Harrison County is a county in Missouri, United States, in the northwestern part of the state, along the Iowa border. It had a population of 8,157 at the 2020 census and covers 726 square miles (1,880 km2) centred near 40°21′N 93°59′W.
Bethany is the county seat, and its postal code is 64424. The county has 5 incorporated cities, 3 incorporated villages, and about 16 unincorporated communities. Harrison County sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Harrison County
Harrison County has 24 named places on record, split between 8 incorporated municipalities and roughly 16 unincorporated communities and rural crossroads. In the table below, “City” and “Village” mark incorporated places with their own local government; “Unincorp.” marks a community with no municipal boundary or elected officials.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bethany | City · seat | — | 64424 |
| Cainsville | City | — | 64632 |
| Gilman City | City | — | 64642 |
| New Hampton | City | — | 64471 |
| Ridgeway | City | — | 64481 |
| Blythedale | Village | — | — |
| Eagleville | Village | — | 64442 |
| Mount Moriah | Village | — | — |
| Akron | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Andover | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blue Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bolton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bridgeport | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brooklyn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gardner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hatfield | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Martinsville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Matkins | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Melbourne | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mitchellville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pawnee | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pleasant Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Washington Center | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wildwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 64424 — Bethany (also serves the surrounding rural county seat area)
- 64632 — Cainsville
- 64642 — Gilman City
- 64471 — New Hampton
- 64481 — Ridgeway
- 64442 — Eagleville
Blythedale, Mount Moriah, and the county’s unincorporated crossroads communities use the ZIP code of their nearest post-office town rather than one of their own.
Geography
Harrison County lies in the rolling farmland of the Grand River drainage in northwest Missouri, with the East Fork Grand River and the Big Creek watershed crossing the county. Land use is dominated by row-crop and pasture agriculture, with little standing timber outside the stream corridors.
The county borders Ringgold County and Decatur County in Iowa to the north; Mercer County to the east; Grundy County to the southeast; Daviess County to the south; Gentry County to the southwest; and Worth County to the west.
The terrain is gently rolling glacial till plain, typical of the Grand River hills region, with elevations across the county varying only a few hundred feet. Most of the original tallgrass prairie has long since been converted to cropland and pasture, and shallow farm ponds dot the landscape wherever natural drainage is limited.
Demographics
Harrison County had 8,157 residents at the 2020 census. Bethany is by far the largest community, followed by Ridgeway and Gilman City. Median household income in the county runs well below the Missouri median of $68,545, consistent with the county’s rural, farm-dependent economy. Population density is roughly 11 people per square mile, among the lowest in northwest Missouri.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture — row crops, cattle, and hog production — anchors Harrison County’s economy, alongside farm-supply and light manufacturing businesses based in Bethany. Bethany also serves as the county’s retail, medical, and school hub, and hosts an annual county fair that draws visitors from across the surrounding counties. Grain elevators and livestock markets in Bethany, Gilman City, and Ridgeway remain the county’s main non-farm employers, and many households still combine farm income with off-farm work in Bethany or in nearby Trenton.
History
Harrison County was organized on February 14, 1845, and named for Albert G. Harrison, a U.S. Representative from Missouri. Like much of northwest Missouri, the county was settled by farming families moving west in the mid-19th century, and its township pattern of small crossroads communities — many now reduced to a church, a cemetery, or a scatter of homes — dates from that era.
Getting There
Interstate 35 runs north–south through Harrison County, with U.S. Routes 69 and 136 and Missouri Routes 13, 46, and 146 providing local connections.
- Bethany — on I-35, no drive needed to reach the county seat
- Trenton, Missouri — about 30 miles southeast
- St. Joseph, Missouri — about 60 miles southwest
- Des Moines, Iowa — about 90 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Kansas City International Airport, roughly 100 miles to the south.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Harrison County, Missouri?
It is in the northwestern part of Missouri, on the Iowa border, along Interstate 35.
What is the population of Harrison County?
8,157 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Harrison County?
726 square miles (1,880 km2), of which 723 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Harrison County?
Bethany is the county seat.
How many towns are in Harrison County?
Five cities (Bethany, Cainsville, Gilman City, New Hampton, and Ridgeway) and three villages (Blythedale, Eagleville, and Mount Moriah), plus about 16 unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Harrison County?
Bethany is 64424; other towns include Cainsville 64632, Gilman City 64642, New Hampton 64471, Ridgeway 64481, and Eagleville 64442.
What highway serves Harrison County?
Interstate 35 runs the length of the county north to south, alongside U.S. Routes 69 and 136.
What county is Harrison County, Missouri, named after?
It was named for Albert G. Harrison, a U.S. Representative from Missouri, when the county was organized in 1845.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.