The Missouri Neighborhood Explorer helps you to research any Missouri neighborhood (census block group) and get home values, average household income, owner/renter/ occupancy rates, projected growth rates, boundary maps, comparisons to other communities, and much more.
Missouri State Flower - White Hawthorn
The United States acquired the area of Missouri from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Missouri Territory was organized on June 4, 1812, from Louisiana Territory, and included all of the present-day states of Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma and parts of Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. The territory was reduced by conclusion of a treaty with Spain in 1819 that removed the portion of Texas that was in the territory and part of present-day Colorado, Kansas, and Wyoming. That same year, Missouri Territory was further reduced by the organization of Arkansas Territory. Missouri was admitted to the Union on March 2, 1821, as the 24th state from a small part of Missouri Territory. With the Platte Purchase of 1836, Missouri added territory in the northwest, west to the Missouri River, to assume generally the same boundary as the present state. (Missouri Territory—the portion not included in the state of Missouri—continued to exist as a separate area until the organization of Nebraska Territory in 1854, although reduced after a large part of the northern area was annexed to Michigan Territory in 1834. Some statutes refer to this Missouri Territory as Indian Country or Indian Territory.)
Although the territory had not yet been legally established, census data for Missouri are available beginning with the 1810 census. The 1810 and 1820 populations are for the present-day area of the state of Missouri. The population of the entire legally established Louisiana Territory (of which the area of Missouri was a part) in 1810 was 20,845. The 1820 census enumeration apparently did not include area in Missouri Territory beyond what is now the state of Missouri.
Data for the legally established state of Missouri are available beginning with the 1830 census.
See: Geographic Terms & Concepts
Counties & County Equivalents
Interactive Map of Missouri Counties | Static Overview Map of Missouri Counties
There are 115 counties and equivalent in Missouri. The 114 counties are functioning governmental units, each governed by a county commission with the exception of Jackson and St. Louis Counties which are each governed by a county executive and a county legislature. St. Louis city is an independent city outside of any county and is considered a county equivalent. St. Louis city is has an active government at the place level. St. Louis city should not be confused with St. Louis County as they are separate entities.
-- Select County -- Adair County Andrew County Atchison County Audrain County Barry County Barton County Bates County Benton County Bollinger County Boone County Buchanan County Butler County Caldwell County Callaway County Camden County Cape Girardeau County Carroll County Carter County Cass County Cedar County Chariton County Christian County Clark County Clay County Clinton County Cole County Cooper County Crawford County Dade County Dallas County Daviess County DeKalb County Dent County Douglas County Dunklin County Franklin County Gasconade County Gentry County Greene County Grundy County Harrison County Henry County Hickory County Holt County Howard County Howell County Iron County Jackson County Jasper County Jefferson County Johnson County Knox County Laclede County Lafayette County Lawrence County Lewis County Lincoln County Linn County Livingston County Macon County Madison County Maries County Marion County McDonald County Mercer County Miller County Mississippi County Moniteau County Monroe County Montgomery County Morgan County New Madrid County Newton County Nodaway County Oregon County Osage County Ozark County Pemiscot County Perry County Pettis County Phelps County Pike County Platte County Polk County Pulaski County Putnam County Ralls County Randolph County Ray County Reynolds County Ripley County Saline County Schuyler County Scotland County Scott County Shannon County Shelby County St. Charles County St. Clair County St. Francois County St. Louis County St. Louis (city) County Ste. Genevieve County Stoddard County Stone County Sullivan County Taney County Texas County Vernon County Warren County Washington County Wayne County Webster County Worth County Wright County
County Subdivisions
Missouri has 1,395 county subdivisions known as minor civil divisions (MCDs). There are 311 townships in 22 counties with active, functioning governments, each governed by a trustee and board of directors. City township in Barton County has consolidated its government with Lamar city; the remaining 1,082 townships are nonfunctioning nongovernmental entities. St. Louis city is independent of any township and serves as a county subdivision.
Counties with active, functioning MCDs:
Barton
Bates
Caldwell
Carroll
Chariton
Dade
Daviess
DeKalb
Dunklin
Gentry
Grundy
Harrison
Henry
Linn
Livingston
Mercer
Nodaway
Putnam
Stoddard
Sullivan
Texas
Vernon
Places (Incorporated Cities, Towns & Census Designated Places (CDPs))
Missouri State Bird - Bluebird
Missouri has 1,032 places; 959 incorporated places and 73 census designated places (CDPs). The incorporated places consist of 637 cities, 110 towns, and 212 villages. Eight of the incorporated places are inactive – Ashburn town, Baker village, Florida village, La Due village, Lakeside city, Lambert village, Lithium village, and Tarrants village. Incorporated places are dependent within county subdivision except St. Louis city which is independent of any county and MCD. Arnold city, Edina city, Kimberling City city, Lamar city, New Haven city, and Washington city are coextensive with a single township. Springfield city is coextensive with Springfield township in Greene County and is also located in part of Northview township in Christian County. All incorporated places in Franklin County can only legally exist in a single township; however, Berger city, Gerald city, Leslie village, Miramiguoa Park village, New Haven city, Oak Grove Village village, Pacific city, Parkway village, St. Clair city, Sullivan city, and Union city are not coextensive with their respective MCDs.
Alphabetical List of Cities, Towns, CDPs and Other Populated Places A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q, R | S | T | U, V | W, X, Y, Z
Missouri Civil Features
Missouri Civil Features : Political Subdivisions, Native Areas, Land Grants, etc. - sorted by Census Class Codes .
Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas
There are 8 Metropolitan and 17 Micropolitan Statistical Areas in Missouri. MO Metopolitan & Micropolitan Areas
Missouri ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
There are 1,029 ZIP Code tabulation areas (ZCTAs) in Missouri. View Missouri ZIP Codes and ZIP Code Maps .
School Districts
Missouri has 73 elementary school districts and 449 unified school districts. View Missouri Public and Private Schools .
Congressional Districts
Missouri has 8 congressional districts. An interactive map shows the contact information for each Representative as well as the boundaries for each Missouri district. View Map of Missouri Congressional Districts .
State Legislative Districts
There are 34 state senate districts and 163 state house districts in Missouri.
Other Information Of General Geographic Interest
The mean center of the United States population is currently in Missouri near Plato village in Texas County.