Douglas County is a county in Missouri, United States, in the south-central part of the state. It had a population of 11,578 at the 2020 census and covers 815 square miles (2,110 km2) centred near 36°56′N 92°30′W.
Ava is the county seat, and its postal code is 65608. Ava is the only incorporated community in the county; the rest of Douglas County’s roughly 50 named places are unincorporated communities and rural crossroads. The county sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Douglas County
Douglas County has one incorporated city and around 50 unincorporated communities scattered across its Ozark hill country. The table below carries over every place documented on the county’s community list; unincorporated places have no separately reported 2020 census population, so those cells read —.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ava | City · seat | 2,894 | 65608 |
| Ann | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Arden | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Arno | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Basher | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bertha | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blanche | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brushyknob | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bryant | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Buckhart | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Champion | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cheney | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Coldspring | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cross Roads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Denlow | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Depew | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dogwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Drury | Unincorp. | — | 65638 |
| Evans | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fielden | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Filer | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gentryville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Girdner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Goodhope | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Goodville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Granada | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hale Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hebron | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hest | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Holtville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jackson Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Larissa | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Merritt | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Midway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mount Zion | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Olathia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Old Merritt | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ongo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Osborn Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Prior | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Red Bank | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Richville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rome | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Roosevelt | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Roy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Silverton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Smallett | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Squires | Unincorp. | — | 65755 |
| Sweden | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tigris | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Topaz | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vanzant | Unincorp. | — | 65768 |
| Vera Cruz | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Witty | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Zenda | Unincorp. | — | — |
Two of the old county-seat towns are on this list: Arno and Vera Cruz both served as Douglas County seat before Ava took over in 1871, and neither ever incorporated.
ZIP Codes
- 65608 — Ava (also serves most of the county’s central and northern communities)
- 65638 — Drury
- 65755 — Squires
- 65768 — Vanzant
Douglas County is covered by just four post office ZIPs; nearly all of the smaller unincorporated places on the list above use the Ava ZIP for mail.
Geography
Douglas County lies in the Ozark hill country of south-central Missouri, drained by the North Fork of the White River and Bryant Creek. Much of the county’s southern half falls inside the Mark Twain National Forest, and the terrain is a mix of forested ridges and pasture in the narrow valleys between them. The county covers 815 square miles, of which 814 square miles is land and about 1.0 square mile is water.
Douglas County borders Webster County and Wright County to the north, Texas County to the northeast, Howell County to the east, Ozark County to the south, Taney County to the southwest, and Christian County to the west.
Demographics
Douglas County had 11,578 residents at the 2020 census, a density of about 14 people per square mile. Ava, with 2,894 residents at the 2020 census, is by far the largest community; the second-largest concentration of population is around Drury, though most of the county’s residents live in rural, unincorporated areas rather than in any single town. Missouri’s 2023 median household income was $68,545; Douglas County, a rural Ozark county with no incorporated communities beyond Ava, runs well below that state figure.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture, especially cattle and poultry farming, anchors Douglas County’s economy, alongside forestry tied to the surrounding Mark Twain National Forest. Ava serves as the county’s commercial and government center, home to the Douglas County courthouse. Assumption Abbey, a Trappist monastery established near Ava in 1950, is a well-known local institution and pilgrimage site.
History
Douglas County was organized on October 19, 1857, and named for U.S. Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois. The county seat moved twice before settling permanently at Ava in 1871, after earlier stints at Vera Cruz and Arno. During the Civil War, the Battle of Clark’s Mill was fought in the county on November 7, 1862.
Getting There
Missouri Routes 5, 14, 76, 95, and 181 are the main roads through Douglas County; there is no interstate access within the county itself.
- Springfield — 55 miles northwest
- West Plains — 35 miles east
- Branson — 40 miles southwest
- Mountain Grove — 25 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF).
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Douglas County, Missouri?
It is in south-central Missouri, in the Ozark hill country south of Springfield.
What is the population of Douglas County?
11,578 people, according to the 2020 census.
How big is Douglas County?
815 square miles (2,110 km2), of which 814 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Douglas County?
Ava is the county seat, and its only incorporated city.
How many towns are in Douglas County?
One incorporated city, Ava, plus around 50 unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Douglas County?
65608 (Ava), 65638 (Drury), 65755 (Squires), and 65768 (Vanzant).
Was Ava always the county seat?
No. Douglas County’s seat was first at Arno, then Vera Cruz, before moving permanently to Ava in 1871.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.