Scott City, Missouri

Country | United States
State | Missouri

Settled | 1960

Population | 4,565 (2010 census)
Area (sq mi) | 4.77 mi²

Current mayor | Norman Brant

Scott City is a city in Scott and Cape Girardeau Counties, Missouri. The population was 4,565 at the 2010 census.

Scott City is technically among the newest communities in the county, having been formed in 1960 through the consolidation of several older towns.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Geography
* 3 Demographics
* 4 Education
* 5 References

## History[edit]

Scott City originally existed as three separate communities: Ancell, Fornfelt, and Illmo, lying in close proximity to one another roughly from west to east. The area was first settled by German immigrants in the years before the Civil War, but the towns were not incorporated until after the extension of a railroad bridge across the Mississippi River to Thebes, Illinois, in 1904, which brought more commerce to the area.[1]

After this point, the towns grew rapidly. Fornfelt and Illmo were the largest, Illmo boasting numerous churches, a movie theater, and even an opera house (the latter being destroyed by fire in 1930).

Owing to their being so close to one another, a movement eventually arose to unite the three towns. Fornfelt and Ancell (which was much smaller) finally did so on March 7, 1960, renaming their new community Scott City in honor of the county. Illmo remained separate for a time, eventually joining in 1980.[2]

## Geography[edit]

Scott City is immediately south of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, located along (and mostly east of) Interstate 55 and U.S. Route 61 in northern Scott County, near the Cape Girardeau County line. Its exact coordinates are 37°13’7”N, 89°31’27”W.

The city has a total land area of 4.77 square miles, and an average elevation of 371 feet.[3] A small portion of the city falls within Cape Girardeau County, this being uninhabited land near the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport.

Like most of Southeast Missouri, Scott City has a humid subtropical climate, resulting in hot summers and cool winters with abundant rainfall. The average temperature ranges between 32°F in January and 79°F in July. Annual precipitation averages about 46 inches.[4]

## Demographics[edit]

At the 2010 census, Scott City had a total of 4,565 inhabitants, grouped into 1,794 households, with a population density of 973.3 people per square mile. This figure was essentially unchanged from the 2000 census, when Scott City had a population of 4,591. 96.93% of the inhabitants were White, 0.68% were African-American, 0.26% were Native American, 0.24% were Asian, 0.83% were from other races, and 1.05% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 1.45% of the population.

The median age in Scott City was 36.3 years, with 25.6% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 9.1% between 18 and 24 years old, 27.3% between 25 and 44, 24.8% between 45 and 64, and 13.2% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 48.3% male, 51.7% female.[5]

According to the 2016 American Community Survey, the median household income in Scott City was $36,250, and the median family income was $47,045. The unemployment rate was 2.4%. The per capita income was $23,170. About 23.3% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 34.5% of people under the age of 18 and 17.1% of people 65 years old or older.[6]

## Education[edit]

Scott City is served by the Scott City R-I School District, a K-12 public institution with an enrollment of over 800 students.[7] Its mascot is the Rams, and its colors are blue, yellow, and white.

There is also a small Roman Catholic parochial school, St. Joseph Academy, which serves kindergarten through 8th grade.

## References[edit]

1. ↑ https://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_scott.html
2. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20131228005533/http://www.scottcitymo.org/history.html
3. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20120702145235/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt
4. ↑ http://www.city-data.com/city/Scott-City-Missouri.html
5. ↑ https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=CF
6. ↑ https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=CF
7. ↑ https://www.greatschools.org/missouri/scott-city/schools/