Reynolds County is a county in Missouri, United States, in the Ozark Foothills of the state’s Lead Belt region. It had a population of 6,096 at the 2020 census and covers 814 square miles (2,110 km2) centred near 37°22′N 90°58′W.
Centerville is the county seat, and its postal code is 63633. The county has three incorporated cities — Bunker, Centerville, and Ellington — plus a scatter of unincorporated communities, and sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Reynolds County
Reynolds County has three incorporated cities and roughly two dozen unincorporated communities and rural post-office points, most dating to the timber and lead-mining era. CDP stands for census-designated place; Unincorp. covers small crossroads communities with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellington | City | — | 63638 |
| Bunker | City | — | 63629 |
| Centerville | City · seat | — | 63633 |
| Bedwell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bee Fork | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Black | Unincorp. | — | 63625 |
| Chitwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Corridon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dagonia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Edgehill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fruit City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Garwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Grady | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Greeley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hadley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lake Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lesterville | Unincorp. | — | 63654 |
| Marcoot | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Melton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Monterey | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Munger | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oakley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ohlman | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Redford | Unincorp. | — | 63665 |
| Reynolds | Unincorp. | — | 63666 |
| Ruble | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Smithboro | Unincorp. | — | — |
| West Fork | Unincorp. | — | — |
Lesterville, on the county’s northern edge, sits near Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park and draws far more day traffic than its size suggests; Reynolds village, unrelated to the county’s name origin despite the shared spelling, keeps a post-office-only ZIP.
ZIP Codes
- 63633 — Centerville (county seat)
- 63638 — Ellington (also serves West Fork and southern rural routes)
- 63629 — Bunker
- 63654 — Lesterville
- 63625 — Black
- 63665 — Redford
- 63666 — Reynolds (PO Box only)
Most of the smaller crossroads communities — Bedwell, Chitwood, Corridon, Dagonia, and the rest — share the ZIP of their nearest post-office town rather than carrying one of their own.
Geography
Reynolds County lies in the Ozark Foothills, a rugged, heavily forested landscape of ridges and spring-fed streams draining toward the Black River. Most of the county sits inside the Mark Twain National Forest, and the Johnson’s Shut-Ins section of the Black River — narrow granite chutes carved by the current — is the county’s best-known natural feature.
The county borders Dent County to the northwest, Iron County to the northeast, Wayne County to the southeast, Carter County to the south, and Shannon County to the west. Iron, Wayne, and Carter each have their own live page (Iron County, Wayne County, Carter County); Dent and Shannon are named without a link here pending their own Missouri-suffixed pages.
Demographics
The county’s population was 6,096 at the 2020 census, giving a density of about 7.5 people per square mile — among the more sparsely settled counties in the state. Ellington is the largest community, followed by Bunker; Centerville, the seat, is the smallest of the three incorporated cities. Household income runs well below the Missouri median of $68,545, reflecting the county’s timber-and-tourism economic base and rural isolation.
Economy & Local Life
Timber and forest products have anchored the local economy since the 19th-century lead-and-lumber boom, and the Mark Twain National Forest still covers much of the county today. Tourism tied to Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park and Black River float trips brings seasonal income to Lesterville and the surrounding area, while Ellington serves as the county’s main retail and school-district hub.
History
Reynolds County was organized on February 25, 1845, from parts of Shannon County, and named for Thomas Reynolds, governor of Missouri from 1840 until his death in office in 1844. Lead and iron mining drove early settlement, and the timber industry that followed left the county’s economy tied to the Mark Twain National Forest for much of the 20th century. In December 2005, the failure of the Taum Sauk upper reservoir sent a wall of water down the East Fork Black River into Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park, badly damaging the park and prompting a lasting rebuild of the site.
Getting There
Missouri Routes 21, 49, 72, and 106 cross the county; there is no interstate access.
- Ellington — 0 miles (county hub)
- Salem, Dent County — about 25 miles northwest
- Poplar Bluff — about 45 miles southeast
- Farmington — about 55 miles northeast
The nearest commercial airport is Southeast Missouri Regional Airport (CGI) in Cape Girardeau, roughly 75 miles east.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Reynolds County?
It is in the Ozark Foothills of southeastern Missouri, between Iron, Wayne, Carter, Shannon, and Dent counties.
What is the population of Reynolds County?
6,096 people, as of the 2020 census.
How big is Reynolds County?
814 square miles (2,110 km2), of which about 6 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Reynolds County?
Centerville is the county seat.
How many towns are in Reynolds County?
Three incorporated cities — Bunker, Centerville, and Ellington — plus about two dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Reynolds County?
63625, 63629, 63633, 63638, 63654, 63665, and 63666.
What state park is in Reynolds County?
Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park, known for its granite river chutes on the Black River near Lesterville.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.