Lincoln County, Missouri

Lincoln County is a county in Missouri, United States, on the Mississippi River in the eastern part of the state. It had a population of 59,574 at the 2020 census and covers 641 square miles (1,660 km2), of which 627 square miles (1,620 km2) is land and 14 square miles (36 km2) is water, centred near 39°04′N 90°58′W.

Troy is the county seat; its postal code is 63379. The county has nine incorporated cities and villages plus more than thirty unincorporated communities. It sits in the Central time zone and is part of the St. Louis metropolitan area.

Towns & Villages in Lincoln County

Lincoln County has nine incorporated municipalities — one city and seat (Troy), five additional cities, and three villages — alongside a large number of unincorporated crossroads and river communities. The table below lists the incorporated places first, followed by notable unincorporated communities (marked Unincorp.).

Chain of Rocks and Cap au Gris sit on the Mississippi River bluffs in the county’s northeast corner and are sometimes confused with the Chain of Rocks bridge area near St. Louis, a different location entirely.

ZIP Codes

• 63379 — Troy (also serves Cuivre Heights and Fountain N Lakes)
• 63343 — Elsberry
• 63389 — Winfield
• 63362 — Moscow Mills
• 63349 — Hawk Point
• 63369 — Old Monroe
• 63377 — Silex
• 63347 — Foley
• 63383 — Whiteside
• 63381 — Truxton

Smaller unincorporated communities generally share the ZIP code of the nearest post office town listed above.

Geography

Lincoln County lies in the rolling hill country between the Mississippi and Cuivre rivers, with bluffs and bottomland forest along its eastern edge. The Cuivre River crosses the county roughly north to south before joining the Mississippi, and Cuivre River State Park occupies part of the southwestern county. The Mississippi River forms the entire eastern boundary.

Lincoln County borders Pike County to the north, Calhoun County, Illinois to the east across the Mississippi River, St. Charles County to the southeast, Warren County to the southwest, and Montgomery County to the west.

Demographics

Lincoln County’s population was 59,574 at the 2020 census. Troy, the county seat, is by far the largest community at 13,168 residents, followed by Moscow Mills at 3,309. The county’s median household income runs below the Missouri median of $68,545, typical of a rural-suburban county at the edge of the St. Louis metro. Population density is roughly 95 people per square mile of land area.

Economy & Local Life

Lincoln County’s economy mixes agriculture, light manufacturing, and commuter households tied to the St. Louis job market. Row crops and cattle operations remain common outside the incorporated towns, while Troy anchors most local retail, healthcare, and county-government employment. Growth along U.S. Route 61 has drawn subdivisions and commuter traffic from the St. Louis area over recent decades.

History

Lincoln County was organized on December 14, 1818, one of Missouri’s original counties, formed before Missouri itself became a state in 1821. It was named for Major General Benjamin Lincoln of the American Revolutionary War; local tradition also holds that an early proposal for a “Link-Horn” County was transcribed by a clerk as “Lincoln.” Cap au Gris, on the Mississippi bluffs, was the site of the War of 1812-era Fort Cap au Gris, one of the northernmost American outposts on the river during that conflict.

Getting There

U.S. Route 61 runs north-south through the county and is its main commuter corridor toward St. Louis; Missouri Routes 47, 79, and 147 provide secondary access. Approximate distances from Troy:

• St. Louis, Missouri — 45 miles southeast
• Wentzville, Missouri — 20 miles southeast
• Bowling Green, Missouri — 25 miles north
• Warrenton, Missouri — 20 miles southwest

The nearest commercial airport is St. Louis Lambert International Airport, roughly 45 miles southeast of Troy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Lincoln County, Missouri?
It is in the eastern part of Missouri, along the Mississippi River, within the St. Louis metropolitan area.

What is the population of Lincoln County?
It had a population of 59,574 at the 2020 census.

How large is Lincoln County?
It covers 641 square miles (1,660 km2), of which 627 square miles is land and 14 square miles is water.

What is the county seat of Lincoln County?
Troy is the county seat.

How many towns and villages are in Lincoln County?
The county has nine incorporated cities and villages, plus more than thirty unincorporated communities.

What ZIP codes are in Lincoln County?
Main ZIP codes include 63379 (Troy), 63343 (Elsberry), 63389 (Winfield), 63362 (Moscow Mills), 63349 (Hawk Point), 63369 (Old Monroe), 63377 (Silex), 63347 (Foley), 63383 (Whiteside), and 63381 (Truxton).

Why is it named Lincoln County?
It was named for Major General Benjamin Lincoln of the American Revolutionary War when the county was organized in 1818.

More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.