Missouri

Buchanan

84,793
2020 population
1840
first census record
19
census records

About Buchanan

Buchanan, Missouri, first appears in the United States federal census in 1840, when it recorded a population of 6,237. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 84,793.

Its recorded population peaked at 121,838 in 1900, and has since declined by roughly 30 percent.

On the ground today, 4 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them St. Joseph Skirmish 1861, Buchanan County MO Guerrilla Actions (1862), Skirmish at St. Joseph (MO), and 63 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202084,793
201089,201
200085,998
199083,083
198087,888
197086,915
196090,581
195096,826
194094,067
193098,633
192093,684
191093,020
1900121,838
189070,100
188049,792
187035,109
186023,861
185012,975
18406,237
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Buchanan

Military engagements that took place in Buchanan, Missouri.

St. Joseph Skirmish 1861
1861
Buchanan County MO Guerrilla Actions (1862)
1862
Skirmish at St. Joseph (MO)
1862
Death of Jesse James, St. Joseph Missouri
1882

Historic places in Buchanan

National Register of Historic Places listings in Buchanan, Missouri.

Western Tablet and Stationery Company, Building #2
St. Joseph
Patee, John, House
St. Joseph
Eckel, Edmond Jacques, House
St. Joseph
Lawler Motor Company Building
St. Joseph
St. Joseph Public Library-Carnegie Branch
St. Joseph
Pony Express Stables
St. Joseph
Robidoux Row
St. Joseph
Robidoux Hill Historic District
St. Joseph
Missouri Valley Trust Company Historic District
St. Joseph
Buchanan County Courthouse (Boundary Decrease)
St. Joseph
Miller-Porter-Lacy House
St. Joseph
Richardson, John D., Dry Goods Company
St. Joseph
Neely Elementary School
St. Joseph
Buchanan County Courthouse and Jail
St. Joseph
Virginia Flats
St. Joseph
Wholesale Row
St. Joseph
Hall Street Historic District
St. Joseph
Cathedral Hill Historic District
St. Joseph
German-American Bank Building
St. Joseph
Missouri Theater and Missouri Theater Building
St. Joseph
South Fourth Street Commercial Historic District
St. Joseph
Mount Mora Cemetery
St. Joseph
Harris Addition Historic District
St. Joseph
St. Joseph's Commerce and Banking Historic District
St. Joseph
Browse all Missourihistoric sites ›

Other counties in Missouri

Explore census history and historic records for more Missouri counties.

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Everything a full report reveals about Buchanan County, Missouri

This page charts the census history of Buchanan County, Missouri. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Buchanan

When does Buchanan first appear in the US census?
Buchanan, Missouri first appears in the federal census in 1840, with a recorded population of 6,237.
What is the population of Buchanan?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Buchanan had a recorded population of 84,793.
When did Buchanan's population peak?
Buchanan's recorded population peaked at 121,838 in 1900.
Were any battles fought in Buchanan?
4 documented military engagements took place in Buchanan, including St. Joseph Skirmish 1861, Buchanan County MO Guerrilla Actions (1862), Skirmish at St. Joseph (MO).
How many historic places are in Buchanan?
63 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Buchanan, Missouri.
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