Taney County, Missouri Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Taney County

U.S. county

The Taney County Courthouse in Forsyth

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Missouri

Missouri's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Missouri

Founded

January 4, 1837

Largest city

Area

• Total

652 sq mi (1,690 km²)

• Land

632 sq mi (1,640 km²)

• Water

19 sq mi (50 km²) 2.9%

Population

(2020)

• Total

56,066

• Density

85.99/sq mi (33.201/km²)

Time zone

UTC−6 (Central)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−5 (CDT)

Congressional district

7th

Taney County is a county located in the southwestern part of Missouri, a U.S. state. In 2020, about 56,066 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Forsyth. Taney County is also part of the Branson Micropolitan Statistical Area, which means it's connected to the larger city of Branson.

Taney County was officially started on January 4, 1837. It was named after Roger Brooke Taney. He was the fifth Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. He is known for a very important court case called Dred Scott v. Sandford. Even though his name is pronounced /ˈtɔːni/, people usually say /ˈteɪni/ when talking about Taney County.

The county is a popular place for tourists. It includes famous spots like Branson and beautiful lakes such as Table Rock, Taneycomo, and Bull Shoals.

History of Taney County

The very first courthouse in Taney County was built in 1837. It was located near Bull Creek and the White River. This building was used until Forsyth became the county seat. Sadly, a tornado destroyed it in 1963.

The second courthouse, located in Forsyth, was destroyed during a Civil War battle on July 22, 1861. A new courthouse was built, but it burned down on December 19, 1885.

A third courthouse had to be moved in 1952. This was to make way for the building of Bull Shoals Lake. The fourth and current courthouse opened on August 1, 1952. An addition was completed in 1991 after two years of construction.

In 2008, a new building called the Taney County Judicial Center was built. This center holds the courtrooms, the Circuit Clerk's office, and the County Jail.

Geography of Taney County

Taney County covers a total area of 652 square miles. About 632 square miles of this is land. The remaining 19 square miles (2.9%) is water.

The White River and its smaller rivers and streams flow through the county.

Neighboring Counties

Main Roads

U.S. Route 65
U.S. Route 160
Route 76
Route 86
Route 125
Route 165
Route 176
Route 248
Route 265
Route 376
Route 465 (this road is now part of MO-76)

Public Transportation

Jefferson Lines

Protected Natural Areas

Mark Twain National Forest (part of it is in Taney County)

People of Taney County

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1840	3,264	—
1850	4,373	34.0%
1860	3,576	−18.2%
1870	4,347	21.6%
1880	5,599	28.8%
1890	7,973	42.4%
1900	10,812	35.6%
1910	9,287	−14.1%
1920	8,878	−4.4%
1930	8,867	−0.1%
1940	10,323	16.4%
1950	9,863	−4.5%
1960	10,238	3.8%
1970	13,023	27.2%
1980	20,467	57.2%
1990	25,561	24.9%
2000	39,703	55.3%
2010	51,675	30.2%
2020	56,066	8.5%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2015

In 2000, there were 39,703 people living in Taney County. The population density was about 24 people per square kilometer. Most people (96.22%) were White. About 2.42% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in the county was 39 years old. About 22.40% of the population was under 18 years old.

Religions in Taney County

Many people in Taney County are Protestant Christians. The most common groups are Southern Baptists, Roman Catholics, and Presbyterians.

2020 Census Information

Taney County Racial Composition
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (not Hispanic)	46,468	83%
Black or African American (not Hispanic)	837	1.5%
Native American (not Hispanic)	407	0.73%
Asian (not Hispanic)	608	1.1%
Pacific Islander (not Hispanic)	187	0.33%
Other/Mixed (not Hispanic)	3,230	5.76%
Hispanic or Latino	4,239	7.56%

Education in Taney County

Most adults in Taney County (81.4%) have a high school diploma or higher. About 14.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Colleges and Universities

Ozarks Technical Community College, Hollister
College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout

Public Schools

Bradleyville R-I School District - Bradleyville
- Bradleyville Elementary School (Grades PK-6)
- Bradleyville High School (Grades 7-12)
Branson R-IV School District - Branson
- Branson Primary School (Preschool)
- Branson Buchanan Elementary (Grades K-4)
- Branson Cedar Ridge Elementary (Grades K-4)
- Branson Buchanan Intermediate (Grades 4-6)
- Branson Cedar Ridge Intermediate (Grades 4-6)
- Branson Jr. High School (Grades 7-8)
- Branson High School (Grades 9-12)
Forsyth R-III School District - Forsyth
- Forsyth Elementary School (Grades K-4)
- Forsyth Middle School (Grades 5-8)
- Forsyth High School (Grades 9-12)
Hollister R-V School District - Hollister
- Hollister Elementary School (Grades PK-4)
- Hollister Middle School (Grades 5-6)
- Riedgedale Elementary School
- Hollister Jr. High School (Grades 7-8)
- Hollister High School (Grades 9-12)
Kirbyville R-VI School District - Kirbyville
- Kirbyville Elementary School (Grades K-3)
- Kirbyville Middle School (Grades 4-8)
Mark Twain R-VIII School District - Rueter
- Mark Twain Elementary School (Grades K-8)
Taneyville R-II School District - Taneyville
- Taneyville Elementary School (Grades K-8)

Private Schools

Link Academy - Scott Township (near Branson)
Trinity Christian Academy - Hollister (Preschool-12) - A Christian school
Riverview Bible Baptist Church School - Forsyth (Grades 5-8) - A Baptist school
School of the Ozarks - Point Lookout

Libraries

Forsyth Public Library
Library Center of the Ozarks

Towns and Communities

Cities

Branson (the biggest city, a small part is in Stone County)
Forsyth (the county seat)
Hollister
Merriam Woods
Rockaway Beach

Taney County, Missouri facts for kids

Contents