New Madrid County, Missouri | |
|---|---|
 New Madrid County Courthouse | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofMissouri | |
| Coordinates:36°35′N89°40′W / 36.59°N 89.66°W /36.59; -89.66 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Missouri |
| Founded | October 1, 1812 |
| Named after | Madrid, Spain |
| Seat | New Madrid |
| Largest city | Portageville |
| Area | |
• Total | 697 sq mi (1,810 km2) |
| • Land | 675 sq mi (1,750 km2) |
| • Water | 22 sq mi (57 km2) 3.1% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 16,434 |
| • Density | 24.3/sq mi (9.40/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 8th |
New Madrid County (/ˈmædrɪd/MAD-rid;Spanish:Condado de Nueva Madrid;French:Comté de New Madrid) is acounty located in theBootheel of theU.S. state ofMissouri. As of the2020 census, the population was 16,434.[1] The largest city isPortageville andcounty seat isNew Madrid, located on the northern side of theKentucky Bend in theMississippi River, where it has formed anoxbow around an exclave ofFulton County, Kentucky.[2] This feature has also been known as New Madrid Bend or Madrid Bend, for the city.
The county was officially organized on October 1, 1812, encompassing most of present-dayArkansas. Named afterNuevo Madrid, a district located in the region, the area wasunder Spanish rule following France's cession ofLouisiana after being defeated in theSeven Years' War. The Spanish named the district afterMadrid, the capital ofSpain.[3]
The county includes a large part of theNew Madrid fault that produced the1811–12 New Madrid earthquakes. This zone remains geologically active, and had continued to produce smaller earthquakes with some frequency.
French Canadians from New France landed in this area in 1781 and established the first European settlement in the present county atNew Madrid along the Mississippi River.[4] France had ceded this area to Spain following its loss in the Seven Years' War. The Spanish governor,Bernardo de Gálvez, appointed American colonel William Morgan, aRevolutionary War veteran fromNew Jersey, asempresario to recruit new settlers for the area. Morgan attracted about 2,000 settlers before Spain returned this territory to France in the late 18th century. They settled mostly in the area of what is now the city ofNew Madrid, Missouri. After failing to regain control of its colony ofSaint-Domingue, where a slave rebellion had been raging, France gave up on North America, selling its large territory west of the Mississippi River in 1803 to the United States under theLouisiana Purchase.
New Madrid County was organized on October 1, 1812, as an act of theFirst General Assembly of theMissouri Territory.[5] In thefloodplain of theMississippi, this area was long cultivated by planters using enslaved African Americans forcotton production.
A series of more than 1,000 earthquakes struck the area in 1811 and 1812. The New Madrid earthquakes were the strongest non-subduction zone earthquake in theUnited States. A request dated January 13, 1814, by theTerritorial GovernorWilliam Clark, asked forfederal relief for the "inhabitants of New Madrid County."[citation needed]
The county had its peak of population in 1940, according to US census records, as shown in the table. Many residents left the rural county from 1950 to 1970, seeking better work opportunities in the North and Midwest. County population has continued to decline. In 2017 the county was featured in an episode ofMadrid de sol a sol, a show from Spanish public channelTelemadrid exploring locations named "Madrid".[6]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 697 square miles (1,810 km2), of which 675 square miles (1,750 km2) is land and 22 square miles (57 km2) (3.1%) is water.[7]
The county is located on theKentucky Bend of the Mississippi River, which forms a border of the county. This feature is also known as New Madrid Bend or Madrid Bend. This oxbow flows around an exclave ofFulton County, Kentucky. Scientists expect that eventually the river will cut a new channel across the narrow neck of the peninsula, which will gradually be attached by infill land to Missouri.
Unlike most of Missouri, southern parts of New Madrid County are within theSun Belt, defined by the Kinder Institute as being south of36°30'N latitude.[8]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 2,296 | — | |
| 1830 | 2,350 | 2.4% | |
| 1840 | 4,554 | 93.8% | |
| 1850 | 5,541 | 21.7% | |
| 1860 | 5,654 | 2.0% | |
| 1870 | 6,357 | 12.4% | |
| 1880 | 7,694 | 21.0% | |
| 1890 | 9,317 | 21.1% | |
| 1900 | 11,280 | 21.1% | |
| 1910 | 19,488 | 72.8% | |
| 1920 | 25,180 | 29.2% | |
| 1930 | 30,262 | 20.2% | |
| 1940 | 39,787 | 31.5% | |
| 1950 | 39,444 | −0.9% | |
| 1960 | 31,350 | −20.5% | |
| 1970 | 23,420 | −25.3% | |
| 1980 | 22,945 | −2.0% | |
| 1990 | 20,928 | −8.8% | |
| 2000 | 19,760 | −5.6% | |
| 2010 | 18,956 | −4.1% | |
| 2020 | 16,434 | −13.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11] 1990-2000[12] 2010-2015[13] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 16,434. The median age was 42.6 years, 23.7% of residents were under the age of 18, and 20.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.1 males age 18 and over.[15][16]
12.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 87.4% lived in rural areas.[17]
There were 6,917 households in the county, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 31.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[15]
There were 7,870 housing units, of which 12.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 63.6% were owner-occupied and 36.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.8%.[15]
As of the census[18] of 2000, there were 19,760 people, 7,824 households, and 5,508 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile (11 people/km2). There were 8,600 housing units at an average density of 13 units per square mile (5.0/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 83.21%White, 15.36%Black orAfrican American, 0.19%Native American, 0.14%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.32% fromother races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Approximately 0.93% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. Among the major first ancestries reported in New Madrid County were 32.4% American, 10.3%Irish, 8.8%English, and 8.7%German ancestry.
