Delta, Missouri

Delta is a city in southern Cape Girardeau County, Missouri. It had a population of 438 at the 2010 census.

History

The exact date of Delta's founding is uncertain, although the post office dates from 1914. It first came into existence due to the junction of three local railroads: the Iron Mountain, the St. Louis and Iron Mountain, and the St. Louis Southwestern Railroads. The community received its name from the intersection of the railroads, whose angle resembled the Greek letter delta.

Geography

Delta is located on Missouri State Highway 25 in southern Cape Girardeau County, about 11 miles northeast of Advance and four miles west of Chaffee. State Routes N, P, and EE also meet in Delta. Its exact coordinates are 37°11’48”N 89°44’10”W.

The city lies on the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, near the eastern end of Hickory Ridge, an extension of nearby Crowley's Ridge. It has a total area of 0.39 square miles, and an average elevation of 341 feet.

Demographics

At the 2010 census, Delta had a total of 438 inhabitants, grouped into 179 households, with a population density of 1,123.1 people per square mile. This figure represented a significant decrease from the 2000 census, when Delta had a population of 517. 96.12% of the inhabitants were White, and 3.88% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 0.46% of the population.

The median age in Delta was 43.5 years, with 23.7% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 6.5% between 18 and 24 years old, 21.7% between 25 and 44, 32.0% between 45 and 64, and 16.2% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 48.9% male, 51.1% female.

According to the 2017 American Community Survey, Delta had a median household income of $41,389, and a median family income of $45,469. The unemployment rate was 7.7%. The per capita income was $17,674. About 12.3% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 25.0% of people under the age of 18 and 7.5% of people 65 years old or older.

Education

The city and most of southwestern Cape Girardeau County are served by the Delta R-V School District, a K-12 public institution with an enrollment of about 250 students. Its mascot is the Bobcats, and the school colors are blue and white.