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City · 16,254 residents · Butler County, Missouri

Poplar Bluff , Missouri

In Poplar Bluff, a typical home is worth $119,800 and typical rent is $760 a month. Compared with all of Butler County, the typical home value is 17% lower, typical household income is 15% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 12 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $119,800

    17% below the county

    48% below Missouri

    • Poplar Bluff
    • Butler
    • Missouri

  • Typical rent

    $760a month

    3% below the county

    26% below Missouri

    • Poplar Bluff
    • Butler
    • Missouri

  • Typical household income

    $41,941a year

    15% below the county

    41% below Missouri

    • Poplar Bluff
    • Butler
    • Missouri

  • Households that own their home

    53%

    12 points below the county

    15 points below Missouri

    • Poplar Bluff
    • Butler
    • Missouri

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$175,548
9.9% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Poplar Bluff is in Butler County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Butler County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Poplar Bluff apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Poplar Bluff has the 3rd lowest typical household income of the 141 cities in Missouri with more than 5,000 people ($41,941).

  2. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Poplar Bluff rose 9.9%; in Missouri, it rose 3.4%.

  3. 53% of households in Poplar Bluff own their home, against 65% in Butler County.

  4. The typical home in Poplar Bluff is worth $119,800, 17% less than in Butler County as a whole ($145,100).

  5. Poplar Bluff has the 11th lowest typical rent of the 138 cities in Missouri with more than 5,000 people ($760).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Poplar Bluff

What homes there are in Poplar Bluff, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Poplar Bluff, 8 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses, about the same as in Butler County.

Year built

Homes in Poplar Bluff are older: the typical year built is 1972; in Butler County, 1981.

Homes in Poplar Bluff are smaller: 53% have 3 bedrooms or more; in Butler County, 61%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

The FHA limit for Butler County is high ($541,287): at least 98% of owner-occupied homes in Poplar Bluff are worth less than $500,000.

Monthly rent with utilities

HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent (FMR) for Butler County is $962; about 76% of rents in Poplar Bluff are below it.

With a mortgage

$1,002 a month

Butler County: $1,074 a month

Without a mortgage

$424 a month

Butler County: $428 a month

Owners with a mortgage

56%

Butler County: 51%

Owning costs less in Poplar Bluff: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $1,002 a month; in Butler County, $1,074. Without one, $424.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Poplar Bluff rose 30% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Butler County (28%).

The typical rent in Poplar Bluff rose 12% over the same time; in Butler County, it rose 16%.

Income in Poplar Bluff grew faster than housing: it rose 38%, while home values changed +30% and rent +12%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasurePoplar BluffButler CountyMissouriUnited States
Rental vacancy 9.6%7.8%5.0%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.9%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate2.4%1.7%3.4%
People per household 2.412.482.402.53
Drive alone 77%78%75%69%
Carpool 15%13%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2%3%
Work from home 4%5%13%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In Poplar Bluff, the rental vacancy rate is 9.6%; in Butler County, 7.8%.

Much as in Butler County, a household in Poplar Bluff has 2.41 people on average.

In Poplar Bluff, 77% of workers drive alone to work; in Butler County, 78%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Poplar Bluff?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Poplar Bluff, worth $119,800, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 28% of the typical household income in Poplar Bluff, which is $41,941 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Butler County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Poplar Bluff. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $4,193 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$966

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$117,630
Total interest
$169,242
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $2,023 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $979 a month

    Your payment · 28%

  • Tight

    $979 to $1,258 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,258 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Poplar Bluff ($41,941 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$966
Principal & interest$797
Property tax$66
Home insurance$50
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$53

You need at least $4,193 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Poplar Bluff and Butler County

Poplar Bluff is in Butler County, Missouri. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Poplar Bluff's own numbers

Typical home value
$119,800
Typical monthly rent
$760
Typical yearly household income
$41,941
Households that own their home
53%
Effective property tax rate
0.66%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Butler County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$962
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+45%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
19%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Butler County.

Everything about Butler County

Buying

Buying a home in Poplar Bluff

A typical home in Poplar Bluff is worth $119,800: 17% below the county and 48% below Missouri. With the typical household income in Poplar Bluff ($41,941 a year), a typical home costs 2.9 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Poplar Bluff 2.9 years
  • Butler 3.0 years
  • Missouri 3.3 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Butler County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Butler County rose 60% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Butler County.

Period County Missouri U.S.
Last year (2025) +7.4% +3.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +45% +51% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +60% +88% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Poplar Bluff next to Butler County, Missouri and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Poplar Bluff $119,800
  • Butler $145,100
  • Missouri $230,300
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Poplar Bluff $760
  • Butler $780
  • Missouri $1,033
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Poplar Bluff $41,941
  • Butler $49,089
  • Missouri $70,702
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Poplar Bluff next to Butler County and Missouri
Measure Poplar Bluff Butler County Missouri U.S.
Typical home value $119,800 $145,100 $230,300 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $760 $780 $1,033 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $41,941 $49,089 $70,702 $80,734
Households that own their home 53% 65% 68% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $796 $967 $1,948 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.66% 0.67% 0.85% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 54% 50% 46% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Butler County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Poplar Bluff

For a typical $119,800 home in Poplar Bluff, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Poplar Bluff's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $966a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $4,193
    Cash to close
    $7,787
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $53

  • Conventional, 5% down $944a month

    Down payment
    $5,990
    Cash to close
    $9,584
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $57

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $765a month

    Down payment
    $23,960
    Cash to close
    $27,554
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $876a month

    Down payment
    $17,970
    Cash to close
    $21,564
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Poplar Bluff and for Butler County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Poplar Bluff

0.66%of the home’s value each year

$796 a year for the typical owner in Poplar Bluff.

