# Dunklin County, Missouri

Dunklin County is located in the Bootheel of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,283. The largest city and county seat is Kennett.
Dunklin County comprises the Kennett, MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.

## History

The land comprising Dunklin County was previously inhabited by the Delaware Tribe of Indians, who had lived in the area since the early 1800s. The county was officially created from Stoddard County on February 14, 1845, and named in honor of Daniel Dunklin, a Governor of Missouri who died the year before the county was organized.
The first courthouse, a two story log cabin, in the county was erected in 1847 by Hiram Langdon in Kennett. It burned in the mid 1860s, during or just after the American Civil War and took most of the county records with it. A second courthouse was constructed in 1872, but it also burned down soon after it was completed. The county government rented a building on the south side of the court square from 1872 to 1892. In 1892, the third courthouse, a two story brick building, was constructed on the square. This building was replaced by the current courthouse in 1929, which was constructed by the Works Progress Administration.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 547 square miles (1,420 km$^2$), of which 541 square miles (1,400 km$^2$) is land and 6.1 square miles (16 km$^2$) (1.1%) is water. The lowest point in the state of Missouri is located on the St. Francis River in Buffalo Township in Dunklin County, where it flows out of Missouri and into Arkansas.

### Adjacent counties

* Stoddard County (north)
* New Madrid County (northeast)
* Pemiscot County (east)
* Mississippi County, Arkansas (southeast)
* Craighead County, Arkansas (south)
* Greene County, Arkansas (southwest)
* Clay County, Arkansas (west)
* Butler County (northwest)

## Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 33,155 people, 13,411 households, and 9,159 families residing in the county. The population density was 61 people per square mile (24 people/km$^2$). There were 14,682 housing units at an average density of 27 units per square mile (10/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 88.64% White, 8.68% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.03% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Approximately 2.49% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Among the major first ancestries reported in Dunklin County were 38.8% American, 10.6% Irish, 8.2% German, and 7.5% English ancestry.
There were 13,411 households, of which 31.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.60% were married couples living together, 13.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.70% were "non-families." Of all households, 28.10% consisted of individuals and 14.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.94.
Of the county's population, 26.00% were under the age of 18, 8.10% were from 18 to 24, 26.00% were from 25 to 44, 23.50% were from 45 to 64, and 16.50% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 89.60 males. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 85.10 men.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,927, and the median income for a family was $38,439. Males had a median income of $27,288 versus $18,142 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,737. About 19.40% of families and 24.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.90% of those under age 18 and 21.30% of those age 65 or over. Of the state's 115 counties, in 2010 Dunklin ranked 105th in terms of poverty.

### Religion

According to the Association of Religion Data Archives County Membership Report (2000), Dunklin County is a part of the Bible Belt with evangelical Protestantism being the majority religion. The most predominant denominations among residents in Dunklin County who adhere to a religion are Southern Baptists (64.11%), Methodists (8.66%), and Churches of Christ (6.74%).

### 2020 census

Dunklin County racial composition :
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
| White (NH) | 21,629 | 76.47% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 3,176 | 11.23% |
| Native American (NH) | 70 | 0.25% |
| Asian (NH) | 78 | 0.28% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 4 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 1,284 | 4.54% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,042 | 7.22% |

## Education

Of adults 25 years of age and older in Dunklin County, 63.7% possess a high school diploma or higher while 9.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher as their highest educational attainment.

### Public schools

* Campbell R-II School District - Campbell
** Campbell Elementary School (PK-06)
** Campbell High School (07-12)
* Clarkton C-4 School District - Clarkton
** Clarkton Elementary School (PK-06)
** Clarkton High School (07-12)
* Holcomb R-III School District - Holcomb
** Holcomb Elementary School (PK-06)
** Holcomb High School (07-12)
* Kennett School District 39 - Kennett
** Early Childhood Center - (PK) - Primary School
** H. Byron Masterson Elementary School (K-02)
** South Elementary School (03-05)
** Kennett Middle School (06-08)
** Kennett High School (09-12)
* Malden R-I School District - Malden
** Malden Elementary School (PK-06)
** Malden High School (07-12)
* Senath-Hornersville C-8 School District - Senath
** Senath Elementary School (PK-04)
** Hornersville Middle School (05-08)
** Senath-Hornersville High School (09-12)
* Southland C-9 School District - Cardwell
** Southland Elementary School (K-06)
** Southland High School (07-12)

