 21,000 land parcels . . . the Collector issues 37,600 tax bills . . . the Treasurer disburses 6,000 checks . . . the County Clerk keeps registrations on 26,500 voters . . . the Sheriff books nearly 1,300 individuals into the County Jail and almost 8,200 cases are filed through the three divisions of the circuit court.