Kennett is a city in and the county seat of

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 ...

, United States. The city is located in the southeast corner (or " Bootheel") of Missouri, east of

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...

and from the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

. It had a population of 10,515 at the 2020 census. Kennett is the largest city in the Bootheel, a mostly agricultural area.

History

Settlers built log cabins in the area in the first half of the 19th century, naming their settlement Chilletecaux in honor of a Delaware Indian chief who lived there. The town was renamed Butler in the late 1840s. Due to mail delivery problems because of other jurisdictions named the same, the settlement was renamed Kennett, in honor of the mayor of the city of

St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...

, Luther M. Kennett. In the 1890s, a railroad reached the area, stimulating growth in the town. In that same period, the state began construction of a massive drainage program in the

St. Francis River The St. Francis River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, about long, in southeastern Missouri and northeastern Arkansas in the United States. The river drains a mostly rural area and forms part of the Missouri-Arkansas state line along th ...

basin, which was floodplain and wetlands. In the 20th century, after timber clearing, the area was developed for cultivation of cotton and other commodity crops. On March 15, 2025, an EF2 tornado hit the city at EF1 strength, damaging several homes, businesses, a motel, and wooden power poles and snapping trees. In May 2025, Kennett was in national news for local reactions to

deportation in the second presidency of Donald Trump United States president Donald Trump has continued the process of Deportation and removal from the United States, deporting immigrants in the United States after assuming office for a second term. The administration's policy has been characte ...

when a legal resident of twenty years, Carol Mayorga, was detained by

ICE Ice is water that is frozen into a solid state, typically forming at or below temperatures of 0 ° C, 32 ° F, or 273.15 K. It occurs naturally on Earth, on other planets, in Oort cloud objects, and as interstellar ice. As a naturally oc ...

Geography

Kennett is located at (36.2403403, -90.0480886). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , all land. As part of the southern extremity of Missouri, Kennett has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

''Cfa'') with cool winters and hot, humid summers, ample precipitation through much of the year, and is part of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7. The monthly daily average temperature ranges from in January to in July. On average, there are 4.9 days annually with + highs, 63 days of + highs, 9.4 days where the temperature does not rise above freezing, and 4.8 days with or lower minima.

Climate

Demographics

The Kennett Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of Dunklin County. As of 2000 the

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...

was $26,088 and the median family income was $34,167. Males had a median income of $29,958 versus $18,770 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $14,397. Living below the poverty line were 26.1% of the population and 20.5% of families. Those living below the poverty line were 37.5% of those under the age of 18 and 24.0% of those 65 and older.

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 10,515 people, 4,252 households, and 2,662 families in Kennett. The population density was 1,502.1 per square mile (579.7/km). There were 4,837 housing units at an average density of 691.0 per square mile (266.6/km). The racial makeup was 71.27% (7,494)

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 18.46% (1,941) black or African-American, 0.2% (21) Native American, 0.6% (63) Asian, 0.01% (1)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 2.61% (274) from other races, and 6.86% (721) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race was 5.7% (575) of the population. Of the 4,252 households, 24.3% had children under the age of 18; 38.9% were married couples living together; 31.6% had a female householder with no husband present. Of all households, 29.1% consisted of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.8. 23.4% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 84.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 82.6 males. The 2016-2020 5-year

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

estimates show that the median household income was $40,857 (with a margin of error of +/- $9,064) and the median family income was $55,915 (+/- $4,916). Males had a median income of $33,403 (+/- $12,178) versus $22,135 (+/- $2,919) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $25,639 (+/- $2,302). Approximately, 12.4% of families and 23.0% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 31.1% of those under the age of 18 and 8.8% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 10,932 people, 4,377 households, and 2,849 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 4,863 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 80.1%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 16.2%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.2% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1%

, 1.3% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 3.5% of the population. There were 4,377 households, of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 18.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.9% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age in the city was 38.4 years. 25.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.7% were from 25 to 44; 25.5% were from 45 to 64; and 16.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.1% male and 52.9% female.

Government

Kennett is located in

Missouri's 8th congressional district Missouri's 8th congressional district is one of 435 congressional districts in the United States and one of eight congressional districts in the state of Missouri. The district encompasses rural Southeast Missouri and South Central Missouri as w ...

in southeastern Missouri and is the county seat of

. The city of Kennett is governed by a city council with 10 elected city council members with the mayor acting as the presiding officer.

Education

Kennett School District 39 which covers the majority of the municipality.
Text list
/ref> The Kennett district operates six public schools in Kennett. The pre-school is called Kennett Early Learning Center. The elementary schools are South Elementary School and H. Byron Masterson Elementary School. The other schools are Kennett Middle School, Kennett High School, and Kennett Career and Technical Center. Kennett High School's baseball team won the class 4 state championship in 2021. Small sections of Kennett extend into Holcomb R-III School District and Senath-Hornersville C-8 School District. Kennett Christian Academy is a co-ed, private school affiliated with the First United Pentecostal Church that opened in 1979 and offers elementary through high school classes. Kennett is home to two higher education branch institutions.

Southeast Missouri State University Southeast Missouri State University (Southeast or SEMO) is a public university in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. In addition to the main campus, the university has four regional campuses offering full degree programs and a secondary campus housing t ...

at Kennett is a branch of the Cape Girardeau main campus and

Three Rivers College (Missouri) Three Rivers College is a public community college in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. It was founded in 1966 when voters in the counties of Butler, Carter, Ripley, and Wayne approved the taxing district of Butler, Carter, Ripley, and Wayne counties. Thr ...

is a branch of the Poplar Bluff main campus. Kennett has a

public library A public library is a library, most often a lending library, that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil servic ...

, the Dunklin County Library.

Media

The '' Delta Dunklin Democrat'' serves as the area's local newspaper.

Transportation

Kennett Memorial Airport Kennett Memorial Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located one nautical mile (1.85 km) southeast of the central business district of Kennett, a city in Dunklin County, Missouri, United States. This airport is included in the Nat ...

is a city-owned, public-use

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial Aviation, air transport. They usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surf ...

located one nautical mile (1.85 km) southeast of the

central business district A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides wit ...

of Kennett.. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective February 11, 2010.

Notable people

References

External links

*
City of Kennett official website

Kennett Chamber of Commerce
* Historic maps of Kennett in th
Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection
at the

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou or MU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri, United States. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Univers ...

{{authority control Cities in Dunklin County, Missouri County seats in Missouri Cities in Missouri