Morley, Missouri

Morley, Missouri
Country	United States
State	Missouri
Settled	1872
Population	697 (2010 census)
Area (sq mi)	0.8 mi²
Current mayor	Doug Sikes

Morley is a city in central Scott County, Missouri. The population was 697 at the 2010 census.

History

The first settlement in the Morley area was known as "Maxville," and lay immediately south of the present community. When the St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad was extended through the region in 1868, a new town was established along its route and named for J. H. Morley, an engineer for the railroad. Morley was incorporated in 1872 and quickly flourished, thanks to the presence of the railroad and fertile land for agriculture nearby. Cotton- and fruit-growing (especially melons) became especially important to the local economy.

Geography

Morley is located near the center of Scott County, near the intersection of U.S. Route 61 and Missouri State Highways 77 and 91. Its exact coordinates are 37°02’33”N 89°36’48”W. It is about five miles southwest of Benton, and about 12 miles north of Sikeston.

The town has a total land area of 0.8 square miles, and an average elevation of 344 feet. It lies at the northern edge of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, with generally flat terrain. The soil in the Morley area is mostly sandy, which has lent itself to fruit-growing in the past.

Demographics

At the 2010 census, Morley had a total of 697 inhabitants, grouped into 284 households, with a population density of 871.3 people per square mile. This figure represented a significant increase from the 2000 census, when Morley had a population of 792. 94.98% of the inhabitants were White, 1.15% were African-American, 0.43% were Native American, and 3.44% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 1.72% of the population.

The median age in Morley was 40.9 years, with 24.1% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 8.1% between 18 and 24 years old, 23.6% between 25 and 44, 27.0% between 45 and 64, and 17.1% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 47.1% male, 52.9% female.

According to the 2017 American Community Survey, the median household income in Morley was $34,792, and the median family income was $37,375. The unemployment rate was 7.9%. The per capita income was $17,032. About 32.6% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 46.5% of people under the age of 18 and 19.6% of people 65 years old or older.

Education

Morley is served by the Scott County Central High School, formed in 1959 from the consolidation of several local schools in Morley and nearby communities. It is a K-12 public institution, with an enrollment of around 330 students. Its mascot is the Braves, and its colors are black and orange.

The Braves are notable for their impressive record in athletics, having won multiple state championships in high school basketball during the last few decades.