Knox County is a county in Missouri, United States, in the northeastern part of the state, roughly midway between Kirksville and the Mississippi River. It had a population of 3,744 at the 2020 census and covers 507 square miles (1,310 km2), of which 504 square miles are land and 2.8 square miles are water, centred near 40°07′N 92°09′W.
Edina is the county seat, and its postal code is 63537. The county has 4 incorporated cities, 2 villages, 1 census-designated place, and several unincorporated communities, organized into 13 townships. Knox County is in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Knox County
Knox County’s population centers are small and rural — Edina, the seat, is the only place with more than a few hundred residents. The county has 4 incorporated cities, 2 villages, and one census-designated place (CDP); the rest are unincorporated crossroads communities with no separate municipal government.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baring | City | Salt River | — | 63531 |
| Colony | Unincorp. | Colony | — | 63537 |
| Edina | City · seat | Center | — | 63537 |
| Fabius | Unincorp. | Fabius | — | 63537 |
| Forest Springs | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Goodland | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Greensburg | Unincorp. | Greensburg | — | — |
| Hedge City | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Hurdland | City | Bourbon | — | 63547 |
| Jeddo | Unincorp. | Jeddo | — | — |
| Kenwood | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Knox City | City | Myrtle | — | 63446 |
| Locust Hill | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Millport | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Newark | Village | Lyon | — | 63458 |
| Novelty | Village | Shelton | — | 63460 |
| Plevna | CDP | Liberty | — | — |
The Census Bureau does not publish separate 2020 population counts for most of these places, so precise per-place figures are omitted rather than estimated; Edina alone accounts for a substantial share of the county’s total.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Bee Ridge | — | — |
| Benton | — | Knox City |
| Bourbon | — | Hurdland |
| Center | — | Edina |
| Colony | — | Colony |
| Fabius | — | Fabius |
| Greensburg | — | Greensburg |
| Jeddo | — | Jeddo |
| Liberty | — | Plevna |
| Lyon | — | Newark |
| Myrtle | — | Knox City |
| Salt River | — | Baring |
| Shelton | — | Novelty |
Missouri’s civil townships are historic land-survey and voting units with no independent government; the county commission handles all local administration. Township-level population figures are not separately published by the Census Bureau, so they are omitted here.
ZIP Codes
- 63537 — Edina (also serves Colony and Fabius)
- 63446 — Knox City
- 63531 — Baring
- 63547 — Hurdland
- 63458 — Newark
- 63460 — Novelty
Smaller unincorporated places such as Greensburg, Jeddo, Locust Hill and Millport have no ZIP code of their own and use the nearest post office town’s code.
Geography
Knox County sits on the rolling till plains of northeastern Missouri, drained by the Fabius River and its North and South forks. Farmland and pasture cover most of the county, with scattered timber along the stream valleys; the terrain is gently rolling rather than hilly. Knox County borders Scotland County to the north, Clark County to the northeast, Lewis County to the east, Shelby County to the south, Macon County to the southwest, and Adair County to the west.
Demographics
Knox County had 3,744 residents at the 2020 census, making it one of Missouri’s least populous counties. Edina and Knox City are its two largest communities. The county’s median household income runs well below the Missouri median of $68,545, reflecting its heavily agricultural, low-density economy. Population density is about 7 people per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture drives Knox County’s economy — row-crop farming (corn and soybeans) and cattle grazing dominate the land use, supplemented by small-scale manufacturing and services clustered in Edina and Knox City. The Knox County R-I school district serves most of the county from Edina, and local churches and volunteer fire departments anchor community life in the smaller settlements.
History
Knox County was organized on February 14, 1845, from parts of surrounding Missouri territory, and named for General Henry Knox, the first U.S. Secretary of War under George Washington. During the Civil War, Confederate guerrilla leader Joseph C. Porter clashed with Union forces near Newark in 1862, one of several skirmishes across northeastern Missouri that year. The county has remained predominantly rural and agricultural since its founding, with its population peaking decades ago and gradually declining as farms consolidated.
Getting There
Missouri Routes 6, 11, 15, 151 and 156 cross the county, connecting its towns to U.S. Route 63 to the west and Interstate 72 to the north.
- Kirksville — 20 miles west
- Quincy, Illinois — 35 miles east
- Hannibal — 40 miles southeast
- Macon — 30 miles south
Kirksville Regional Airport, just west of the county, is the nearest commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Knox County, Missouri?
It is in the northeastern part of the state, bordering Iowa-adjacent Scotland County to the north and sharing borders with five other Missouri counties.
What is the population of Knox County?
Knox County had a population of 3,744 at the 2020 census.
How big is Knox County?
The county covers 507 square miles (1,310 km2), of which 504 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Knox County?
Edina is the county seat.
How many towns are in Knox County?
The county has 4 incorporated cities (Baring, Edina, Hurdland, Knox City), 2 villages (Newark, Novelty), one census-designated place (Plevna), and several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Knox County?
63537 (Edina), 63446 (Knox City), 63531 (Baring), 63547 (Hurdland), 63458 (Newark), and 63460 (Novelty).
Why is it called Knox County?
It was named for General Henry Knox, who served as the first U.S. Secretary of War.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.