RANKING · 2025 ESTIMATES · 115 SHOWN OF 115

Most sparsely populated, Missouri counties

Missouri counties with the fewest residents per square mile (2025). This list covers the 115 counties in Missouri that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 115 is 31. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Pemiscot County, MO, up 7 places to #56.

Flip the list · Most densely populated, US counties →

MissouriAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Fastest shrinking Most population gained Most population lost Most densely populated

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01▲1Worth County, MOMO1,9147−20%

02▼1Shannon County, MOMO7,2857−12%

03Knox County, MOMO3,7287−15%

04Reynolds County, MOMO5,9927−10%

05Mercer County, MOMO3,4048−9%

06Putnam County, MOMO4,5469−13%

07▲1Sullivan County, MOMO5,7389−21%

08▼1Holt County, MOMO4,2009−22%

09Atchison County, MOMO5,1759−20%

10Chariton County, MOMO7,37710−13%

11Carter County, MOMO5,41811−9%

12Scotland County, MOMO4,79611−4%

13Oregon County, MOMO8,70911−16%

14Harrison County, MOMO8,28111−6%

15▲1Shelby County, MOMO5,87012−14%

16▲1Carroll County, MOMO8,41712−18%

17▼2Ozark County, MOMO9,17212−4%

18▲2Clark County, MOMO6,47513−13%

19▼1Gentry County, MOMO6,38413−7%

20▼1Schuyler County, MOMO4,14013−1%

21Monroe County, MOMO8,95914−4%

22▲2Wayne County, MOMO10,78214−19%

23▼1St. Clair County, MOMO9,97615+3%

24▼1Douglas County, MOMO12,34215−6%

25Daviess County, MOMO8,55815+7%

26Dade County, MOMO7,80416−2%

27Maries County, MOMO8,39716−6%

28▲2Iron County, MOMO9,31817−13%

29▼1Ripley County, MOMO10,71717−21%

30▼1Bollinger County, MOMO10,64617−11%

31Macon County, MOMO15,19019−4%

32▲2Linn County, MOMO11,81519−14%

33▼1Dent County, MOMO14,58419−2%

34▲2Lewis County, MOMO9,87920−6%

35▼2Bates County, MOMO16,51220−1%

36▼1Barton County, MOMO11,79520−6%

37Caldwell County, MOMO9,012210%

38▲2Montgomery County, MOMO11,59022−4%

39▲3Howard County, MOMO10,180220%

40▼1Texas County, MOMO25,99422+13%

41▲2Ralls County, MOMO10,44422+8%

42▲5New Madrid County, MOMO15,08622−24%

43▲1Grundy County, MOMO9,74422−7%

44▼3Osage County, MOMO13,61122+4%

45▼7Hickory County, MOMO9,04423+1%

46Nodaway County, MOMO20,17423−8%

47▲2DeKalb County, MOMO9,79523−16%

48▼3Vernon County, MOMO19,94624−2%

49▼1Madison County, MOMO12,85826+9%

50Pike County, MOMO17,95527−2%

51▲1Livingston County, MOMO14,70828+1%

52▲2Gasconade County, MOMO14,78428−4%

53▼2Wright County, MOMO19,67129+10%

54▲3Mississippi County, MOMO12,00329−11%

55▼2Benton County, MOMO20,53629+20%

56▲7Pemiscot County, MOMO14,46529−28%

57▼1Cooper County, MOMO17,13630+3%

58Saline County, MOMO23,26531−2%

59▲1Crawford County, MOMO22,92931+1%

60▼1Washington County, MOMO23,81031+2%

61▼6Cedar County, MOMO14,88831+8%

62▼1Henry County, MOMO22,67133+3%

63▼1Dallas County, MOMO18,02533+15%

64Stoddard County, MOMO28,28434−5%

65▲1Audrain County, MOMO24,52835−5%

66▲2Moniteau County, MOMO15,42837+4%

67Ste. Genevieve County, MOMO18,68937+5%

68▼3Morgan County, MOMO22,41838+16%

69Perry County, MOMO19,09340+5%

70Ray County, MOMO23,398410%

71▲1Andrew County, MOMO18,24142+11%

72▼1Miller County, MOMO25,81744+10%

73Howell County, MOMO40,79844+10%

74McDonald County, MOMO23,99244+11%

75▲1Adair County, MOMO25,68445+3%

76▼1Barry County, MOMO36,20047+6%

77Laclede County, MOMO36,94348+14%

78▲3Dunklin County, MOMO26,85550−19%

79▲1Randolph County, MOMO24,51351−1%

80▼1Clinton County, MOMO21,66152+14%

81▼3Polk County, MOMO33,60453+24%

82Lafayette County, MOMO33,53153+2%

83Callaway County, MOMO45,76555+12%

84Butler County, MOMO41,90460+3%

85Lawrence County, MOMO39,40164+12%

86Pettis County, MOMO44,25465+12%

87▲2Marion County, MOMO28,52565+1%

88Camden County, MOMO44,04767+19%

89▲2Phelps County, MOMO45,24767+14%

90▼3Johnson County, MOMO56,67068+17%

91▲1Stone County, MOMO32,50370+13%

92▼2Webster County, MOMO43,05473+39%

93▲1Taney County, MOMO57,00190+44%

94▲1Scott County, MOMO37,97590−6%

95▼2Warren County, MOMO39,01691+59%

96▲2Pulaski County, MOMO54,442100+32%

97▼1Newton County, MOMO62,263100+18%

98▼1Lincoln County, MOMO66,676106+71%

99Franklin County, MOMO108,090117+15%

100Cape Girardeau County, MOMO83,999145+22%

101St. Francois County, MOMO67,809150+22%

102Cass County, MOMO115,859166+41%

103Christian County, MOMO96,725172+78%

104▲1Cole County, MOMO77,908199+9%

105▼1Jasper County, MOMO127,428200+22%

106Buchanan County, MOMO83,540205−3%

107Platte County, MOMO114,400272+55%

108Boone County, MOMO191,746280+42%

109Jefferson County, MOMO233,132355+18%

110Greene County, MOMO309,286458+29%

111Clay County, MOMO265,032666+44%

112St. Charles County, MOMO426,499761+50%

113Jackson County, MOMO732,9941,213+12%

114St. Louis County, MOMO990,9111,951−2%

115St. Louis, MOMO278,1444,507−20%

SHOWING 1–115 OF 115

Download CSV (full list, 115 rows)

UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU POPULATION ESTIMATES