### Private schools

* Kennett Christian Academy - Kennett - (K-12) - Assemblies of God/Pentecostal
* St. Teresa School - Campbell - (PK-08) - Roman Catholic

### Alternative and vocational schools

* Bootheel State School - Clarkton - (K-12) - A school for handicapped and special need students.
* Diagnostic Center - Kennett - (PK-12) - Special Education
* Kennett Area Vocational School - Kennett - (09-12) - Vocational/technical

### Public libraries

* Dunklin County Library
* Arbyrd Community Library

## Transportation
### Major highways

* U.S. Route 62
* U.S. Route 412
* Route 25
* Route 53
* Route 84
* Route 153
* Route 164

### Airports

Kennett Memorial Airport is a public-use airport in Dunklin County. It is located one nautical mile (1.85 km) southeast of the central business district of Kennett, which owns the airport.

## Health care

The county no longer has a hospital as the Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center closed on June 11, 2018. The nearest hospital is now Pemiscot County Hospital in Hayti. The region suffers from high infant and maternal mortality rates.

## Media
### Radio

FM
* FM 89.9 KAUF Kennett
* FM 92.9 KLSC Malden
* LPFM 102.5 KCJS Kennett
* FM 104.3 KXOQ Kennett
* FM 105.5 KBOA-FM Piggott, AR-Kennett
* FM 106.5 KTMO New Madrid-Kennett
* FM 107.5 KFEB Campbell
AM
* AM1470 KMAL Malden
* AM1540 KBOA Kennett

### Print

* Campbell Courier, Campbell, Missouri
* Delta Dunklin Democrat, Kennett, Missouri

### Television

There are no television stations in Dunklin County, Missouri. Dunklin County, Missouri is placed in the Paducah, KY, Cape Girardeau, MO, & Harrisburg, Illinois Television Market. Those stations include:
* ABC- WSIL 3
* NBC- WPSD 6
* CBS- KFVS 12
* FOX- KBSI 23
* PBS- WSIU 8 & WKPD 29
* MYTV- WDKA 49
However some residents in the south end of the county watch stations from the Memphis, TN and Jonesboro, AR Television Markets.

## Politics
### Local

Dunklin County was once a Democratic stronghold. However, like the rest of Southeast Missouri and the Bootheel in particular, the county has swung Republican. In 2020 alone, three formerly Democratic officials switched their registration to Republican, and Republicans now control every elected office.

