Dallas County, Missouri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dallas County
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Dallas County Courthouse in Buffalo
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Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
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 Missouri's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Missouri |
| Founded | December 10, 1844 |
| Named for | George M. Dallas |
| Seat | Buffalo |
| Largest city | Buffalo |
| Area | |
| • Total | 543 sq mi (1,410 km2) |
| • Land | 541 sq mi (1,400 km2) |
| • Water | 2.1 sq mi (5 km2) 0.4% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 17,071 |
| • Density | 31.438/sq mi (12.138/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 4th |
Dallas County is a county found in the state of Missouri. In 2020, about 17,071 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Buffalo.
The county was first set up in 1842. It was called Niangua County back then. Later, in 1844, it was renamed. It got its new name from George M. Dallas. He was the Vice President for James K. Polk.
Dallas County is also part of the larger Springfield area. This is known as the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
Where is Dallas County?
Dallas County is in the middle of Missouri. The U.S. Census Bureau says the county covers about 543 square miles. Most of this area is land. Only a small part, about 2.1 square miles, is water.
Neighboring Counties
Dallas County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Camden County to the north
- Laclede County to the east
- Webster County to the south
- Greene County to the southwest
- Polk County to the west
- Hickory County to the northwest
Main Roads
Several important roads run through Dallas County. These roads help people travel around the area.
U.S. Route 65
Route 32
Route 64
Route 64A
Route 73
Who Lives in Dallas County?
The number of people living in Dallas County has changed over the years.
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 3,648 | — | |
| 1860 | 5,892 | 61.5% | |
| 1870 | 8,383 | 42.3% | |
| 1880 | 9,263 | 10.5% | |
| 1890 | 12,647 | 36.5% | |
| 1900 | 13,903 | 9.9% | |
| 1910 | 13,181 | −5.2% | |
| 1920 | 12,033 | −8.7% | |
| 1930 | 10,541 | −12.4% | |
| 1940 | 11,523 | 9.3% | |
| 1950 | 10,392 | −9.8% | |
| 1960 | 9,314 | −10.4% | |
| 1970 | 10,054 | 7.9% | |
| 1980 | 12,096 | 20.3% | |
| 1990 | 12,646 | 4.5% | |
| 2000 | 15,661 | 23.8% | |
| 2010 | 16,777 | 7.1% | |
| 2020 | 17,071 | 1.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010 |
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In 2000, there were 15,661 people living in the county. Most people were White. A small number of people were from other racial groups. About 1% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Dallas County is special because it has a large group of Kauffman Amish Mennonites. They speak a language called Pennsylvania German at home. They also use an old form of Standard German for church. In 2010, about 950 of them lived in Dallas County.
In 2020, the population grew to 17,071 people.
| Race | Number of People | Percentage |
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| White (not Hispanic) | 15,696 | 92% |
| Black or African American (not Hispanic) | 44 | 0.26% |
| Native American (not Hispanic) | 92 | 0.54% |
| Asian (not Hispanic) | 25 | 0.14% |
| Pacific Islander (not Hispanic) | 15 | 0.09% |
| Other/Mixed (not Hispanic) | 879 | 5.15% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 320 | 1.9% |
Education
Dallas County has public and private schools. These schools help students from kindergarten through high school.
Public Schools
- Dallas County R-I School District – in Buffalo
- Mallory Elementary School (Grades PK-4)
- Buffalo Middle School (Grades 5-8)
- Buffalo High School (Grades 9-12)
- Hickory County R-I School District – in Urbana
- Skyline Elementary School (Grades K-4)
- Skyline Middle School (Grades 5-8)
- Skyline High School (Grades 9-12)
Private Schools
- Meadowlark Hill - (Grades PK-8) - a Mennonite school in Tunas
- Prairie Grove School - (Grades 1-8) - an Amish school in Buffalo
Communities
Dallas County has several towns and villages.
Cities
Village
Census-designated place
Other Unincorporated Places
These are smaller communities that are not officially cities or villages.
Notable People
- Roy Meeker - a professional baseball player who was from Dallas County.
