Dade County is a county in Missouri, United States, in the southwestern part of the state, roughly midway between Springfield and Joplin. It had a population of 7,569 at the 2020 census and covers 506 square miles (1,310 km2) — 490 square miles (1,300 km2) of land and 16 square miles (41 km2) of water — centred near 37°26′N 93°51′W.
Greenfield is the county seat, and its postal code is 65661. The county holds three incorporated cities, two incorporated villages, and more than twenty unincorporated communities. It observes Central time and was organized January 29, 1841.
Towns & Villages in Dade County
Dade County has 28 named places on record: three cities (Greenfield, Everton, Lockwood), two villages (Dadeville, South Greenfield), and 23 unincorporated communities and crossroads scattered across the county’s farmland. Only Arcola among the unincorporated places has kept its own ZIP code; the rest use a neighboring town’s post office.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenfield | City · seat | 1,220 | 65661 |
| Lockwood | City | — | 65682 |
| Everton | City | — | 65646 |
| Dadeville | Village | — | 65635 |
| South Greenfield | Village | — | 65752 |
| Arcola | Unincorp. | — | 65603 |
| Bona | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Carns Ford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cedarville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Comet | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Corry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Crisp | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Davenport | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dilday Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fiddlers Ford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Glen Town | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Grays Valley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hulston | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kings Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Meinert | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Neola | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Kirk | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pennsboro | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pilgrim | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Seybert | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sims Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Snadon Ford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sylvania | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 65661 — Greenfield (county seat)
- 65646 — Everton
- 65682 — Lockwood
- 65635 — Dadeville
- 65752 — South Greenfield
- 65603 — Arcola
The county’s remaining unincorporated communities have no post office of their own and are served by the ZIP code of the nearest listed town.
Geography
Dade County sits on the Springfield Plateau of the Ozarks, a rolling landscape of pasture and cropland drained by the Sac River and its tributaries. Water covers about 3.2 percent of the county’s total area.
Dade County borders Cedar County to the north, Polk County to the northeast, Greene County to the east, Lawrence County to the southeast, Jasper County to the south, and Barton County to the west. Cedar County, Polk County, Greene County, Lawrence County, Jasper County, and Barton County all have their own town-and-village pages on this site.
Demographics
Dade County had a population of 7,569 at the 2020 census, a density of about 15.5 people per square mile. Greenfield, with 1,220 residents, is by far the largest place in the county; Lockwood is the second-largest incorporated place. The county’s median household income is $49,899, well below the Missouri median of $68,545 (2023 ACS).
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture — cattle grazing and poultry farming on the county’s rolling pastureland — remains the backbone of the local economy, alongside small manufacturing and retail based in Greenfield. Greenfield’s downtown square, built up with brick storefronts in the 1880s, centers on the Greenfield Opera House Building, opened in 1888 and still used for summer theatrical productions.
History
Dade County was organized on January 29, 1841, and named for Major Francis L. Dade of Virginia, who was killed in the Second Seminole War in 1835. Greenfield, founded the same year as the county seat, took its name from the greenery of the original town site; its post office opened in 1850. The 1880s brick buildings that still ring the town square, including the Opera House, date from the county’s late-19th-century growth as a farm-trade center.
Getting There
U.S. Route 160 and Missouri Routes 39 and 97 cross Dade County, linking Greenfield to the region’s larger towns.
- Springfield — about 45 miles east via US 160
- Bolivar — about 25 miles northeast via MO 39
- Lamar — about 25 miles west via MO 39
- Joplin — about 60 miles southwest via US 160 and US 71
The nearest commercial airport is Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF), roughly 45 miles east of Greenfield.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Dade County, Missouri?
It lies in the southwestern part of Missouri, between Springfield and Joplin, centred near 37°26′N 93°51′W.
What is the population of Dade County?
Dade County had a population of 7,569 at the 2020 census.
How big is Dade County?
The county covers 506 square miles (1,310 km2), of which 16 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Dade County?
Greenfield is the county seat.
How many towns are in Dade County?
The county has three cities — Greenfield, Everton, and Lockwood — two villages, Dadeville and South Greenfield, and more than twenty unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Dade County?
Dade County uses six ZIP codes: 65661 (Greenfield), 65646 (Everton), 65682 (Lockwood), 65635 (Dadeville), 65752 (South Greenfield), and 65603 (Arcola).
What is Dade County named after?
It is named for Major Francis L. Dade, a Virginia-born U.S. Army officer killed in the Second Seminole War in 1835.
What is the Greenfield Opera House?
It’s an 1888 brick building on Greenfield’s town square that still hosts summer theatrical productions.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.