Counties in Missouri by population density

Name: Counties in Missouri by population density, 2022
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: Public domain (US federal government work, citation requested)

St. Louis city had the highest population density of 115 counties in 2022, at 1,792.4 inhabitants per km². Shannon County had the lowest, at 2.8 inhabitants per km². The median was 11.8 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Missouri was 34.7 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest1,792.4St. Louis city

Lowest2.8Shannon County

Median11.8115 counties

Missouri34.7History

Top 40 counties, 2022

CSV Chart (SVG)

inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

Rank	Counties	2022 inhabitants per km²	Change on 2021
1	St. Louis city	1,792.4	-2.4%
2	St. Louis County	753	-0.7%
3	Jackson County	457.8	-0.2%
4	St. Charles County	285.3	+0.8%
5	Clay County	249.6	+0.4%
6	Greene County	173.4	+0.7%
7	Jefferson County	134.9	+0.5%
8	Boone County	105.6	+0.8%
9	Platte County	101.7	+1.7%
10	Buchanan County	78.5	-0.8%
11	Cole County	75.9	+0.4%
12	Jasper County	75	+0.5%
13	Christian County	63.9	+1.6%
14	Cass County	61.2	+0.5%
15	St. Francois County	57.2	-0.1%
16	Cape Girardeau County	55.3	+0.9%
17	Franklin County	44.3	+0.5%
18	Lincoln County	38.9	+2.5%
19	Pulaski County	37.9	-0.1%
20	Newton County	37.1	+1.1%
21	Scott County	34.8	-0.1%
22	Taney County	34.7	+0.7%
23	Warren County	33.6	+2%
24	Stone County	26.8	+1.7%
25	Webster County	26.3	+1.9%
26	Phelps County	26	+0.7%
27	Camden County	25.8	+0.6%
28	Johnson County	25.3	+0.4%
29	Marion County	25.2	-0.3%
30	Pettis County	24.5	+0.3%
31	Lawrence County	24.4	+1%
32	Butler County	23.4	-0.1%
33	Callaway County	20.7	+0.2%
34	Lafayette County	20.2	+0.3%
35	Polk County	19.8	+1.9%
36	Randolph County	19.7	+0.2%
37	Clinton County	19.7	+0.5%
38	Dunklin County	19.6	-1.1%
39	Laclede County	18.3	+0.4%
40	Barry County	17.4	+0.5%
41	Adair County	17.1	-0.2%
42	Howell County	16.9	+1.4%
43	McDonald County	16.9	+0.7%
44	Miller County	16.5	+1.7%
45	Andrew County	16.1	-0%
46	Ray County	15.7	+0.1%
47	Perry County	15.4	-0.5%
48	Ste. Genevieve County	14.4	+0.2%
49	Moniteau County	14.2	-0.5%
50	Morgan County	14.1	+1.5%
51	Audrain County	13.6	-1.5%
52	Stoddard County	13.3	-0.6%
53	Dallas County	12.6	+1.5%
54	Henry County	12.4	+0.8%
55	Cedar County	11.9	+0.6%
56	Washington County	11.9	-0%
57	Crawford County	11.8	-0.9%
58	Saline County	11.8	-1.2%
59	Pemiscot County	11.7	-2.5%
60	Cooper County	11.4	+0.3%
61	Benton County	11.1	+1.4%
62	Gasconade County	11	+0.1%
63	Mississippi County	11	-3.3%
64	Wright County	10.8	+2.6%
65	Livingston County	10.5	-1.8%
66	DeKalb County	10.4	-3.4%
67	Pike County	10.2	+0.2%
68	Madison County	10	+0.7%
69	Vernon County	9.1	0%
70	Nodaway County	9.1	-1.4%
71	New Madrid County	9	-2.2%
72	Grundy County	8.7	+0.6%
73	Ralls County	8.6	+0.5%
74	Osage County	8.5	-0%
75	Howard County	8.5	+0.2%
76	Hickory County	8.3	+0.1%
77	Texas County	8.3	+1.7%
78	Montgomery County	8.3	+0.2%
79	Caldwell County	8.1	+0.4%
80	Barton County	7.6	+0.2%
81	Lewis County	7.6	-1.1%
82	Bates County	7.5	+0.3%
83	Linn County	7.4	-0%
84	Dent County	7.4	+0.1%
85	Macon County	7.3	-0.7%
86	Iron County	6.6	-0.2%
87	Bollinger County	6.6	-0.7%
88	Ripley County	6.6	+0.5%
89	Maries County	6.2	+0.2%
90	Dade County	6.1	+1%
91	Daviess County	5.8	+0.6%
92	Douglas County	5.7	+1.9%
93	Wayne County	5.5	-1.1%
94	St. Clair County	5.5	+1.8%
95	Monroe County	5.2	-0.7%
96	Clark County	5.1	-0.3%
97	Schuyler County	5	-0.2%
98	Gentry County	4.9	+1.6%
99	Carroll County	4.7	+0.1%
100	Ozark County	4.7	+2%
101	Shelby County	4.6	+0.5%
102	Harrison County	4.4	+0.3%
103	Oregon County	4.3	+0.9%
104	Scotland County	4.1	-0.4%
105	Carter County	4	-1.1%
106	Chariton County	3.8	+0.3%
107	Atchison County	3.6	-0.9%
108	Holt County	3.6	+0.7%
109	Sullivan County	3.5	-1.1%
110	Putnam County	3.5	-0.9%
111	Mercer County	3	-0.3%
112	Knox County	2.9	-0.3%
113	Reynolds County	2.9	-1.5%
114	Worth County	2.8	-1.5%
115	Shannon County	2.8	+1.7%

Other periods

About this ranking

Resident population divided by land area in km². World Bank figures use mid-year population and land area excluding inland water.

United States: Census Bureau population estimates for 1 July divided by land area (water excluded) from the latest Census Gazetteer files. US tables often give people per square mile; multiply persons per km² by 2.59 to compare.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

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Questions

Which county has the highest population density?

St. Louis city, with 1,792.4 inhabitants per km² in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

Shannon County, with 2.8 inhabitants per km² in 2022.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². Retrieved 2026-10-09.