Chariton County is a county in Missouri, United States, in the north-central part of the state along the Chariton and Missouri rivers. It had a population of 7,408 at the 2020 census and covers 767 square miles (1,990 km2) centred near 39°31′N 92°58′W.
Keytesville is the county seat; its postal code is 65261. The county has nine incorporated cities, towns and villages plus a scatter of unincorporated communities, 15 civil townships, and sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Chariton County
Chariton County has nine incorporated places and roughly two dozen unincorporated communities and crossroads. The legend below marks each: Town/City for incorporated places (with the county seat marked · seat), and Unincorp. for places with no municipal government of their own.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keytesville | City · seat | Keytesville | — | 65261 |
| Brunswick | City | Brunswick | — | 65236 |
| Salisbury | City | Salisbury | — | 65281 |
| Sumner | Village | Musselfork | — | — |
| Mendon | Village | Mendon | — | — |
| Rothville | Village | Triplett | — | — |
| Triplett | Village | Triplett | — | — |
| Dalton | Village | Chariton | — | — |
| Bynumville | Village | Wayland | — | — |
| Aholt | Unincorp. | Bee Branch | — | — |
| Cazzell | Unincorp. | Bowling Green | — | — |
| Cunningham | Unincorp. | Cunningham | — | — |
| Eccles | Unincorp. | Clark | — | — |
| Echo | Unincorp. | Salt Creek | — | — |
| Forest Green | Unincorp. | Cockrell | — | — |
| Glasgow | Unincorp. | Chariton | — | — |
| Grand Port | Unincorp. | Chariton | — | — |
| Guthridge | Unincorp. | Yellow Creek | — | — |
| Hamden | Unincorp. | Wayland | — | — |
| Indian Grove | Unincorp. | Musselfork | — | — |
| Lagonda | Unincorp. | Salt Creek | — | — |
| Lewis Mill | Unincorp. | Yellow Creek | — | — |
| Louisville | Unincorp. | Keytesville | — | — |
| Mike | Unincorp. | Bowling Green | — | — |
| Newcomer | Unincorp. | Cockrell | — | — |
| Newhall | Unincorp. | Salt Creek | — | — |
| Oil City | Unincorp. | Chariton | — | — |
| Prairie Hill | Unincorp. | Bowling Green | — | — |
| Rockford | Unincorp. | Cunningham | — | — |
| Shannondale | Unincorp. | Yellow Creek | — | — |
| Snyder | Unincorp. | Cockrell | — | — |
| Westville | Unincorp. | Wayland | — | — |
| Whitham | Unincorp. | Bee Branch | — | — |
| Wien | Unincorp. | Salt Creek | — | — |
Glasgow straddles the Chariton–Howard county line on the Missouri River; the larger share of the town and its population sits across the line in Howard County, so it is listed here as an unincorporated riverfront community on the Chariton side rather than a full municipal profile.
Townships
Chariton County is divided into 15 civil townships, which carry local road and cemetery-district functions rather than separate governments.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Keytesville | — | Keytesville, Louisville |
| Salisbury | — | Salisbury |
| Brunswick | — | Brunswick |
| Chariton | — | Glasgow, Dalton, Grand Port, Oil City |
| Mendon | — | Mendon |
| Triplett | — | Triplett, Rothville |
| Musselfork | — | Sumner, Indian Grove |
| Bowling Green | — | Cazzell, Mike, Prairie Hill |
| Bee Branch | — | Aholt, Whitham |
| Clark | — | Eccles |
| Cockrell | — | Forest Green, Newcomer, Snyder |
| Cunningham | — | Cunningham, Rockford |
| Salt Creek | — | Echo, Lagonda, Newhall, Wien |
| Wayland | — | Bynumville, Hamden, Westville |
| Yellow Creek | — | Guthridge, Lewis Mill, Shannondale |
ZIP Codes
- 65261 — Keytesville (also serves Louisville and the county seat area)
- 65236 — Brunswick
- 65281 — Salisbury
Most of the county’s smaller villages and unincorporated communities share a ZIP code with a nearby post office town rather than carrying their own; those pairings are not published here without confirmation.
Geography
Chariton County sits between the Chariton and Missouri rivers in the Dissected Till Plains, with rolling farmland in the uplands and bottomland along both river corridors. The Missouri River forms the county’s southern border, and the Chariton River crosses the county’s eastern side before joining the Missouri near Glasgow. Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge, a wetland and prairie preserve for migratory waterfowl, lies within the county near Sumner.
The county borders Linn County to the north, Macon County to the northeast, Randolph County to the east, Howard County to the southeast, Saline County to the southwest, Carroll County to the west, and Livingston County to the northwest.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 7,408 residents. Salisbury and Brunswick are the county’s two largest communities. Chariton County’s median household income runs below the Missouri median of $68,545, typical of a farm-dependent rural county in this part of the state. Population density is under 10 people per square mile, among the more sparsely settled counties in mid-Missouri.
Economy & Local Life
Row-crop and livestock farming — corn, soybeans and cattle — anchors the county economy, with Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge drawing hunters and birdwatchers each fall. Keytesville and Salisbury serve as the county’s retail and school-district centers; Brunswick, on the Missouri River, is known locally for its pecan orchards and hosts an annual Pecan Festival.
History
Chariton County was organized on November 16, 1820, carved from part of Howard County, and takes its name from the Chariton River. The original county seat was the town of Chariton, a Missouri River port that declined after river channel shifts and railroad routing bypassed it; Keytesville later became the permanent seat. The county was the birthplace of General Sterling Price, a Confederate commander and former Missouri governor.
Getting There
U.S. Route 24 crosses the county east–west through Keytesville, and Missouri Routes 5, 11, 129 and 139 provide the main north–south connections.
- Marshall, MO — 30 miles southwest
- Moberly, MO — 30 miles east
- Chillicothe, MO — 35 miles northwest
- Columbia, MO — 55 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Columbia Regional Airport, about an hour’s drive southeast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Chariton County, Missouri?
It is in north-central Missouri, between the Chariton and Missouri rivers, roughly 90 miles northeast of Kansas City.
What is the population of Chariton County?
7,408 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Chariton County?
767 square miles (1,990 km2), of which 751 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Chariton County?
Keytesville is the county seat.
How many towns and villages are in Chariton County?
Nine incorporated cities, towns and villages, plus about two dozen unincorporated communities across 15 townships.
What ZIP codes are in Chariton County?
The main ones are 65261 (Keytesville), 65236 (Brunswick) and 65281 (Salisbury).
Is Glasgow in Chariton County?
Only partly — most of the town of Glasgow lies across the Missouri River in Howard County, with a smaller riverfront section on the Chariton County side.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.