| | Rolla, MO | Joplin, MO | United States |
| Population | 19,949 | 51,539 | 329,725,481 |
| Female Population | 45.8% | 50.4% | 50.5% |
| Male Population | 54.2% | 49.6% | 49.5% |
| Median Age | 28.3 | 37 | 38.4 |
| space3 | | | |
| Population - 2010 | 19,632 | 50,893 | 309,327,143 |
| Population - 2000 | 16,367 | 45,504 | 285,036,114 |
| Population - 1990 | 14,090 | 40,961 | 251,960,433 |
| Pop. 2000 to Now | 24.9% | 12.0% | 15.6% |
| Pop. 1990 to Now | 45.1% | 24.4% | 30.8% |
| space4 | | | |
| Population Density | 1,655.7 | 1,367.2 | 93.4 |
| Land Area | 12.0 | 37.7 | 3,531,905.4 |
| Water Area | 0.0 | 0.1 | 264,836.8 |
| space | | | |
| Est. Total Population By Age | | | |
| | Rolla, MO | Joplin, MO | United States |
| Age 0 to 4 | 5.4% | 6.3% | 5.9% |
| Age 5 to 9 | 5.0% | 6.4% | 6.1% |
| Age 10 to 14 | 4.1% | 6.0% | 6.6% |
| Age 15 to 17 | 2.4% | 3.2% | 3.9% |
| Age 18 to 20 | 17.0% | 4.5% | 4.0% |
| Age 21 to 24 | 11.1% | 6.3% | 5.2% |
| Age 25 to 34 | 14.7% | 14.8% | 13.8% |
| Age 35 to 44 | 9.3% | 12.1% | 12.9% |
| Age 45 to 54 | 7.9% | 10.5% | 12.6% |
| Age 55 to 59 | 4.4% | 6.1% | 6.7% |
| Age 60 to 64 | 4.6% | 5.7% | 6.3% |
| Age 65 to 74 | 6.9% | 10.4% | 9.6% |
| Age 75 to 84 | 4.8% | 5.8% | 4.5% |
| Age 85 and over | 2.2% | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| space1 | | | |
| Race | | | |
| | Rolla, MO | Joplin, MO | United States |
| White | 84.1% | 81.6% | 59.4% |
| Black | 3.0% | 3.2% | 12.2% |
| Asian | 5.6% | 2.1% | 5.6% |
| Native American | 0.1% | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Hawaiian, Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.6% | 0.2% |
| Other | 0.6% | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Two or More Races | 3.5% | 4.6% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic | 3.1% | 6.8% | 18.4% |
| space2 | | | |
| Marriage & Family | | | |
| | Rolla, MO | Joplin, MO | United States |
| Married Population | 36.1% | 46.9% | 49.8% |
| Currently Married | 34.6% | 45.3% | 48.0% |
| Married but Separated | 1.4% | 1.6% | 1.8% |
| Single Population | 63.9% | 53.1% | 50.2% |
| Never Married | 47.2% | 31.0% | 33.8% |
| Divorced | 11.8% | 15.7% | 10.8% |
| Widowed | 4.9% | 6.5% | 5.6% |
| space5 | | | |
| Household Size | 2.05 | 2.32 | 2.60 |
| Households | 8,350 | 21,434 | 124,010,992 |
| Family Households | 4,066 | 12,132 | 80,755,759 |
| Married couple, w/children | 27.1% | 29.7% | 30.5% |
| Married couple, no children | 41.8% | 42.4% | 42.9% |
| Non Family Households | 4,284 | 9,302 | 43,255,233 |
| Single householder, w/children | 23.3% | 18.3% | 15.8% |
| Single householder, no children | 7.8% | 9.7% | 10.8% |