According to the 2000 Census figures, Missouri's population is more diverse than ever, especially urban areas. Missouri's Asian and Pacific Islander race category experienced the largest percent increase, 55.1% growing from 41,758 in 1999 to 64,773 in 2000. Missouri's total population grew by 9.3% from just over 5.1 million in 1990 to slightly under 5.6 million in 2000.
St. Louis County, Jackson County and St. Louis City lead Missouri in Asian and Pacific Islander populations with 22,857, 9,580, and 6,985 persons respectively. Knox, Mercer, and Worth counties reported Missouri's smallest Asian and Pacific Islanders populations with populations of 4, 2, and 2, respectively. St. Louis County also reported the largest increase in the Asian and Pacific Islander population with a growth of 8,629 persons, a 60.6% increase since 1990. Sullivan County reported the largest percent increase, 650%, growing from a population of 2 in 1990 to 15 in 2000. Overall, 18 of Missouri counties reported a percent increase since 1990 of 100% or higher.
Not all of Missouri's counties experienced positive change in Asian and Pacific Islander population. Pulaski County reported the largest decrease in persons, 199, a 15.7% decrease. Polk and Stoddard Counties both reported a loss of 16 persons. Worth, DeKalb, and Atchison reported the largest percentage decreases with 60%, 40%, and 35.7% respectively. Overall 17 of Missouri counties reported negative growth, while 4 reported no change in Asian and Pacific Islander populations.
Census data for the 1990 and 2000 census are not directly comparable because individuals could report only one race in the 1990 census and could report multiple races in 2000. Thus the difference in population is due to both the changes in Census questionnaire and to real population change.
| Top Ten Largest Counties | Top Ten Smallest Counties | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis County | 22,857 | Putnam County | 7 |
| Jackson County | 9,580 | Shelby County | 7 |
| City of St. Louis | 6,985 | Carter County | 6 |
| Boone County | 4,057 | Clark County | 6 |
| Greene County | 2,865 | Shannon County | 6 |
| Clay County | 2,643 | Holt County | 5 |
| St. Charles County | 2,485 | Scotland County | 5 |
| Platte County | 1,243 | Knox County | 4 |
| Pulaski County | 1,066 | Mercer County | 2 |
| Phelps County | 961 | Worth County | 2 |
| Top Ten Largest Growth | Top Ten Largest Decline | ||
| St. Louis County | 8,629 | Pulaski County | -199 |
| City of St. Louis | 3,224 | Polk County | -16 |
| Jackson County | 2,930 | Stoddard County | -16 |
| Clay County | 1,494 | DeKalb County | -14 |
| Greene County | 1,332 | Marion County | -8 |
| St. Charles County | 1,046 | New Madrid County | -8 |
| Boone County | 916 | Grundy County | -7 |
| Platte County | 432 | Atchison County | -5 |
| Cole County | 390 | Cooper County | -5 |
| Jasper County | 277 | Harrison County | -5 |
| Top Ten Fastest Growth | Top Ten Fastest Decline | ||
| Sullivan County | 650.0% | Polk County | -21.1% |
| Caldwell County | 450.0% | Harrison County | -21.7% |
| Gentry County | 360.0% | New Madrid County | -22.2% |
| Osage County | 333.3% | Iron County | -28.6% |
| Cedar County | 245.0% | Grundy County | -29.2% |
| Bates County | 170.0% | Ozark County | -33.3% |
| Camden County | 163.0% | Stoddard County | -34.0% |
| Reynolds County | 160.0% | Atchison County | -35.7% |
| Cole County | 149.4% | DeKalb County | -40.0% |
| Shelby County | 133.3% | Worth County | -60.0% |
| County | 2000 Asian Pacific Islander | 1990 Asian Pacific Islander | Total Change 1990-2000 | % Change 1990-2000 | County | 2000 Asian Pacific Islander | 1990 Asian Pacific Islander | Total Change 1990-2000 | % Change 1990-2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri total | 64,773 | 41,758 | 23,015 | 55.1% | Lincoln County | 79 | 55 | 24 | 43.6% |
| Adair County | 359 | 220 | 139 | 63.2% | Linn County | 19 | 14 | 5 | 35.7% |
| Andrew County | 38 | 23 | 15 | 65.2% | Livingston County | 41 | 28 | 13 | 46.4% |
| Atchison County | 9 | 14 | -5 | -35.7% | Macon County | 27 | 19 | 8 | 42.1% |
| Audrain County | 97 | 83 | 14 | 16.9% | Madison County | 34 | 34 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Barry County | 102 | 81 | 21 | 25.9% | Maries County | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Barton County | 47 | 28 | 19 | 67.9% | Marion County | 101 | 109 | -8 | -7.3% |
