Community Profile

Kirksville, a city of 17,286 (1994-95 estimate) nestled in the Green Hills region of Northeast Missouri, is situated in Adair County, which has a population of 24,465. Kirksville is the retailing and employment center of Northeast Missouri with health care, education, manufacturing, and agriculture the major employers of Kirksville residents and persons from outlying areas. Kirksville is located on Highway 63.
Truman State University and the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine are great assets to the community. Truman State University, a nationally recognized liberal arts university, has a student enrollment of over 6,000 and is one of the two largest employers in Kirksville, employing over 800. Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, with over 500 students and 350 employees, was founded by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still in 1892 as the first college of osteopathic medicine.

Demographics

The population of Adair County and the City of Kirksville is not diverse, over 97% white, with 64% of residents born in Missouri. Just over 74% of residents 25 years or older have graduated from high school. Approximately 30% of the population is over 65 years old with 35% under 25 years old. The per capita income in Adair County (1996 estimate) is $12,687 with a median family income of $34,727. The population of Adair County showed a 1.35% decrease from 1980-90 compared to the 11.3-18.6 per cent decreases of neighboring Northeast Missouri counties.