Miner, Missouri

Miner is a city in Scott and Mississippi Counties, Missouri. Its population was 984 at the 2010 census.

History

After the arrival of the Missouri Pacific Railroad, a post office was established east of Sikeston in 1895, designated "Minner" after a German sawmill owner who had built a tramway from his mill to the railroad. The owner and his family at some point anglicized their name to "Miner," causing the location to be variously known as "Minner," "Miner Switch," and finally "Miner."

The community was incorporated in 1951. Today it chiefly relies on business from travelers passing through on Interstates 55 and 57, which pass through the town and provide economic opportunities for multiple restaurants, shops, and gas stations; the famous Lambert's Cafe, for example, though usually associated with Sikeston, is technically located in Miner.

Geography

Miner is located in southeastern Scott County, immediately east of Sikeston. A very small (mostly uninhabited) portion lies in Mississippi County, just to the southeast. Its exact coordinates are 36°53’31”N, 89°32’09”W.

The city has a total land area of 4.56 square miles, and an average elevation of 312 feet. Several major highways pass through Miner, including Interstates 55 and 57 and U.S. Routes 60 and 62. The city has expanded its boundaries over time to include portions of these highways; the original community (and the most densely settled area) lies just southwest of the intersection of I-55 and U.S. 62.

Demographics

At the 2010 census, Miner had a total of 984 inhabitants, grouped into 389 households, with a population density of 215.8 people per square mile. This figure represented a slight decrease from the 2000 census, when Miner had a population of 1,056. 92.28% of the inhabitants were White, 3.15% were African-American, 0.2% were Native American, 0.61% were Asian, 1.73% were from other races, and 2.03% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 4.37% of the population.

The median age in Miner was 41.9 years, with 23.7% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 5.9% between 18 and 24 years old, 23.6% between 25 and 44, 28.8% between 45 and 64, and 18% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 46.6% male, 53.4% female.

According to the 2017 American Community Survey, the median household income in Miner was $44,375, and the median family income was $52,589. The unemployment rate was 3.9%. The per capita income was $20,556. About 14.0% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 17.0% of people under the age of 18 and 7.9% of people 65 years old or older.