Osage County is a county in Missouri, United States, on the Missouri Rhineland stretch of the Missouri River valley southeast of Jefferson City. It had a population of 13,274 at the 2020 census and covers 611 square miles (1,580 km2) of land and water, centred near 38°28′N 91°52′W.
Linn is the county seat, and its postal code is 65051. The county holds 5 incorporated cities and villages plus more than a dozen unincorporated communities and is divided into 6 civil townships. It sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Osage County
Osage County has five incorporated municipalities — four cities and one village — alongside a wide scatter of unincorporated communities that trace back to the county’s German and French Catholic settlement history. Type key: City · seat = the county seat; Unincorp. = an unincorporated community with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linn | City · seat | Linn | — | 65051 |
| Chamois | City | Benton | — | 65024 |
| Freeburg | Village | Jefferson | 409 | 65035 |
| Meta | City | Jackson | — | 65058 |
| Westphalia | City | Washington | — | 65085 |
| Argyle | Unincorp. | Crawford | — | 65001 |
| Aud | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Babbtown | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Bonnots Mill | Unincorp. | Washington | — | 65016 |
| Byron | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Cooper Hill | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Crook | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Deer | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Folk | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Frankenstein | Unincorp. | Jefferson | — | — |
| Freedom | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Gascondy | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Hope | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Judge | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Koeltztown | Unincorp. | Jackson | — | 65048 |
| Koenig | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Loose Creek | Unincorp. | Linn | — | 65054 |
| Luystown | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Mint Hill | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Potts | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Rich Fountain | Unincorp. | Jackson | — | — |
| Ryors | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Saint Aubert | Unincorp. | Linn | — | — |
Argyle and Belle both straddle the Osage–Maries county line; only the Argyle post office and its 65001 ZIP fall on the Osage County side, which is why Belle itself is not listed here.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Linn | — | Linn, Loose Creek, Saint Aubert |
| Jackson | — | Meta, Koeltztown, Rich Fountain |
| Jefferson | — | Freeburg, Frankenstein |
| Washington | — | Westphalia, Bonnots Mill |
| Benton | — | Chamois |
| Crawford | — | Argyle |
ZIP Codes
- 65051 — Linn (also serves Loose Creek and Saint Aubert)
- 65001 — Argyle
- 65016 — Bonnots Mill
- 65024 — Chamois
- 65035 — Freeburg
- 65048 — Koeltztown
- 65054 — Loose Creek
- 65058 — Meta
- 65085 — Westphalia
Smaller unincorporated places such as Aud, Babbtown, Byron, Cooper Hill, Crook, Deer, Folk, Freedom, Gascondy, Hope, Judge, Koenig, Luystown, Mint Hill, Potts, Ryors, Frankenstein and Rich Fountain have no ZIP code of their own and use the mailing address of the nearest post office town above.
Geography
Osage County lies in the Missouri Rhineland, a wine-growing stretch of the Missouri River valley settled by German and French Catholic immigrants in the 19th century. The Osage River, for which the county is named, forms much of its western and southern boundary before joining the Missouri River near the county’s northwest corner; the Gasconade River runs along the eastern edge. Terrain is rolling Ozark-border hill country cut by river bluffs, with 604 square miles of land and 6.1 square miles of water.
Osage County borders Callaway County to the north, Gasconade County to the east, Maries County to the south, Miller County to the southwest, Cole County to the west, and Montgomery County to the northeast.
Demographics
Osage County had a population of 13,274 at the 2020 census. Linn, the county seat, is by far the largest community, followed by Freeburg. Median household income runs below the Missouri median of $68,545, reflecting the county’s rural, agriculture- and small-manufacturing-based economy. Population density is roughly 22 people per square mile of land, among the more sparsely settled counties in the mid-Missouri region.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture — row crops, cattle, and hay — remains the backbone of the county alongside light manufacturing and small-scale wine production tied to the Missouri Rhineland. Westphalia Vineyards, one of the vineyards credited with reviving the region’s German-era winemaking tradition, operates in the county. Linn hosts the county government offices and is the local retail and school hub; the Jefferson City, MO metropolitan area to the west draws many county residents for larger-scale employment and shopping.
History
Osage County was organized on January 29, 1841, and takes its name from the Osage River, itself named for the Osage Nation. German and French Catholic immigrants settled the county’s river towns from the 1830s onward, founding parishes and villages such as Westphalia, Rich Fountain, and Frankenstein that still carry strong Catholic and German-heritage identities. The county’s wine and brewing traditions, interrupted by Prohibition, have been revived in recent decades along the Missouri Rhineland trail.
Getting There
U.S. Routes 50 and 63 and Missouri Routes 28, 89, 100, and 133 cross the county, connecting its towns to Jefferson City and Rolla.
- Jefferson City — 20 miles west
- Rolla — 40 miles south
- Hermann — 25 miles east
- Columbia — 45 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Columbia Regional Airport (COU).
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Osage County, Missouri?
Osage County sits in mid-Missouri along the Missouri and Osage rivers, southeast of Jefferson City, on the Missouri Rhineland stretch of river valley.
What is the population of Osage County?
Osage County had 13,274 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Osage County?
The county covers 611 square miles (1,580 km2), of which 604 square miles are land and 6.1 square miles are water.
What is the county seat of Osage County?
Linn is the county seat.
How many towns are in Osage County?
The county has five incorporated municipalities — Linn, Chamois, Freeburg, Meta, and Westphalia — plus more than a dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Osage County?
Osage County’s ZIP codes include 65051 (Linn), 65001 (Argyle), 65016 (Bonnots Mill), 65024 (Chamois), 65035 (Freeburg), 65048 (Koeltztown), 65054 (Loose Creek), 65058 (Meta), and 65085 (Westphalia).
Why is the region called the Missouri Rhineland?
19th-century German immigrants settled the Missouri River valley through Osage County and planted vineyards reminiscent of the Rhine Valley, a wine tradition still active today at operations like Westphalia Vineyards.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.