| Bates County | 27 | 10 | 17 | 170.0% | McDonald County | 61 | 43 | 18 | 41.9% |
| Benton County | 24 | 17 | 7 | 41.2% | Mercer County | 2 | 1 | 1 | 100.0% |
| Bollinger County | 26 | 28 | -2 | -7.1% | Miller County | 35 | 23 | 12 | 52.2% |
| Boone County | 4,057 | 3,141 | 916 | 29.2% | Mississippi County | 16 | 15 | 1 | 6.7% |
| Buchanan County | 406 | 269 | 137 | 50.9% | Moniteau County | 48 | 36 | 12 | 33.3% |
| Butler County | 183 | 126 | 57 | 45.2% | Monroe County | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Caldwell County | 11 | 2 | 9 | 450.0% | Montgomery County | 32 | 20 | 12 | 60.0% |
| Callaway County | 215 | 121 | 94 | 77.7% | Morgan County | 27 | 26 | 1 | 3.8% |
| Camden County | 121 | 46 | 75 | 163.0% | New Madrid County | 28 | 36 | -8 | -22.2% |
| Cape Girardeau County | 533 | 478 | 55 | 11.5% | Newton County | 314 | 240 | 74 | 30.8% |
| Carroll County | 14 | 11 | 3 | 27.3% | Nodaway County | 195 | 166 | 29 | 17.5% |
| Carter County | 6 | 5 | 1 | 20.0% | Oregon County | 15 | 14 | 1 | 7.1% |
| Cass County | 427 | 275 | 152 | 55.3% | Osage County | 13 | 3 | 10 | 333.3% |
| Cedar County | 69 | 20 | 49 | 245.0% | Ozark County | 8 | 12 | -4 | -33.3% |
| Chariton County | 11 | 7 | 4 | 57.1% | Pemiscot County | 57 | 52 | 5 | 9.6% |
| Christian County | 173 | 77 | 96 | 124.7% | Perry County | 122 | 70 | 52 | 74.3% |
| City of St. Louis | 6,985 | 3,761 | 3,224 | 85.7% | Pettis County | 175 | 127 | 48 | 37.8% |
| Clark County | 6 | 5 | 1 | 20.0% | Phelps County | 961 | 790 | 171 | 21.6% |
| Clay County | 2,643 | 1,149 | 1,494 | 130.0% | Pike County | 35 | 24 | 11 | 45.8% |
| Clinton County | 33 | 22 | 11 | 50.0% | Platte County | 1,243 | 811 | 432 | 53.3% |
| Cole County | 651 | 261 | 390 | 149.4% | Polk County | 60 | 76 | -16 | -21.1% |
| Cooper County | 42 | 47 | -5 | -10.6% | Pulaski County | 1,066 | 1,265 | -199 | -15.7% |
| Crawford County | 44 | 30 | 14 | 46.7% | Putnam County | 7 | 4 | 3 | 75.0% |
| Dade County | 15 | 16 | -1 | -6.3% | Ralls County | 9 | 6 | 3 | 50.0% |
| Dallas County | 16 | 18 | -2 | -11.1% | Randolph County | 103 | 79 | 24 | 30.4% |
| Daviess County | 21 | 12 | 9 | 75.0% | Ray County | 45 | 35 | 10 | 28.6% |
| DeKalb County | 21 | 35 | -14 | -40.0% | Reynolds County | 13 | 5 | 8 | 160.0% |
| Dent County | 34 | 35 | -1 | -2.9% | Ripley County | 32 | 23 | 9 | 39.1% |
| Douglas County | 30 | 17 | 13 | 76.5% | Saline County | 134 | 62 | 72 | 116.1% |
| Dunklin County | 94 | 77 | 17 | 22.1% | Schuyler County | 8 | 4 | 4 | 100.0% |
| Franklin County | 272 | 196 | 76 | 38.8% | Scotland County | 5 | 0 | 5 | N/A |
| Gasconade County | 25 | 17 | 8 | 47.1% | Scott County | 96 | 69 | 27 | 39.1% |
| Gentry County | 23 | 5 | 18 | 360.0% | Shannon County | 6 | 4 | 2 | 50.0% |
| Greene County | 2,865 | 1,533 | 1,332 | 86.9% | Shelby County | 7 | 3 | 4 | 133.3% |
| Grundy County | 17 | 24 | -7 | -29.2% | St. Charles County | 2,485 | 1,439 | 1,046 | 72.7% |
| Harrison County | 18 | 23 | -5 | -21.7% | St. Clair County | 16 | 11 | 5 | 45.5% |
| Henry County | 59 | 49 | 10 | 20.4% | St. Francois County | 187 | 124 | 63 | 50.8% |
| Hickory County | 10 | 6 | 4 | 66.7% | St. Louis County | 22,857 | 14,228 | 8,629 | 60.6% |
| Holt County | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0.0% | Ste. Genevieve County | 29 | 24 | 5 | 20.8% |
| Howard County | 20 | 17 | 3 | 17.6% | Stoddard County | 31 | 47 | -16 | -34.0% |
| Howell County | 150 | 75 | 75 | 100.0% | Stone County | 62 | 37 | 25 | 67.6% |
| Iron County | 10 | 14 | -4 | -28.6% | Sullivan County | 15 | 2 | 13 | 650.0% |
| Jackson County | 9,580 | 6,650 | 2,930 | 44.1% | Taney County | 157 | 85 | 72 | 84.7% |
| Jasper County | 795 | 518 | 277 | 53.5% | Texas County | 82 | 60 | 22 | 36.7% |
| Jefferson County | 736 | 545 | 191 | 35.0% | Vernon County | 70 | 65 | 5 | 7.7% |
| Johnson County | 753 | 609 | 144 | 23.6% | Warren County | 63 | 33 | 30 | 90.9% |
| Knox County | 4 | 3 | 1 | 33.3% | Washington County | 37 | 23 | 14 | 60.9% |
| Laclede County | 110 | 80 | 30 | 37.5% | Wayne County | 19 | 9 | 10 | 111.1% |
| Lafayette County | 91 | 70 | 21 | 30.0% | Webster County | 89 | 46 | 43 | 93.5% |
| Lawrence County | 87 | 58 | 29 | 50.0% | Worth County | 2 | 5 | -3 | -60.0% |
| Lewis County | 23 | 17 | 6 | 35.3% | Wright County | 26 | 12 | 14 | 116.7% |