Ray County, Missouri
Founding: 1821 Parent county: Howard Namesake: John Ray, Missouri politician Seat: Bluffton (1820–1828); Richmond (1828–) Land area: 569 square miles Population (2020): 23,158 Population (historic): 2,657 (1830); 10,373 (1850); 18,700 (1870); 24,805 (1900); 19,846 (1930) Periods of population growth: pre-1830–1900; 1950–2010 Subdivisions: Eight cities; three villages; one CDP; eight townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 1,319 (13.1%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 31.8% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940): 6.3% Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 12.2% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 12.6% Average farmhouse value (1930): $1,251 Average outbuilding value (1930): $844 Average farmhouse size (1940): 4.7 rooms Number of farms (1920): 2,541 Average farm size (1920): 104 acres Sources of settlement: Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee _______________________...