Moberly is a city in Randolph County, Missouri, United States. The population was 13,783 as of the 2020 census. It is part of the Columbia metropolitan area and the 9-county Columbia–Jefferson City–Moberly combined statistical area that has 415,747 residents.

History

Moberly was founded in 1866, and named after Colonel William E. Moberly, the first president of the Chariton and Randolph County railroads.

Moberly, which gained the nickname the "Magic City" because of its explosive growth in a railroad boom, grew from the town platted by the North Missouri Railroad (later part of the Wabash Railroad) in 1866 to a transportation center with a 6,070 population by 1880. The North Mo. acquired the site when it took over the Chariton and Randolph R.R. after the Civil War. In 1860, the C.& R. had planned a road west to Brunswick from this point on the North Mo. then reaching toward Iowa.

The Chariton and Randolph R. R. named its proposed junction for William Moberly, head of the railroad, and offered free land to residents of once nearby Allen to settle here. Patrick Lynch, who alone accepted, was given two lots by the North Missouri after the Civil War for holding the site without "the loss of a life or a house."

Moberly has been a division point since 1867 when the North Mo. (Wabash) reached Brunswick. Huge railroad repair shops, one of the earliest railroad plants west of the Mississippi, were opened, 1872. The M. K. & T. formed a junction here, 1873. Transportation facilities brought industrial growth and the development of the soil, fire clay, and coal resources of the area.

Moberly lies in a glacial plains area in a county organized, 1829, and names for John Randolph of Roanoke, Va. In Missouri's Little Dixie Region, it was first settled by William Holman, 1818. William Fort boiled salt at a spring near Huntsville in 1820s/ The Bee Trace, a pioneer trail, ran along the Grand Divide (the high point in The Grand Prairie) between the Missouri and Mississippi through the county. The Iowa, Sac, and Fox tribes gave up claims to the region, 1824.

At Huntsville, county seat, since 1831, a plank road was built to Glasgow, 1854, and the 1855-82 Mt. Pleasant (Baptist) College was founded. County legal business has been conducted at Huntsville and Moberly since 1885. Moberly Junior College opened, 1927.

World War II Gen. Omar N. Bradley, first Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff and commander of the largest Army in United States history was born in nearby Clark, but grew up in Moberly and graduated from Moberly High School. Moberly's airport is named for him. Moberly is the home of novelist Elizabeth Seifert Gasparotti and birthplace of writer Jack Conroy. G.W. P. Hunt, first Governor of Arizona, was born in Huntsville. Hancock L. Jackson, interim Gov. of Mo., 1857; Lt. Gov., 1857–61, and the biochemist Victor C. Vaughn, were natives of Randolph County.

The Missouri state Moberly Correctional Center was constructed two miles south of Moberly in 1963 as a minimum-security prison. As of 2014, it houses about 1800 minimum and medium security inmates.

On Independence Day, 1995, a tornado ripped through downtown Moberly. There were no reported deaths, but there was a large amount of structural damage. Another tornado hit nearby Renick on March 12, 2006. Four people were killed and thirteen were injured in the F3-level tornado. Dozens of homes were destroyed.

The World War II-era US Navy frigate was named for the town. The ship participated mostly in convoy escort, earning a battle star for her assistance in sinking a German submarine, U-853.

The Burkholder-O'Keefe House, Moberly Commercial Historic District, and Moberly Junior High School are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography Moberly is in southeast Randolph County at the intersection of U.S. Route 63 and U.S. Route 24. Nearby streams include Sugar Creek to the northwest, Coon Creek to the east and Sweet Spring Creek to the southwest.Missouri Atlas & Gazetteer, DeLorme, 3rd ed. 2007, p. 30

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water.

Climate

Demographics

The Moberly Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of Randolph County.

2020 census As of the 2020 census, Moberly had a population of 13,783. There were 5,051 households, 2,968 families, and 5,783 housing units. Of the housing units, 12.7% were vacant, with a homeowner vacancy rate of 4.3% and a rental vacancy rate of 8.3%.

The median age was 38.2 years. About 20.9% of residents were under age 18, and 15.9% were age 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 118.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 122.7 males. About 87.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 12.1% lived in rural areas.

