RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 115 SHOWN OF 115

Most sparsely populated, Missouri counties · 1990

Missouri counties with the fewest residents per square mile (2023). This list covers the 115 counties in Missouri that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Fastest shrinking Most densely populated Best broadband access Worst broadband access

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Shannon County, MOMO7,2858−9%

02Mercer County, MOMO3,4048−1%

03Reynolds County, MOMO5,9928−0%

04Knox County, MOMO3,7289+3%

05Worth County, MOMO1,9149+2%

06Sullivan County, MOMO5,73810−12%

07Putnam County, MOMO4,54610−3%

08Carter County, MOMO5,41811−7%

09Scotland County, MOMO4,79611−3%

10Ozark County, MOMO9,17212−10%

11Harrison County, MOMO8,28112−4%

12Oregon County, MOMO8,70912−8%

13Chariton County, MOMO7,37712+9%

14St. Clair County, MOMO9,97613−12%

15Holt County, MOMO4,20013+13%

16Atchison County, MOMO5,17514+16%

17Schuyler County, MOMO4,14014+2%

18Shelby County, MOMO5,87014+2%

19Gentry County, MOMO6,38414−0%

20Daviess County, MOMO8,55814−2%

21Monroe County, MOMO8,95914−2%

22Douglas County, MOMO12,34215−9%

23Clark County, MOMO6,47515+2%

24Maries County, MOMO8,39715−10%

25Dade County, MOMO7,80415−6%

26Wayne County, MOMO10,78215−13%

27Carroll County, MOMO8,41715+5%

28Bollinger County, MOMO10,64617−12%

29Bates County, MOMO16,51218−10%

30Ralls County, MOMO10,44418−12%

31Dent County, MOMO14,58418−8%

32Texas County, MOMO25,99418−7%

33Hickory County, MOMO9,04418−18%

34Barton County, MOMO11,79519−10%

35Macon County, MOMO15,19019−3%

36Iron County, MOMO9,31819+0%

37Ripley County, MOMO10,71720−9%

38Caldwell County, MOMO9,01220−7%

39Benton County, MOMO20,53620−19%

40Osage County, MOMO13,61120−8%

41Lewis County, MOMO9,87920−2%

42Howard County, MOMO10,18021−6%

43Montgomery County, MOMO11,59021−6%

44Madison County, MOMO12,85823−6%

45Linn County, MOMO11,81523+1%

46Vernon County, MOMO19,94623−7%

47Dallas County, MOMO18,02523−19%

48DeKalb County, MOMO9,79524−14%

49Pike County, MOMO17,95524−13%

50Grundy County, MOMO9,74424+1%

51Wright County, MOMO19,67125−7%

52Nodaway County, MOMO20,17425−1%

53Cedar County, MOMO14,88825−12%

54Crawford County, MOMO22,92926−16%

55Morgan County, MOMO22,41826−19%

56Cooper County, MOMO17,13626−11%

57Washington County, MOMO23,81027−13%

58Gasconade County, MOMO14,78427−9%

59Livingston County, MOMO14,70827+0%

60Henry County, MOMO22,67129−9%

61Moniteau County, MOMO15,42830−17%

62New Madrid County, MOMO15,08631+6%

63Saline County, MOMO23,26531−1%

64McDonald County, MOMO23,99231−22%

65Ste. Genevieve County, MOMO18,68932−10%

66Andrew County, MOMO18,24134−11%

67Howell County, MOMO40,79834−16%

68Audrain County, MOMO24,52834−9%

69Polk County, MOMO33,60434−19%

70Miller County, MOMO25,81735−12%

71Mississippi County, MOMO12,00335+8%

72Perry County, MOMO19,09335−8%

73Stoddard County, MOMO28,28435−3%

74Barry County, MOMO36,20035−19%

75Laclede County, MOMO36,94336−16%

76Ray County, MOMO23,39839−6%

77Callaway County, MOMO45,76539−20%

78Clinton County, MOMO21,66140−13%

79Webster County, MOMO43,05440−23%

80Taney County, MOMO57,00140−36%

81Stone County, MOMO32,50341−33%

82Camden County, MOMO44,04742−26%

83Adair County, MOMO25,68443−2%

84Pemiscot County, MOMO14,46545+9%

85Warren County, MOMO39,01646−20%

86Lincoln County, MOMO66,67646−26%

87Lawrence County, MOMO39,40149−14%

88Lafayette County, MOMO33,53150−6%

89Randolph County, MOMO24,51350−1%

90Johnson County, MOMO56,67051−12%

91Pettis County, MOMO44,25452−10%

92Phelps County, MOMO45,24752−11%

93Butler County, MOMO41,90456−5%

94Christian County, MOMO96,72558−40%

95Dunklin County, MOMO26,85561−0%

96Marion County, MOMO28,52563−2%

97Newton County, MOMO62,26371−16%

98Pulaski County, MOMO54,44276+0%

99Franklin County, MOMO108,09087−14%

100Cass County, MOMO115,85992−22%

101Scott County, MOMO37,97594−3%

102Cape Girardeau County, MOMO83,999107−10%

103St. Francois County, MOMO67,809108−12%

104Platte County, MOMO114,400138−22%

105Jasper County, MOMO127,428142−14%

106Cole County, MOMO77,908162−11%

107Boone County, MOMO191,746164−17%

108Buchanan County, MOMO83,540204−3%

109Jefferson County, MOMO233,132261−13%

110Greene County, MOMO309,286308−13%

111St. Charles County, MOMO426,499380−25%

112Clay County, MOMO265,032386−17%

113Jackson County, MOMO732,9941,047−3%

114St. Louis County, MOMO990,9111,956−2%

115St. Louis, MOMO278,1446,427+14%

SHOWING 1–115 OF 115

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UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES