List of counties in Missouri

List of counties in Missouri. The state of Missouri is divided into 114 counties and one independent city, St. Louis. Each county is governed by a County commission, which is responsible for overseeing the administration of the county, including the Sheriff's department, Circuit court, and Assessor's office. The counties in Missouri vary in size and population, with the most populous being Jackson County, Missouri, which is home to Kansas City, Missouri and has a population of over 700,000 people, according to the United States Census Bureau.

Introduction to Missouri Counties

The counties in Missouri were established by the Missouri General Assembly to provide local governance and administration of the state's various regions. The first counties were established in 1812, when the Missouri Territory was created, and included St. Louis County, Missouri, St. Charles County, Missouri, and St. Genevieve County, Missouri. Today, the counties in Missouri are responsible for providing a range of services, including law enforcement, Public health services, and Welfare programs, as overseen by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the Missouri Department of Social Services. The counties also work closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to respond to natural disasters, such as the Great Flood of 1993, which affected several counties along the Mississippi River, including Hancock County, Illinois, and Alexander County, Illinois.

List of Counties in Missouri

The 114 counties in Missouri are: Adair County, Missouri, Andrew County, Missouri, Atchison County, Missouri, Audrain County, Missouri, Barry County, Missouri, Barton County, Missouri, Bates County, Missouri, Benton County, Missouri, Bollinger County, Missouri, Boone County, Missouri, Buchanan County, Missouri, Butler County, Missouri, Caldwell County, Missouri, Callaway County, Missouri, Camden County, Missouri, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, Carroll County, Missouri, Carter County, Missouri, Cass County, Missouri, Cedar County, Missouri, Chariton County, Missouri, Christian County, Missouri, Clark County, Missouri, Clay County, Missouri, Clinton County, Missouri, Cole County, Missouri, Cooper County, Missouri, Crawford County, Missouri, Dade County, Missouri, Dallas County, Missouri, Daviess County, Missouri, DeKalb County, Missouri, Dent County, Missouri, Douglas County, Missouri, Dunklin County, Missouri, Franklin County, Missouri, Gasconade County, Missouri, Gentry County, Missouri, Greene County, Missouri, Grundy County, Missouri, Harrison County, Missouri, Henry County, Missouri, Hickory County, Missouri, Holt County, Missouri, Howard County, Missouri, Howell County, Missouri, Iron County, Missouri, Jackson County, Missouri, Jasper County, Missouri, Jefferson County, Missouri, Johnson County, Missouri, Knox County, Missouri, Laclede County, Missouri, Lafayette County, Missouri, Lawrence County, Missouri, Lewis County, Missouri, Lincoln County, Missouri, Linn County, Missouri, Livingston County, Missouri, Macon County, Missouri, Madison County, Missouri, Maries County, Missouri, Marion County, Missouri, McDonald County, Missouri, Mercer County, Missouri, Miller County, Missouri, Mississippi County, Missouri, Moniteau County, Missouri, Monroe County, Missouri, Montgomery County, Missouri, Morgan County, Missouri, New Madrid County, Missouri, Newton County, Missouri, Nodaway County, Missouri, Oregon County, Missouri, Osage County, Missouri, Ozark County, Missouri, Pemiscot County, Missouri, Perry County, Missouri, Pettis County, Missouri, Phelps County, Missouri, Pike County, Missouri, Platte County, Missouri, Polk County, Missouri, Pulaski County, Missouri, Putnam County, Missouri, Ralls County, Missouri, Randolph County, Missouri, Ray County, Missouri, Reynolds County, Missouri, Ripley County, Missouri, St. Charles County, Missouri, St. Clair County, Missouri, St. Francois County, Missouri, St. Louis County, Missouri, Saline County, Missouri, Schuyler County, Missouri, Scotland County, Missouri, Scott County, Missouri, Shannon County, Missouri, Shelby County, Missouri, Stoddard County, Missouri, Stone County, Missouri, Sullivan County, Missouri, Taney County, Missouri, Texas County, Missouri, Vernon County, Missouri, Warren County, Missouri, Washington County, Missouri, Wayne County, Missouri, Webster County, Missouri, Worth County, Missouri, and Wright County, Missouri. The University of Missouri and the Missouri State University have campuses in several of these counties.

County Government and Functions

The county governments in Missouri are responsible for providing a range of services, including law enforcement, Public transportation, and Waste management. The counties are also responsible for maintaining the County roads and Highways, as overseen by the Missouri Department of Transportation. The County assessor is responsible for assessing the value of properties in the county, while the County collector is responsible for collecting Property taxes and other fees. The counties in Missouri also work closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to combat Crime and Drug trafficking, as seen in the War on Drugs. The American Red Cross and the Salvation Army also have a presence in many of the counties, providing Disaster relief and Social services.

Missouri County Statistics

The counties in Missouri vary significantly in terms of population, size, and economic development. The most populous county is Jackson County, Missouri, with a population of over 700,000 people, while the least populous is Worth County, Missouri, with a population of less than 2,000 people. The largest county by land area is Texas County, Missouri, which covers over 1,100 square miles, while the smallest is St. Louis City, Missouri, which covers only 61 square miles. The counties in Missouri also have different levels of economic development, with some counties having a strong Agriculture sector, while others have a more diversified economy, including Manufacturing, Tourism, and Health care, as seen in the Kansas City metropolitan area and the Springfield, Missouri metropolitan area.

History of County Formation in Missouri

The counties in Missouri were established over a period of several decades, with the first counties being established in 1812. The Missouri Territory was created in 1812, and the first counties were established to provide local governance and administration. As the territory grew and more settlers arrived, new counties were established, and the boundaries of existing counties were adjusted. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 played a significant role in the formation of new counties, as it led to an influx of new settlers and the establishment of new counties, including Callaway County, Missouri and Boone County, Missouri. The American Civil War also had an impact on the formation of counties in Missouri, with several counties being established during the war, including Cedar County, Missouri and Dade County, Missouri.

Geographic Distribution of Missouri Counties

The counties in Missouri are distributed across the state, with the majority located in the western and central regions. The Ozark Plateau covers a significant portion of southern Missouri, and includes counties such as Ozark County, Missouri and Taney County, Missouri. The Mississippi River forms the eastern border of the state, and several counties are located along the river, including St. Louis County, Missouri and Cape Girardeau County, Missouri. The Kansas City metropolitan area is located in the western part of the state, and includes counties such as Jackson County, Missouri and Clay County, Missouri. The Mark Twain National Forest is located in southern Missouri, and includes parts of several counties, including Iron County, Missouri and Reynolds County, Missouri. The Lake of the Ozarks is a major Tourist destination located in central Missouri, and includes parts of several counties, including Morgan County, Missouri and Miller County, Missouri. Category:Missouri