### State

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results :
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties |
| 2020 | 76.40% 7,880 | 22.10% 2,281 | 1.10% 118 |
| 2016 | 69.40% 7,253 | 28.90% 3,014 | 0.80% 84 |
| 2012 | 43.55% 4,560 | 54.03% 5,657 | 2.43% 254 |
| 2008 | 41.65% 4,792 | 56.13% 6,458 | 2.22% 255 |
| 2004 | 52.46% 6,015 | 46.25% 5,302 | 1.29% 148 |
| 2000 | 42.70% 4,471 | 56.11% 5,875 | 1.19% 125 |
| 1996 | 31.51% 3,232 | 66.86% 6,858 | 1.63% 167 |
| 1992 | 39.36% 4,309 | 60.64% 6,640 | 0.00% 0 |
| 1988 | 58.16% 5,822 | 41.74% 4,178 | 0.10% 10 |
| 1984 | 51.01% 5,407 | 48.99% 5,193 | 0.00% 0 |
| 1980 | 46.29% 5,203 | 53.62% 6,026 | 0.09% 10 |
| 1976 | 40.86% 4,131 | 59.08% 5,974 | 0.06% 6 |
| 1972 | 49.07% 4,239 | 50.85% 4,393 | 0.09% 7 |
| 1968 | 25.16% 2,879 | 74.84% 8,566 | 0.00% 0 |
| 1964 | 24.32% 2,804 | 75.68% 8,724 | 0.00% 0 |
| 1960 | 30.71% 3,938 | 69.29% 8,884 | 0.00% 0 |
In the Missouri House of Representatives, Dunklin County is divided into two legislative districts, both of which are represented by Republicans.
* District 150 – Consists of most of the county (the central and southern portions). The district includes the entire city of Kennett as well as the communities of Campbell, Clarkton, Holcomb, Senath, Hornersville, Rives, Arbyrd, and Cardwell. Andrew McDaniel, a Republican from Deering.
Missouri House – District 150 – Dunklin County (2020) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Andrew McDaniel | | 100.00% | |
Missouri House – District 150 – Dunklin County (2018) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Andrew McDaniel | 4,521 | 79.14% | |
| | Democratic | Josh Rittenberry | 1,192 | 20.86% | |
Missouri House – District 150 – Dunklin County (2016) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Andrew McDaniel | 5,226 | 69.10% | |
| | Democratic | Lena Samford | 2,337 | 30.90% | |
Missouri House – District 150 – Dunklin County (2014) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Andrew McDaniel | 1,934 | 47.62% | |
| | Democratic | Walter Dearing | 2,127 | 52.48% | |
* District 152 – Consists of the northern portion of the county and takes in the entire city of Malden. Hardy Billington, a Republican from Poplar Bluff.
Missouri House – District 152 – Dunklin County (2020) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Hardy Billington | | 100.00% | |
Missouri House – District 152 – Dunklin County (2018) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Hardy Billington | 1,483 | 68.44% | |
| | Democratic | Robert L. Smith | 684 | 31.56% | |
Missouri House – District 152 – Dunklin County (2016) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Todd Richardson | | 100.00% | |
Missouri House – District 152 – Dunklin County (2014) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Todd Richardson | | 100.00% | |
In the Missouri Senate, all of Dunklin County is a part of Missouri's 25th District and is currently represented by Republican Jason Bean of Poplar Bluff.
Missouri Senate – District 25 – Dunklin County (2020) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Jason Bean | | 100.00% | |
Missouri Senate – District 25 – Dunklin County (2016) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Doug Libla | 6,952 | 68.51% | |
| | Democratic | William D. "Bill" Burlison | 3,195 | 31.49% | |
Missouri Senate – District 25 – Dunklin County (2012) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Doug Libla | 5,056 | 48.65% | |
| | Democratic | Terry Swinger | 5,337 | 51.35% | |

