Cole County is located in the central part of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, its population was 77,279. Its county seat and largest city is Jefferson City, the state capital. The county was organized November 16, 1820, and named after pioneer William Temple Cole who built Cole's Fort in Boonville. Cole County is in the Jefferson City, MO Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is south of the Missouri River. In 2010, the center of the population of Missouri was in Cole County, near the village of Wardsville.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 402 sqmi, of which 394 sqmi is land and 8.2 sqmi (2.0%) is water. It is the third-smallest county in Missouri by area.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 71,397 people, 27,040 households, and 17,927 families residing in the county. The population density was 182 PD/sqmi. There were 28,915 housing units at an average density of 74 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 87.06% White, 9.92% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.88% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.54% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. Approximately 1.28% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 40.1% were of German, 13.6% American, 7.8% English and 6.9% Irish ancestry. There were 27,040 households, out of which 33.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% were married couples living together, 10.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.70% were non-families. 28.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.00. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.20% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 32.30% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 11.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.50 males. The median income for a household in the county was $42,924, and the median income for a family was $53,416. Males had a median income of $33,769 versus $25,189 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,739. About 5.80% of families and 8.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.50% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over.

2020 Census

Infrastructure

The Missouri Department of Corrections (MDOC) operates the Jefferson City Correctional Center in Jefferson City. The current JCCC was opened on September 15, 2004, replacing the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City.

Education

Public schools

Private schools

Post-secondary education

Public libraries

Communities

Cities

Villages

Unincorporated communities

Government and Politics

Political culture

Like many other counties in Mid-Missouri, Cole County is mostly Republican. The last Democratic to win the county in a presidential election was Harry S Truman in 1948. In 2004, state residents voted on a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union between a man and a woman. This passed Cole County with 74.24% of the vote. The initiative passed the state with 71 percent of support from voters; Missouri became the first state to ban same-sex marriage.

Local

The Republican Party controls politics at the local level in Cole County. Republicans hold all but one of the elected positions in the county. The Democratic Party do not hold any elected positions on the county level.

State

Gubernatorial

Missouri House of Representatives

Cole County is divided into five legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, all of which elected Republicans.

Missouri Senate

Cole County is a part of Missouri's 6th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Mike Bernskoetter (R-Jefferson City).

Federal

US Senate

US House of Representatives

All of Cole County is included in Missouri's 3rd congressional district and is currently represented by Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Saint Elizabeth) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Presidential

Missouri presidential preference primary (2008)

Former U.S. Senator and President Barack Obama (D-Illinois) received more votes, a total of 4,642, than any candidate from either party in Cole County during the 2008 presidential primary. Cole County was one of only six counties (including the independent city of St. Louis) that backed Obama in Missouri.