  • Poplar Bluff 0.66%
  • Butler 0.67%
  • Missouri 0.85%

What Missouri publishes Deadline to appeal the assessment to the county board of equalization (Missouri Revisor of Statutes (Revised Statutes of Missouri))

Exemptions and deadlines in Missouri

Flood risk in Butler County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Butler County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
19%
3,645
Of those, with NFIP insurance
6.7%
County Missouri U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 19% 1.6% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 6.7% 19% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Poplar Bluff

Typical rent in Poplar Bluff is $760 a month: 3% below the county. In Poplar Bluff, 54% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Butler County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($962 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $18.50 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Butler County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $710 $13.65 $28,400
1 bedroom $735 $14.13 $29,400
2 bedrooms $962 $18.50 $38,480
3 bedrooms $1,259 $24.21 $50,360
4 bedrooms $1,264 $24.31 $50,560

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Poplar Bluff

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Poplar Bluff is in ZIP code 63901.

For 2 bedrooms it is $970: $8 more than the fair market rent for Butler County ($962).

  • 63901 $970$1,270

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Poplar Bluff when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Poplar Bluff

HUD lists 17 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Poplar Bluff. These are the largest.

  • South Tower 445 N 2nd St, Poplar Bluff 63901 291 homes, 289 low-income · Run by Housing Authority of the City of Poplar Bluff · Average payment: $344 a month · Average wait: 8 months (573) 785-8265
  • Poplar Bluff 423 N G St, Poplar Bluff 63901 286 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of the City of Poplar Bluff · Average payment: $330 a month · Average wait: 7 months · Homes at several sites (573) 785-8265
  • Brent B Tinnin Apartments 2049 Greenwood Dr, Poplar Bluff 63901 48 low-income homes · For older adults (573) 686-1004
  • Oakview Apts 745 E Outer Rd, Poplar Bluff 63901 48 low-income homes · 2 bd: 32 · 3 bd: 16 · In service since 2000
  • Poplar Bluff Villas 2301 Eugene Blvd, Poplar Bluff 63901 48 low-income homes · 2 bd: 48 · In service since 2018 · For families

See all 17 buildings in Butler County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Poplar Bluff

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Butler County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man leans over the armchair to help a teenage girl with her book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Poplar Bluff

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Poplar Bluff or Butler County. The ones below are statewide in Missouri: they work in Poplar Bluff the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Missouri

  • First Place Loan Program

    Statewide in Missouri

    Missouri state commission mortgage for first-time buyers and veterans, with the option of cash assistance for the down payment and closing costs. Offered by Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC).

    Type not stated

    See the program Official page

  • Next Step Program

    Statewide in Missouri

    Missouri state commission mortgage for buyers who earn more than First Place allows, with a second loan of 4% of the mortgage for the down payment and closing costs that is forgiven after ten years. Offered by Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Poplar Bluff

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Poplar Bluff, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • The Housing Partnership, Inc.

    729 Lemay Ferry Rd, Saint Louis · 123 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 3 more
    (314) 631-9905

  • Housing Options Provided for the Elderly (H.O.P.E)

    1120 S 6th St, Saint Louis · 129 miles away

    • Reverse mortgage counseling
    (844) 432-6467

  • NSC (naca Counseling Subsidiary) - ST. Louis, MO

    1300 Hampton Avenue suite 101, Saint Louis · 129 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (314) 645-8333

All counseling agencies in Missouri

Help in Spanish near Poplar Bluff

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Poplar Bluff

HUD’s record names them for Poplar Bluff or Butler County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority of the City of Poplar Bluff Public housing (573) 785-8265

One other authority has an office in Butler County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Poplar Bluff, with the typical home value.

Everything about Butler County Housing in Missouri

Neighboring counties

If Butler County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Poplar Bluff.

All guides
A mother holds her laughing daughter on a grey sofa.

Questions

Housing questions about Poplar Bluff

Short answers with the numbers for Poplar Bluff and all of Butler County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Poplar Bluff?

The typical home value in Poplar Bluff is $119,800, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Butler County it is $145,100.

How much does it cost to rent in Poplar Bluff?

Typical rent in Poplar Bluff is $760 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Butler County is $962.

What is the FHA loan limit in Poplar Bluff?

Poplar Bluff uses the FHA limit for all of Butler County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Poplar Bluff?

The typical homeowner in Poplar Bluff pays $796 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.66% of the home’s value; in Butler County, the rate is 0.67%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Poplar Bluff?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Butler County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).