### Federal

Missouri's two U.S. senators are Republicans Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt.
Claire McCaskill was reelected to her second term in 2012 with 54.81 percent of the statewide vote over former Republican U.S. Representative W. Todd Akin of Town & Country and Libertarian Jonathan Dine of Riverside; Dunklin County gave McCaskill just over 50 and a half percent of the vote.
U.S. Senate - Class I – Dunklin County (2012) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Claire McCaskill | 5,347 | 50.69 |
| Republican | W. Todd Akin | 4,806 | 45.56 |
| Libertarian | Jonathan Dine | 395 | 3.74 |
U.S. Senate - Class I – Dunklin County (2018) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Claire McCaskill | 1,988 | 24.90 |
| Republican | Josh Hawley | 5,802 | 72.70 |
| Independent | Craig O'Dear | 82 | 1.00 |
Roy Blunt was elected to his first term in 2010 with 54.23 percent of the statewide vote over former Democratic Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, Libertarian Jonathan Dine of Riverside, and Constitutionalist Jerry Beck of Novelty; Dunklin County voters backed Blunt with just under 62 and a half percent of the vote.
U.S. Senate - Class III – Dunklin County (2010) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Roy Blunt | 4,306 | 62.48 |
| Democratic | Robin Carnahan | 2,363 | 34.29 |
| Libertarian | Jonathan Dine | 121 | 1.76 |
| Constitution | Jerry Beck | 102 | 1.48 |
U.S. Senate - Class III – Dunklin County (2016) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Roy Blunt | 6,536 | 63.00 |
| Democratic | Jason Kander | 3,433 | 33.10 |
| Libertarian | Jonathan Dine | 172 | 1.70 |
All of Dunklin County is included in Missouri's 8th Congressional District and is currently represented by Republican Jason T. Smith of Salem in the U.S. House of Representatives. Smith won a special election on Tuesday, June 4, 2013, to complete the remaining term of former Republican U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson of 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.
U.S. House of Representatives - District 8 – Dunklin County (2012) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Republican | Jo Ann Emerson | 7,416 | 70.66 | +4.06 |
| Democratic | Jack Rushin | 2,884 | 27.48 | −3.34 |
| Libertarian | Rick Vandeven | 196 | 1.87 | +0.87 |
U.S. House of Representatives - District 8 - Special Election – Dunklin County (2013) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Jason T. Smith | 1,407 | 67.22 |
| Democratic | Steve Hodges | 618 | 29.53 |
| Constitution | Doug Enyart | 37 | 1.77 |
| Libertarian | Bill Slantz | 30 | 1.43 |
| Write-In | Thomas Brown | 1 | 0.05 |
U.S. House of Representatives - District 8 – Dunklin County (2018) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Jason T. Smith | 5,978 | 75.50 |
| Democratic | Kathy Ellis | 1,857 | 23.50 |
| Libertarian | Jonathan Shell | 81 | 1.00 |
U.S. House of Representatives - District 8 – Dunklin County (2020) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Jason T. Smith | 7,978 | 78.40 |
| Democratic | Kathy Ellis | 2,074 | 20.40 |
| Libertarian | Tom Schmitz | 129 | 1.30 |

