Morgan County is a county in Missouri, United States, in the west-central part of the state, on the Gravois Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks. It had a population of 21,006 at the 2020 census and covers 614 square miles (1,590 km2), of which 598 square miles is land and 16 square miles is water, centred near 38°26′N 92°53′W.
Versailles is the county seat, and its postal code is 65084. The county has seven incorporated cities and towns — Barnett, Gravois Mills, Laurie, Rocky Mount, Stover, Syracuse and Versailles — plus roughly a dozen unincorporated communities. Morgan County observes Central time.
Towns & Villages in Morgan County
Nineteen named places appear across Morgan County records, seven of them incorporated cities or towns and the rest unincorporated communities, hamlets or lake settlements. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Versailles | City · seat | — | 65084 |
| Stover | City | — | 65078 |
| Gravois Mills | City | — | 65037 |
| Laurie | City | — | 65038 |
| Syracuse | City | — | 65354 |
| Barnett | Village | — | 65011 |
| Rocky Mount | Village | — | 65072 |
| Sunrise Beach | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Florence | Unincorp. | — | 65329 |
| Aikinsville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Boylers Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Buck Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Excelsior | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Glensted | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Marvin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Proctor | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pyrmont | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Riverview | Unincorp. | — | — |
Versailles is the county’s largest incorporated city and the only one with a full-service commercial strip along Missouri Route 5. Sunrise Beach, on the Lake of the Ozarks shoreline, is unincorporated but functions as the county’s busiest lake-tourism hub and has no municipal boundary of its own, so it carries no dedicated ZIP code — mail there is served by the Sunrise Beach post office under the wider Camdenton/Lake area delivery network.
ZIP Codes
- 65084 — Versailles
- 65078 — Stover
- 65037 — Gravois Mills
- 65038 — Laurie
- 65354 — Syracuse
- 65011 — Barnett
- 65072 — Rocky Mount
- 65329 — Florence
Smaller unincorporated places such as Aikinsville, Boylers Mill, Buck Creek, Excelsior, Glensted, Marvin, Proctor, Pyrmont and Riverview have no post office of their own and use a neighboring town’s ZIP code.
Geography
Morgan County sits in the Ozark foothills, where rolling upland pasture and hardwood timber break into steep, wooded bluffs along the Lake of the Ozarks’ Gravois and Grand Glaize arms in the county’s southeast corner. The Osage River’s impoundment behind Bagnell Dam created that lake shoreline, and it is the county’s dominant water feature; smaller streams include the Little Gravois and Berry creeks. Land use away from the lake is mostly cattle pasture and hay ground.
Morgan County borders Cooper County to the north, Moniteau County to the northeast, Miller County to the southeast, Camden County to the south, Benton County to the west, and Pettis County to the northwest.
Demographics
Morgan County had 21,006 residents at the 2020 census. Versailles and Stover are the county’s two largest incorporated communities, with the unincorporated lake community of Sunrise Beach also a significant population center outside any city limits. Median household income in the county runs below the Missouri median of $68,545, reflecting the area’s rural and retirement-driven economy. Population density is roughly 35 people per square mile, concentrated around Versailles and the lake shoreline.
Economy & Local Life
Tourism tied to the Lake of the Ozarks drives much of the county’s summer economy — marinas, lakefront rental cabins and seasonal retail cluster around Sunrise Beach, Gravois Mills and Laurie. Away from the lake, agriculture (cattle, hay, some row crops) and light manufacturing anchor the local economy; Versailles serves as the county’s government, retail and school-district hub, home to Morgan County R-II Schools and the county courthouse on the town square.
History
Morgan County was organized on January 5, 1833, from land separated off Cooper County, and was named for Revolutionary War General Daniel Morgan. Versailles was platted as the county seat the same year. The county’s economy shifted decisively in the 1930s and after, when the construction of Bagnell Dam on the Osage River created the Lake of the Ozarks and turned the county’s eastern edge from farmland into a tourism corridor that now supports much of the local tax base.
Getting There
U.S. Route 50 crosses the county’s north end, and Missouri Routes 5, 52 and 135 provide the main north–south and east–west links to Versailles and the lake communities.
- Camdenton — 25 miles southeast
- Sedalia — 30 miles north
- Jefferson City — 45 miles east
- Springfield — 90 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Columbia Regional Airport (COU), about 70 miles northeast of Versailles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Morgan County, Missouri?
It is in west-central Missouri, on the Gravois Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks, roughly 45 miles west of Jefferson City.
What is the population of Morgan County?
21,006 as of the 2020 census.
How big is Morgan County?
614 square miles (1,590 km2), including about 16 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Morgan County?
Versailles is the county seat.
How many towns are in Morgan County?
Seven incorporated cities and towns — Barnett, Gravois Mills, Laurie, Rocky Mount, Stover, Syracuse and Versailles — plus about a dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Morgan County?
Main ZIP codes include 65084 (Versailles), 65078 (Stover), 65037 (Gravois Mills), 65038 (Laurie), 65354 (Syracuse), 65011 (Barnett), 65072 (Rocky Mount) and 65329 (Florence).
What created the Lake of the Ozarks shoreline in Morgan County?
The 1931 completion of Bagnell Dam on the Osage River, which flooded the Osage and Grand Glaize valleys and created the county’s Gravois and Grand Glaize arm shoreline.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.