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.[1] Its county seat and largest city is Jefferson City, the state capital.[2] The county was organized November 16, 1820, and named after pioneer William Temple Cole who built Cole's Fort in Boonville.[3]
In 2010, the center of the population of Missouri was in Cole County, near the village of Wardsville.[4]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 402 square miles (1,040 km2), of which 394 square miles (1,020 km2) is land and 8.2 square miles (21 km2) (2.0%) is water.[5] It is the third-smallest county in Missouri by area.
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8] 1990-2000[9] 2010-2015[10]
As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 71,397 people, 27,040 households, and 17,927 families residing in the county. The population density was 182 inhabitants per square mile (70/km2). There were 28,915 housing units at an average density of 74 units per square mile (29/km2). 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.
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.[23][24]
Missouri House of Representatives — District 49 — Cole County (2012)[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Jeanie Riddle
704
69.91%
Democratic
Pam Murray
303
30.09%
District 50 — Sara Walsh. Consists of unincorporated areas in the northwest corner of the county.
Missouri House of Representatives — District 50 — Cole County (2020)[23]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Sara Walsh
691
81.29%
Democratic
Kari Chesney
159
18.71%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 50 — Cole County (2018)[24]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Sara Walsh
536
76.90%
Democratic
Michela Skelton
161
23.10%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 50 — Cole County (2016)[25]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Caleb Jones
684
100.00%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 50 — Cole County (2014)[26]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Caleb Jones
426
100.00%
0.00
Missouri House of Representatives — District 50 — Cole County (2012)[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Caleb Jones
611
100.00%
District 59 — Rudy Veit (R-Jefferson City). Consists of the communities of Centertown, Eugene, Lohman, Russellville, St. Martins, Taos, and Wardsville.
Missouri House of Representatives — District 59 — Cole County (2020)[23]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Rudy Veit
15,592
98.27%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 59 — Cole County (2018)[24]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Rudy Veit
11,226
76.05%
Democratic
Linda Ellen Greeson
3,518
23.83%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 59 — Cole County (2016)[25]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Mike Bernskoetter
14,923
100.00%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 59 — Cole County (2014)[26]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Mike Bernskoetter
8,396
88.59%
+7.84
Constitution
Michael Eberle
1,081
11.41%
+11.41
Missouri House of Representatives — District 59 — Cole County (2012)[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Mike Bernskoetter
12,604
80.75%
Democratic
Vonnieta Trickey
3,005
19.25%
District 60 — Dave Griffith (R-Jefferson City) Consists of the city of Jefferson City.
Missouri House of Representatives — District 60 — Cole County (2020)[23]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Dave Griffith
11,404
63.66%
Democratic
Joshua Dunne
6,483
36.19%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 60 — Cole County (2018)[24]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Dave Griffith
8,944
57.57%
Democratic
Sara Michael
6,572
42.30%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 60 — Cole County (2016)[25]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Jason (Jay) Barnes
11,139
64.24%
-35.76
Democratic
Kevin Nelson
6,202
35.76%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 60 — Cole County (2014)[26]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Jason (Jay) Barnes
9,041
100.00%
-39.89
Missouri House of Representatives — District 60 — Cole County (2012)[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Jason (Jay) Barnes
10,674
60.11%
Democratic
Thomas Minihan
7.084
39.89%
District 62 — Tom Hurst (R-Meta) Consists of the community of St. Thomas.
Missouri House of Representatives — District 62 — Cole County (2020)[23]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Bruce Sassmann
955
83.63%
Democratic
Nancy Ragan
187
16.37%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 62 — Cole County (2018)[24]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Tom Hurst
774
83.50%
Democratic
Ashley Fajkowski
153
16.50%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 62 — Cole County (2016)[25]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Tom Hurst
991
100.00%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 62 — Cole County (2014)[26]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Tom Hurst
592
100.00%
-25.51
Missouri House of Representatives — District 62 — Cole County (2012)[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Tom Hurst
765
74.49%
Democratic
Greg Stratman
262
25.51%
Cole County is a part of Missouri's 6th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Mike Bernskoetter (R-Jefferson City).
Missouri Senate — District 6 — Cole County (2018)[24]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Mike Bernskoetter
23,058
69.49%
Democratic
Nicole Thompson
9,473
28.55%
Libertarian
Steven Wilson
625
1.88%
Missouri Senate — District 6 — Cole County (2014)[26]
Former U.S. Senator and PresidentBarack 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.
^"Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
^"Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
^"The Cole of Cole County: Who was he?". www.newstribune.com. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
^"Centers of Population by State:2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved March 27, 2014.
^"2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
^"U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
^"Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
^"Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
^"Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
^"State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
^Breeding, Marshall. "Missouri River Regional Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
^"2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Cole County, MO" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 23, 2022. Retrieved July 22, 2022. - Text list
^ abcdefg"Cole County Final Cumulative Election Summary 2020". Cole County Board of Elections.
^ abcdefghi"Cole County Final Cumulative Election Summary 2018". Cole County Board of Elections.
^ abcdefg"Cole County, Missouri, General Election". Cole County Clerk. November 8, 2016. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
^ abcdefg"Cole County, Missouri, General Election". Cole County Clerk. November 7, 2014. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
^ abcdefg"Cole County, Missouri, General Election". Cole County Clerk. November 8, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
^Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
Further reading
History of Cole, Moniteau, Morgan, Benton, Miller, Maries and Osage counties, Missouri: from the earliest time to the present, including a department devoted to the preservation of sundry personal, business, professional and the private records; besides a valuable fund of notes, original observations, etc. etc. (1889) online
External links
Cole County government's website
Missouri River Regional Library
Digitized 1930 Plat Book of Cole County Archived August 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine from University of Missouri Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books