Cole County, Missouri facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cole County
U.S. county
The Cole County Courthouse in Jefferson City
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Missouri's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Missouri
Founded	1820
Named for	Stephen Cole
Seat	Jefferson City
Largest city	Jefferson City
Area
• Total	402 sq mi (1,040 km2)
• Land	394 sq mi (1,020 km2)
• Water	8.2 sq mi (21 km2)  2.0%
Population  (2020)
• Total	77,279
• Density	192.24/sq mi (74.22/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd

Cole County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Missouri. It's a busy place, and its biggest city, Jefferson City, is also the capital of Missouri!

In 2020, about 77,279 people lived in Cole County. The county was officially started on November 16, 1820. It was named after a brave pioneer named Stephen Cole, who built a fort nearby.

Cole County is part of the Jefferson City Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is located just south of the famous Missouri River. Did you know that in 2010, the very center of Missouri's population was found right here in Cole County, near a village called Wardsville?

About Cole County

Where is Cole County?

Cole County covers a total area of about 402 square miles. Most of this is land, with a small part (about 2%) being water. It's actually the third-smallest county in Missouri when you look at its size.

Neighboring Counties

Cole County shares its borders with several other counties:

• Boone County to the north
• Callaway County to the northeast
• Osage County to the southeast
• Miller County to the southwest
• Moniteau County to the northwest

Main Roads

Many important roads pass through Cole County, making it easy to travel around. These include:

• U.S. Route 50
• U.S. Route 54
• U.S. Route 63
• Route 17
• Route 179

How Many People Live Here?

The number of people living in Cole County has grown a lot over the years! Here's a look at how the population has changed:

In 2000, there were about 71,397 people living in the county. The average age was 36 years old.

2020 Census

Here's a quick look at the different groups of people living in Cole County, based on the 2020 Census:

Schools and Learning

Cole County has many schools, both public and private, to help kids learn and grow!

Public Schools

Here are some of the public school districts and schools in Cole County:

• Blair Oaks R-II School District in Jefferson City
  • Blair Oaks Elementary School (Kindergarten-2nd grade)
  • Blair Oaks Intermediate School (3rd-5th grade)
  • Blair Oaks Middle School (6th-8th grade)
  • Blair Oaks High School (9th-12th grade)
• Cole County R-I School District in Russellville
  • Cole County R-I Elementary School (Preschool-6th grade)
  • Russellville Junior/Senior High School (7th-12th grade)
• Cole County R-V School District in Eugene
  • Eugene Elementary School (Preschool-6th grade)
  • Eugene High School (7th-12th grade)
• Jefferson City Public School District in Jefferson City
  • Southwest Early Childhood Education Center (Preschool)
  • Callaway Hills Elementary School (Kindergarten-5th grade) in Holts Summit
  • South Elementary School (Kindergarten-5th grade)
  • Thorpe J. Gordon STEM Elementary School (Kindergarten-5th grade)
  • East Elementary School (Kindergarten-5th grade)
  • North Elementary School (Kindergarten-5th grade) in Holts Summit
  • Cedar Hill Elementary School (Kindergarten-5th grade)
  • West Elementary School (Kindergarten-5th grade)
  • Moreau Heights Elementary School (Kindergarten-5th grade)
  • Belair Elementary School (Kindergarten-5th grade)
  • Pioneer Trail Elementary School (Kindergarten-5th grade)
  • Clarence Lawson Elementary School (Kindergarten-5th grade)
  • Thomas Jefferson Middle School (6th-8th grade)
  • Lewis & Clark Middle School (6th-8th grade)
  • Jefferson City High School (9th-12th grade)
  • Capital City High School (9th-12th grade)

Private Schools

There are also many private schools in the county:

• Immaculate Conception School in Jefferson City (Preschool-8th grade) – a Roman Catholic school
• Immanuel Lutheran School in Jefferson City (Preschool-8th grade) – a Lutheran school
• Moreau Montessori School in Jefferson City (Preschool-3rd grade) – a non-religious school
• River Oak Christian Academy in Jefferson City (Preschool-8th grade) – a Nondenominational Christian school
• St. Francis Xavier School in Taos (Kindergarten-8th grade) – a Roman Catholic school
• St. Joseph Cathedral School in Jefferson City (Preschool-8th grade) – a Roman Catholic school
• St. Martin School in St. Martins (Kindergarten-8th grade) – a Roman Catholic school
• St. Peter Interparish School in Jefferson City (Preschool-8th grade) – a Roman Catholic school
• St. Stanislaus Catholic School in Wardsville (Kindergarten-8th grade) – a Roman Catholic school
• St. Thomas The Apostle School in Saint Thomas (Preschool-8th grade) – a Roman Catholic school
• Trinity Lutheran School in Jefferson City (Preschool-8th grade) – a Lutheran school
• Calvary Lutheran High School in Jefferson City (9th-12th grade) – a Lutheran school
• Helias Catholic High School in Jefferson City (9th-12th grade) – a Roman Catholic school
• Lighthouse Preparatory Academy in Jefferson City (Preschool-12th grade) – a Nondenominational Christian school

Colleges and Libraries

For those who want to continue their education after high school, Cole County is home to:

• Lincoln University in Jefferson City – This is a public, four-year university.

The county also has the Missouri River Regional Library, where everyone can find books and learn new things!

Towns and Villages

Cole County has several cities and smaller communities where people live.

Cities

• Jefferson City (This is the county seat and the state capital!)
• Lohman
• Russellville
• St. Martins
• St. Thomas
• Taos

Villages

• Centertown
• Wardsville

Other Communities

There are also many smaller, unincorporated communities in Cole County:

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Cole para niños