There were 7,824 households, out of which 32.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.00% were married couples living together, 14.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 26.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.40% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,758, and the median income for a family was $39,411. Males had a median income of $28,408 versus $19,186 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $17,227. About 18.60% of families and 22.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.40% of those under age 18 and 19.20% of those age 65 or over.
The racial and ethnic composition as reported in the 2020 redistricting data is shown in the table below.[16]
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[19] | Pop 1990[20] | Pop 2000[21] | Pop 2010[22] | Pop 2020[23] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 19,183 | 17,497 | 16,345 | 15,380 | 12,610 | 83.60% | 83.61% | 82.72% | 81.14% | 76.73% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 3,549 | 3,267 | 3,024 | 2,983 | 2,731 | 15.47% | 15.61% | 15.30% | 15.74% | 16.62% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 19 | 34 | 33 | 40 | 25 | 0.08% | 0.16% | 0.17% | 0.21% | 0.15% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 32 | 36 | 26 | 75 | 62 | 0.14% | 0.17% | 0.13% | 0.40% | 0.38% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | x[24] | x[25] | 1 | 7 | 1 | x | x | 0.01% | 0.04% | 0.01% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 12 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 27 | 0.05% | 0.00% | 0.03% | 0.04% | 0.16% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x[26] | x[27] | 143 | 249 | 725 | x | x | 0.72% | 1.31% | 4.41% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 150 | 93 | 183 | 214 | 253 | 0.65% | 0.44% | 0.93% | 1.13% | 1.54% |
| Total | 22,945 | 20,928 | 19,760 | 18,956 | 16,434 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
According to theAssociation of Religion Data Archives County Membership Report (2000), New Madrid County is a part of theBible Belt as evangelical Protestantism is the majority religion. The most predominant denominations among residents in New Madrid County who adhere to a religion areSouthern Baptists (62.86%),Roman Catholics (8.80%), andMethodists (7.36%).
Of adults 25 years of age and older in New Madrid County, 63.6% possess ahigh school diploma or higher while 9.6% hold abachelor's degree or higher as their highest educational attainment.
School districts including sections of the county, no matter how slight, even if the relevant schools and/or administration buildings in another county:[28]
Three Rivers College's service area includes New Madrid County.[31]
TheDemocratic Party formerly almost completely controlled politics at the local level in New Madrid County. Democrats and Republicans now almost evenly split all elected positions in the county.[32]
| New Madrid County, Missouri | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Elected countywide officials | |||
| Assessor | Jacob E. Johnson | Democratic | |
| Circuit Clerk | Shannon Landers | Republican | |
| County Clerk | Amy Brown | Republican | |
| Collector | Dewayne Nowlin | Republican | |
| Commissioner (presiding) | Mark Baker | Republican | |
| Commissioner (district 1) | Bobby Aycock Jr. | Democratic | |
| Commissioner (district 2) | Michael Kellams | Republican | |
| Coroner | George A. DeLisle | Democratic | |
| Prosecuting Attorney | Andrew Lawson | Republican | |
| Public Administrator | Paula Scobey | Democratic | |
| Recorder | Kim St. Mary Hall | Democratic | |
| Sheriff | Joey Higgerson | Republican | |
| Surveyor | Charles Ice | Democratic | |
| Treasurer | Steve Riley | Democratic | |
New Madrid County is wholly encompassed by the 149thMissouri House of Representatives district and is currently represented by RepublicanDon Rone ofPortageville.[33]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Don Rone | 100.00% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Don Rone | 4,083 | 71.57% | ||
| Democratic | William D. "Bill" Burlison | 1,468 | 25.73% | ||