Of the 5,051 households, 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 37.4% were married-couple households, 20.5% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present, and 33.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.5 and the average family size was 3.1.

+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 11,356 82.4% Black or African American 1,258 9.1% American Indian and Alaska Native 71 0.5% Asian 67 0.5% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 6 0.0% Some other race 105 0.8% Two or more races 920 6.7% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 378 2.7%

Income and poverty The 2016–2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $39,327 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,442) and the median family income was $50,714 (+/- $7,271). Males had a median income of $31,651 (+/- $3,623) versus $25,865 (+/- $4,420) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $28,497 (+/- $4,084). Approximately, 18.3% of families and 21.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.7% of those under the age of 18 and 8.1% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census As of the census of 2010, there were 13,974 people, 4,960 households, and 3,019 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,687 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 86.4% White, 9.7% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population.

There were 4,960 households, of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.1% were married couples living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.1% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.97.

The median age in the city was 35.7 years. 22% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.7% were from 25 to 44; 23.5% were from 45 to 64; and 13.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 53.8% male and 46.2% female.

2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 11,945 people, 5,001 households, and 3,090 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,812 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 90.51% White, 6.71% African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.67% of the population.

There were 5,001 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,519, and the median income for a family was $37,488. Males had a median income of $27,152 versus $19,508 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,478. About 11.1% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 14.7% of those age 65 or over. Government The city of Moberly was born of a railroad auction on September 27, 1866. The county incorporated the town in 1868 with a board of trustees. The same year that the Wabash Railroad, St. Louis & Pacific Railway shops were finished in Moberly,"History of Moberly" pamphlet from Randolph County Historical Society, four pages. the city entered a charter into state record and incorporated. At the time, there was no such thing as a council-manager government, but the 1950s saw the government form come into vogue in Missouri. Now, the city of Moberly has a council-manager government. The council consists of five members elected for three-year terms and one city counselor who drafts ordinances and acts as legal counsel. Each year, the council elects one of its members as mayor and one as mayor pro tempore to serve for one year. To manage the city and oversee day-to-day operations, the council selects a city manager. In 2026, the government had these officers:

City Council Brandon L. Lucas, Mayor Chuck McKeown, Mayor Pro Tem Sarah Barfield Graff, Councilman Brian Katcher, Councilman Mike Skubic, Councilman Randall Thompson, City Counselor Michael R. Bugalski, City Manager

Recreation

Moberly Parks and Recreation operates approximately 500 acres of parkland through five parks including maintained grounds, forest, lakes, the Howard Hils Athletic Complex consisting of eight baseball/softball fields and three football/soccer fields, the Moberly Aquatic Center, Thompson Campground, The Lodge, Municipal Auditorium, the Magic City Line - a one mile long miniature train track, over two miles of paved trails, boat ramps, fishing lakes, paddleboat/canoe rentals, and shelters. Moberly Midget League has provided a summer baseball program for the local youth since 1950. The program currently ranges from 8U to 14U. The Moberly Optimist Club has provided a summer youth baseball for decades. The program currently ranges from T-ball to 8U.Moberly Optimist Club – Missouri The Randolph County Historical Society has its headquarters in Moberly, and has two museums: one dedicated to county history and genealogy, and another dedicated to the Wabash, MKT, and CB&Q railroads.Randolph County Historical Society website

Education Moberly is home to two colleges; Central Bible University and Moberly Area Community College. The Moberly School District consists of seven schools. The Early Childhood Center serves preschoolers; North and South Park Elementary serve grades K-2; grades 3-5 attend Gratz Brown Elementary; grades 6-8 attend Moberly Middle School; and Moberly High School and Moberly Area Technical Center serve grades 9–12. East Park School served as an alternative school until the new ACES (alternative center for educational success) was opened in the second part of the 2023-2024 school year.Moberly School District The Seventh-day Adventist church operates Maranatha Adventist School, a K-8 school.Maranatha School The St. Pius X Catholic Elementary School, operated by the Catholic Church of the same name, serves grade K-8.St. Pius School