The Town Files

Dent County, Missouri

14,539 people. The median home is worth $167,500 (typical Missouri town: $153,900) and the median household earns $56,312.

Towns in Dent County

Towns in Dent County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Salem4,608$115,000$43,92342.3

People and housing

Dent CountyTypical Missouri town
Median home value$167,500$153,900
Median rent$660$855
Median household income$56,312$56,368
Median age43.538.6
Bachelor's degree or higher16.5%18.9%
Below the poverty line12.2%14.6%

Jobs and pay

3,795 jobs in 2024, average pay $42,359 a year.

Largest industries in Dent CountyRetail549 jobs · $31,144Manufacturing367 jobs · $58,192Hotels & restaurants313 jobs · $18,728Wholesale trade274 jobs · $71,275Finance & insurance154 jobs · $68,513Construction152 jobs · $43,211
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Dent County0%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023 3.5%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 450 storm events in Dent County from 1996 to 2026, with 4 deaths.

Storm events in Dent County by type since 1996Hail116Heat9Flood58Drought17Tornado13Ice Storm7Heavy Rain25Flash Flood54Winter Storm30Winter Weather7
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Dent County has been included in 18 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 1, 2025Severe StormDR-4855: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
March 26, 2020BiologicalDR-4490: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3482: Covid-19
June 2, 2017FloodDR-4317: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding
January 2, 2016FloodEM-3374: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
February 3, 2011Severe StormEM-3317: Severe Winter Storm
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).