Ozark-edge metro where rural Republican margins anchor statewide math
Straddling the Missouri-Kansas line, the Joplin metro delivers some of the most consistent Republican vote shares in either state, anchored by a white working-class majority and an economy built around manufacturing, health care, and regional retail.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasper | 124K | R+46.7 | 13,943 | 39,084 | 53,807 | 14.7% |
| Jasper | 117K | R+46.7 | 13,943 | 39,084 | 53,807 | 14.7% |
| Jasper | 115K | R+46.7 | 13,943 | 39,084 | 53,807 | 14.7% |
| Jasper | 105K | R+46.7 | 13,943 | 39,084 | 53,807 | 14.7% |
| Newton | 60K | R+58.6 | 5,867 | 22,923 | 29,097 | 7.9% |
| Newton | 59K | R+58.6 | 5,867 | 22,923 | 29,097 | 7.9% |
| Newton | 56K | R+58.6 | 5,867 | 22,923 | 29,097 | 7.9% |
| Newton | 53K | R+58.6 | 5,867 | 22,923 | 29,097 | 7.9% |
| Cherokee | 23K | R+52.9 | 1,970 | 6,584 | 8,717 | 2.4% |
| Cherokee | 21K | R+52.9 | 1,970 | 6,584 | 8,717 | 2.4% |
| Cherokee | 21K | R+52.9 | 1,970 | 6,584 | 8,717 | 2.4% |
| Cherokee | 19K | R+52.9 | 1,970 | 6,584 | 8,717 | 2.4% |
| Group | Joplin, MO-KS | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 86.7% | 57.4% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(15) | 5.6% | 19.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 3.6% | 4.0% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(6) | 1.6% | 0.9% |
▶Black / African American(7) | 1.4% | 12.2% |
▶Asian(6) | 1.0% | 6.0% |
▶Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander(2) | 0.2% | 0.2% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(4) | 0.1% | 0.9% |
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -69.3pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Evangelical-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Republican-leaning rural and exurban communities.
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34.5% | 72.8% | — | — | |
| 5.5% | 11.5% | — | — | |
| 3.8% | 8.0% | — | — | |
| 3.1% | 6.5% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 1.9% | 4.0% | — | — |
| 0.5% | 1.1% | — | — | |
Non-religiousPopulation | 52.6% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Joplin, MO-KS metro area? 772,152 residents across 12 counties.
20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 13pp below the national average. Places with similar education levels vote R+15 on average nationally.
Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.
Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.
Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate vs Governor | R+49.9 | R+53.2 | 3.3pp |
| President vs Governor | R+51.1 | R+53.2 | 2.1pp |
| President vs Senate | R+51.1 | R+49.9 | 1.2pp |