RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 115 SHOWN OF 115

Most sparsely populated, Missouri counties · 2020

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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YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Shannon County, MOMO7,2857−16%

02Worth County, MOMO1,9147−17%

03Knox County, MOMO3,7287−14%

04Reynolds County, MOMO5,9928−9%

05Mercer County, MOMO3,4048−6%

06Putnam County, MOMO4,5469−10%

07Holt County, MOMO4,2009−21%

08Sullivan County, MOMO5,7389−17%

09Atchison County, MOMO5,17510−17%

10Chariton County, MOMO7,37710−12%

11Carter County, MOMO5,41810−12%

12Scotland County, MOMO4,79611−5%

13Oregon County, MOMO8,70911−17%

14Harrison County, MOMO8,28111−8%

15Ozark County, MOMO9,17211−10%

16Shelby County, MOMO5,87012−10%

17Carroll County, MOMO8,41712−17%

18Gentry County, MOMO6,38413−10%

19Schuyler County, MOMO4,14013−3%

20Clark County, MOMO6,47513−11%

21Monroe County, MOMO8,95913−7%

22St. Clair County, MOMO9,97614−4%

23Douglas County, MOMO12,34214−12%

24Wayne County, MOMO10,78214−17%

25Daviess County, MOMO8,55815+5%

26Dade County, MOMO7,80415−4%

27Maries County, MOMO8,39716−5%

28Ripley County, MOMO10,71717−21%

29Bollinger County, MOMO10,64617−12%

30Iron County, MOMO9,31817−11%

31Macon County, MOMO15,19019−4%

32Dent County, MOMO14,58419−3%

33Bates County, MOMO16,51219−4%

34Linn County, MOMO11,81519−14%

35Barton County, MOMO11,79520−7%

36Lewis County, MOMO9,87920−4%

37Caldwell County, MOMO9,01221−2%

38Hickory County, MOMO9,04421−7%

39Texas County, MOMO25,99421+6%

40Montgomery County, MOMO11,59021−7%

41Osage County, MOMO13,61122+2%

42Howard County, MOMO10,18022−1%

43Ralls County, MOMO10,44422+8%

44Grundy County, MOMO9,74423−6%

45Vernon County, MOMO19,94624−4%

46Nodaway County, MOMO20,17424−3%

47New Madrid County, MOMO15,08624−17%

48Madison County, MOMO12,85826+7%

49DeKalb County, MOMO9,79526−5%

50Pike County, MOMO17,95526−4%

51Wright County, MOMO19,67127+1%

52Livingston County, MOMO14,70827−0%

53Benton County, MOMO20,53628+13%

54Gasconade County, MOMO14,78429−4%

55Cedar County, MOMO14,88830+3%

56Cooper County, MOMO17,13630+3%

57Mississippi County, MOMO12,00331−6%

58Saline County, MOMO23,26531−2%

59Washington County, MOMO23,81031+1%

60Crawford County, MOMO22,92931+1%

61Henry County, MOMO22,67131−0%

62Dallas County, MOMO18,02532+9%

63Pemiscot County, MOMO14,46532−22%

64Stoddard County, MOMO28,28435−3%

65Morgan County, MOMO22,41835+9%

66Audrain County, MOMO24,52836−3%

67Ste. Genevieve County, MOMO18,68937+4%

68Moniteau County, MOMO15,42837+4%

69Perry County, MOMO19,09340+5%

70Ray County, MOMO23,39841−1%

71Miller County, MOMO25,81742+5%

72Andrew County, MOMO18,24142+10%

73Howell County, MOMO40,79843+7%

74McDonald County, MOMO23,99243+7%

75Barry County, MOMO36,20044+2%

76Adair County, MOMO25,68445+1%

77Laclede County, MOMO36,94347+11%

78Polk County, MOMO33,60450+17%

79Clinton County, MOMO21,66151+12%

80Randolph County, MOMO24,51351+0%

81Dunklin County, MOMO26,85552−15%

82Lafayette County, MOMO33,53152+0%

83Callaway County, MOMO45,76553+9%

84Butler County, MOMO41,90461+3%

85Lawrence County, MOMO39,40162+8%

86Pettis County, MOMO44,25463+9%

87Johnson County, MOMO56,67065+12%

88Camden County, MOMO44,04765+15%

89Marion County, MOMO28,52565+1%

90Webster County, MOMO43,05466+26%

91Phelps County, MOMO45,24766+12%

92Stone County, MOMO32,50367+8%

93Warren County, MOMO39,01683+45%

94Taney County, MOMO57,00189+41%

95Scott County, MOMO37,97591−6%

96Newton County, MOMO62,26394+11%

97Lincoln County, MOMO66,67695+53%

98Pulaski County, MOMO54,44299+31%

99Franklin County, MOMO108,090113+12%

100Cape Girardeau County, MOMO83,999141+19%

101St. Francois County, MOMO67,809148+20%

102Cass County, MOMO115,859155+31%

103Christian County, MOMO96,725158+64%

104Jasper County, MOMO127,428192+17%

105Cole County, MOMO77,908197+8%

106Buchanan County, MOMO83,540208−1%

107Platte County, MOMO114,400254+45%

108Boone County, MOMO191,746268+36%

109Jefferson County, MOMO233,132346+14%

110Greene County, MOMO309,286443+24%

111Clay County, MOMO265,032637+38%

112St. Charles County, MOMO426,499723+43%

113Jackson County, MOMO732,9941,186+10%

114St. Louis County, MOMO990,9111,977−1%

115St. Louis, MOMO278,1444,886−13%

SHOWING 1–115 OF 115

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