| Independent | Jacqueline T. "Jackie" McGee | 154 | 2.70% | ||
In theMissouri Senate, all of New Madrid County is a part of Missouri's 25th District and is currently represented by RepublicanJason Bean ofPoplar Bluff.[34]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jason Bean | 100.00% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Doug Libla | 6,952 | 58.65% | ||
| Democratic | William D. "Bill" Burlison | 3,195 | 41.35% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rob Mayer | 4,217 | 54.53 | ||
| Democratic | M. Shane Stoelting | 3,517 | 45.47 | ||
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 78.32%5,231 | 19.55%1,306 | 2.12%142 |
| 2020 | 74.39%5,338 | 24.01%1,723 | 1.80%115 |
| 2016 | 60.29%4,392 | 37.80%2,754 | 1.91%139 |
| 2012 | 44.64%2,732 | 59.70%4,270 | 1.49%120 |
| 2008 | 38.19%3,574 | 53.87%4,313 | 2.11%151 |
| 2004 | 47.57%3,737 | 51.38%4,036 | 1.05%82 |
| 2000 | 41.28%2,978 | 57.50%4,148 | 1.22%88 |
| 1996 | 28.14%2,106 | 70.43%5,270 | 1.43%107 |
| 1992 | 38.99%3,087 | 61.01%4,830 | 0.00%0 |
| 1988 | 50.94%3,594 | 48.89%3,449 | 0.17%12 |
| 1984 | 50.34%3,979 | 49.66%3,926 | 0.00%0 |
| 1980 | 38.82%3,176 | 61.14%5,002 | 0.04%3 |
| 1976 | 37.75%2,951 | 62.20%4,863 | 0.05%4 |
New Madrid County is included inMissouri's 8th Congressional District and is currently represented byJason T. Smith (R-Salem) in theU.S. House of Representatives. Smith won a special election on Tuesday, June 4, 2013, to finish out the remaining term ofU.S. RepresentativeJo Ann Emerson (R-Cape Girardeau). Emerson announced her resignation a month after being reelected with over 70 percent of the vote in the district. She resigned to become CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jason Smith | 5,326 | 75.13% | ||
| Democratic | Kathy Ellis | 1,676 | 23.64% | ||
| Libertarian | Tom Schmitz | 87 | 1.23% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jason Smith | 4,093 | 72.09% | ||
| Democratic | Kathy Ellis | 1,520 | 26.77% | ||
| Libertarian | Jonathan L. Shell | 65 | 1.14% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Steve Hodges | 1,008 | 51.85 | ||
| Republican | Jason T. Smith | 891 | 45.83 | ||
| Constitution | Doug Enyart | 25 | 1.29 | ||
| Libertarian | Bill Slantz | 20 | 1.03 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jo Ann Emerson | 4,888 | 68.30 | +6.53 | |
| Democratic | Jack Rushin | 2,133 | 29.80 | −4.78 | |
| Libertarian | Rick Vandeven | 136 | 1.90 | +0.39 | |
New Madrid County, along with the rest of the state of Missouri, is represented in theU.S. Senate byJosh Hawley (R-Columbia) andRoy Blunt (R-Strafford).
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Josh Hawley | 3,967 | 69.09% | ||
| Democratic | Claire McCaskill | 1,663 | 28.96% | ||
| Libertarian | Japheth Campbell | 44 | 0.77% | ||
| Independent | Craig O'Dear | 48 | 0.84% | ||
| Green | Jo Crain | 20 | 0.35% | ||
Blunt was elected to a second term in2016 over then-Missouri Secretary of StateJason Kander.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Roy Blunt | 4,157 | 57.31% | ||
| Democratic | Jason Kander | 2,844 | 39.21% | ||
| Libertarian | Jonathan Dine | 115 | 1.59% | ||
| Green | Johnathan McFarland | 84 | 1.14% | ||
| Constitution | Fred Ryman | 54 | 0.74% | ||
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1888 | 352 | 24.01% | 1,114 | 75.99% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1892 | 361 | 21.92% | 1,215 | 73.77% | 71 | 4.31% |
| 1896 | 480 | 22.63% | 1,639 | 77.27% | 2 | 0.09% |
| 1900 | 668 | 32.55% | 1,379 | 67.20% | 5 | 0.24% |
| 1904 | 922 | 41.99% | 1,257 | 57.24% | 17 | 0.77% |
| 1908 | 1,436 | 42.55% | 1,824 | 54.04% | 115 | 3.41% |
| 1912 | 1,607 | 35.56% | 1,945 | 43.04% | 967 | 21.40% |
| 1916 | 2,039 | 41.79% | 2,715 | 55.65% | 125 | 2.56% |
| 1920 | 3,745 | 49.95% | 3,637 | 48.51% | 116 | 1.55% |
| 1924 | 4,018 | 48.34% | 4,167 | 50.13% | 127 | 1.53% |
| 1928 | 4,750 | 53.22% | 4,153 | 46.53% | 22 | 0.25% |
| 1932 | 3,768 | 32.34% | 7,837 | 67.26% | 47 | 0.40% |
| 1936 | 5,056 | 39.28% | 7,791 | 60.53% | 25 | 0.19% |
| 1940 | 6,318 | 39.65% | 9,591 | 60.20% | 24 | 0.15% |
| 1944 | 4,108 | 34.96% | 7,626 | 64.89% | 18 | 0.15% |