#### Political culture

United States presidential election results for Dunklin County, Missouri :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 8,096 | 80.55% | 1,885 | 18.75% | 70 | 0.70% |
| 2020 | 8,135 | 78.08% | 2,200 | 21.12% | 84 | 0.81% |
| 2016 | 8,026 | 75.87% | 2,360 | 22.31% | 192 | 1.82% |
| 2012 | 6,850 | 64.31% | 3,636 | 34.14% | 165 | 1.55% |
| 2008 | 7,044 | 59.88% | 4,540 | 38.59% | 180 | 1.53% |
| 2004 | 6,720 | 57.55% | 4,901 | 41.97% | 56 | 0.48% |
| 2000 | 5,426 | 51.55% | 4,947 | 47.00% | 152 | 1.44% |
| 1996 | 3,766 | 37.02% | 5,428 | 53.36% | 979 | 9.62% |
| 1992 | 4,024 | 35.06% | 6,277 | 54.68% | 1,178 | 10.26% |
| 1988 | 5,026 | 48.70% | 5,281 | 51.17% | 13 | 0.13% |
| 1984 | 6,092 | 55.09% | 4,967 | 44.91% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1980 | 5,253 | 45.56% | 6,120 | 53.08% | 157 | 1.36% |
| 1976 | 3,314 | 31.73% | 7,107 | 68.06% | 22 | 0.21% |
| 1972 | 5,926 | 68.10% | 2,776 | 31.90% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 4,366 | 35.40% | 5,063 | 41.06% | 2,903 | 23.54% |
| 1964 | 3,465 | 29.04% | 8,467 | 70.96% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 6,708 | 50.53% | 6,568 | 49.47% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 4,943 | 36.24% | 8,698 | 63.76% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 5,400 | 36.18% | 9,515 | 63.76% | 9 | 0.06% |
| 1948 | 2,466 | 18.32% | 10,979 | 81.56% | 16 | 0.12% |
| 1944 | 4,274 | 33.57% | 8,431 | 66.22% | 27 | 0.21% |
| 1940 | 5,516 | 33.07% | 11,132 | 66.74% | 32 | 0.19% |
| 1936 | 3,775 | 26.84% | 10,233 | 72.75% | 58 | 0.41% |
| 1932 | 1,977 | 17.63% | 9,141 | 81.54% | 93 | 0.83% |
| 1928 | 3,602 | 42.37% | 4,879 | 57.39% | 20 | 0.24% |
| 1924 | 3,436 | 42.67% | 4,357 | 54.11% | 259 | 3.22% |
| 1920 | 4,455 | 44.72% | 5,199 | 52.18% | 309 | 3.10% |
| 1916 | 1,924 | 31.89% | 3,723 | 61.71% | 386 | 6.40% |
| 1912 | 987 | 18.81% | 2,723 | 51.89% | 1,538 | 29.31% |
| 1908 | 1,638 | 35.17% | 2,734 | 58.69% | 286 | 6.14% |
| 1904 | 1,461 | 38.47% | 2,229 | 58.69% | 108 | 2.84% |
| 1900 | 1,276 | 31.43% | 2,711 | 66.77% | 73 | 1.80% |
| 1896 | 961 | 24.38% | 2,975 | 75.47% | 6 | 0.15% |
| 1892 | 659 | 22.00% | 2,167 | 72.33% | 170 | 5.67% |
| 1888 | 719 | 28.12% | 1,838 | 71.88% | 0 | 0.00% |
Historically, Dunklin County has tended to support Democrats at the presidential level. A predominantly rural county in the heavily impoverished Bootheel with a fairly substantial African American population, Democrats at all levels have historically performed quite well in Dunklin County. Bill Clinton of neighboring Arkansas was the last Democratic presidential nominee to carry the county in 1996; since then, Dunklin County has, like virtually all counties throughout the state, experienced a rapid trend rightward, as Republicans have been surging at the presidential level. Voters in Dunklin County have left their historically Democratic roots as Republicans hold all the local elected offices in the county, and statewide elections have done much the same.
Like most rural areas throughout Missouri, voters in Dunklin County generally adhere to socially and culturally conservative principles but are more moderate or populist on economic issues, typical of the Dixiecrat philosophy. In 2004, Missourians voted on a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union between a man and a woman—it overwhelmingly passed Dunklin County with 87.57 percent of the vote. The initiative passed the state with 71 percent of support from voters as Missouri became the first state to ban same-sex marriage. In 2006, Missourians voted on a constitutional amendment to fund and legalize embryonic stem cell research in the state—it failed in Dunklin County with 53.70 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 approve embryonic stem cell research. Despite Dunklin County's longstanding tradition of supporting socially conservative platforms, voters in the county have a penchant for advancing populist causes like increasing the minimum 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 Dunklin County with 79.42 percent of the vote. The proposition strongly passed every single county in Missouri with 78.99 percent voting in favor as the minimum wage was increased to $6.50 an hour in the state. During the same election, voters in five other states also strongly approved increases in the minimum wage.

### Missouri presidential preference primary (2008)

In the 2008 Missouri Presidential Preference Primary, voters in Dunklin County from both political parties supported candidates who finished in second place in the state at large and nationally.
Former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) received more votes in Dunklin County, 2,587, than any candidate from either party during the 2008 Missouri Democratic presidential preference primary. The 2,587 is more votes than the total number cast in the entire Republican primary in Dunklin County.

## Communities

* Arbyrd
* Arkmo
* Baird
* Brian
* Buck Donic
* Bucoda
* Campbell
* Cardwell
* Caruth
* Clarkton
* Cockrum
* Cotton Plant
* Dillman
* Europa
* Frisbee
* Gibson
* Glennonville
* Gobler
* Hargrove
* Holcomb
* Hollywood
* Hornersville
* Ipley
* Kennett (county seat)
* Mackeys
* Malden
* Marlow
* McGuire
* Nesbit
* Octa
* Providence
* Rives
* Senath
* Sumach
* Townley
* Valley Ridge
* Vincit
* White Oak
* Wilhelmina
* Wrightsville

## Notable people

* Sheryl Crow, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter, was born in Kennett and grew up there.
* David Nail, country music singer, was born and raised in Kennett.
* Trent Tomlinson, country music singer/songwriter, was born and raised in Kennett
* Onie Wheeler, country music and bluegrass musician