Mercer is a city in Mercer County,

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

, United States. The population was 263 at the 2020 census.

History

A post office was established in 1859 and Mercer was

plat In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Survey System, Public Lands Surveys to ...

ted in the 1870s when the railroad was extended to that point. The original named of the community was Marion for Marion Merwitt, the daughter of a local pharmacist, but the town was incorporated in 1886 under the name Mercer.

Geography

Mercer is connected by US Highway 65 to

Lineville, Iowa Lineville is a city in Wayne County, Iowa, Wayne County, Iowa, United States. The population was 195 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of ...

located about 5 miles north and

Princeton, Missouri Princeton is the county seat and largest city of Mercer County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,007 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from the 2010 census, which counted 1,166 people. Princeton was the birthplace of ...

located about 8 miles south-southwest. The subdivisions of Lake Marie and Twin Lake are located just southwest of Mercer. 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.

Demographics

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 318 people, 149 households, and 91 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 183 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.7%

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 ...

, 0.3% Native American, and 0.9% 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 were 0.6% of the population. There were 149 households, of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% 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, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.9% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 25.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age in the city was 46.4 years. 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.6% were from 25 to 44; 29.2% were from 45 to 64; and 22.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 45.9% male and 54.1% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 342 people, 165 households, and 97 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 193 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 99.42%

, 0.29% Native American, and 0.29% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.29% of the population. There were 165 households, out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were

living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.2% were non-families. 38.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 24.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.75. In the town the population was spread out, with 21.6% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 27.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 81.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.5 males. The median income for a household in the town was $23,906, and the median income for a family was $27,750. Males had a median income of $24,583 versus $16,406 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 town was $13,493. About 18.1% of families and 26.3% 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 38.2% of those under age 18 and 27.1% of those age 65 or over.

Notable events

* In 1984 Mercer High School finished 2nd in the Missouri Class 1A/2A Girls Softball State Championship. * In 2013 Mercer High School finished 3rd in the Missouri Class 1 Girls Basketball State Championship. * In 2017 Mercer High School won the Missouri Class 1 Girls Basketball State Championship.

References

{{authority control Cities in Mercer County, Missouri Cities in Missouri