| 1948 | 2,082 | 18.90% | 8,925 | 81.00% | 11 | 0.10% |
| 1952 | 3,809 | 30.89% | 8,504 | 68.98% | 16 | 0.13% |
| 1956 | 3,552 | 29.67% | 8,419 | 70.33% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 4,205 | 36.32% | 7,373 | 63.68% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 2,583 | 25.84% | 7,415 | 74.16% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 2,317 | 24.40% | 4,195 | 44.18% | 2,984 | 31.42% |
| 1972 | 4,735 | 57.50% | 3,500 | 42.50% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 2,798 | 34.39% | 5,319 | 65.38% | 19 | 0.23% |
| 1980 | 4,041 | 48.70% | 4,171 | 50.27% | 86 | 1.04% |
| 1984 | 4,323 | 53.38% | 3,776 | 46.62% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1988 | 3,387 | 46.99% | 3,812 | 52.89% | 9 | 0.12% |
| 1992 | 2,431 | 29.33% | 4,883 | 58.91% | 975 | 11.76% |
| 1996 | 2,417 | 31.93% | 4,451 | 58.80% | 702 | 9.27% |
| 2000 | 3,416 | 47.01% | 3,738 | 51.45% | 112 | 1.54% |
| 2004 | 4,154 | 52.54% | 3,716 | 47.00% | 37 | 0.47% |
| 2008 | 4,593 | 56.76% | 3,370 | 41.65% | 129 | 1.59% |
| 2012 | 4,284 | 59.09% | 2,814 | 38.81% | 152 | 2.10% |
| 2016 | 5,270 | 71.63% | 1,933 | 26.27% | 154 | 2.09% |
| 2020 | 5,447 | 75.13% | 1,748 | 24.11% | 55 | 0.76% |
| 2024 | 5,203 | 76.39% | 1,561 | 22.92% | 47 | 0.69% |
At the presidential level, New Madrid County, lying in theMissouri Bootheel (one of the regions of Missouri most closely associated with theAmerican South), was powerfully Democratic from shortly after theCivil War through 2000; from 1868 through 2000, it voted Republican only in Harding's, Hoover's, Nixon's, and Reagan's national landslides in 1920, 1928, 1972, and 1984, respectively.[40] However, after the county switched from Gore to Bush in 2004, it has become a Republican stronghold, having, as of 2020, voted Republican five elections in a row, with the Republican vote share increasing in every election. In 2020, Trump exceeded three-quarters of the vote in the county.
Voters in New Madrid County generally adhere to socially and culturallyconservative principles but are more moderate orpopulist on economic issues, typical of theDixiecrat philosophy. In 2004, Missourians voted ona constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union between a man and a woman. New Madrid County passed it with 83.82 percent of the vote. The initiative passed the state with 71 percent support as Missouri became the first state to bansame-sex marriage. In 2006, Missourians voted ona constitutional amendment to fund and legalize embryonic stem cell research in the state—it failed in New Madrid County with 56.09 percent voting against the measure. The initiative narrowly passed the state with 51 percent of support from voters as Missouri became one of the first states in the nation to approveembryonic stem cell research.
Despite New Madrid County's longstanding tradition of supporting socially conservative platforms, voters in the county support suchpopulist causes as increasing theminimum wage. In 2006, Missourians voted on a proposition (Proposition B) to increase the minimum wage in the state to $6.50 an hour—it passed New Madrid County with 75.66 percent of the vote. The proposition was strongly in every county in Missouri, with 78.99 percent voting in favor. During the same election, voters in five other states also strongly approved increases in the minimum wage.
In the 2008 presidential primary, voters in New Madrid County from both political parties supported candidates who finished in second place in the state at large and nationally. FormerU.S. SenatorHillary Clinton (D-New York) received more votes, a total of 1,801, than any candidate from either party in New Madrid County during the 2008 presidential primary. She also received more votes than the total number of votes cast in the entire Republican Primary in New Madrid County.
Places adjacent to New Madrid County, Missouri | |
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Municipalities and communities ofNew Madrid County, Missouri,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Village | ||
| Townships | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
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