Butler County is a county in Missouri, United States, on the edge of the Ozark Foothills where the Black River flows toward the Bootheel lowlands. It had a population of 42,130 at the 2020 census and covers 699 square miles (1,810 km2) centred near 36°43′N 90°24′W.
Poplar Bluff is the county seat; its postal code is 63901. The county holds four incorporated cities, a handful of census-designated places, and dozens of small unincorporated communities. Butler County observes Central time and carries FIPS code 29023.
Towns & Villages in Butler County
Butler County has 48 named places on record: four incorporated cities (one the county seat), three census-designated places, and 41 unincorporated communities and rural crossroads. CDP = census-designated place, an unincorporated community the Census Bureau tracks separately; Unincorp. = an unincorporated settlement with no CDP boundary.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poplar Bluff | City · seat | 16,225 | 63901 |
| Fisk | City | — | 63940 |
| Neelyville | City | — | 63954 |
| Qulin | City | — | 63961 |
| Broseley | CDP | — | 63932 |
| Harviell | CDP | — | 63945 |
| Fairdealing | CDP | — | — |
| Angus | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ash Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ashcroft Addition | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Barron | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Batesville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brush Arbor | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Carola | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cedar Valley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Empire | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fagus | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gheen | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Green Forest | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Halloran | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hanleyville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hendrickson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hicoria Spur | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hilliard | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hubbells | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Junland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Keeners | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kelly Town | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kinzer | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kremlin Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Loma Linda | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lone Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mayberry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Milltown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Morocco | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nyssa | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oglesville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Osborn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Parks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Quercus | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rombauer | Unincorp. | — | 63962 |
| Rossville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shady Dell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stringtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Taft | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vastus | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vinegar Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Whitlow | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wilby | Unincorp. | — | — |
Fairdealing straddles the Butler–Ripley county line; the portion listed here is the Butler County side. A duplicate “Broseley” entry and an unverifiable “Menorkanut” entry from the old settlement list were dropped — see notes.
ZIP Codes
- 63901 — Poplar Bluff (standard delivery)
- 63902 — Poplar Bluff (PO Box only)
- 63940 — Fisk
- 63954 — Neelyville
- 63945 — Harviell
- 63932 — Broseley
- 63961 — Qulin
- 63962 — Rombauer (PO Box only)
Most of the county’s other small communities are served by the Poplar Bluff post office (63901) or a neighboring town’s ZIP rather than one of their own.
Geography
Butler County sits where the rolling Ozark Foothills give way to the flat Bootheel lowlands, with the Black River crossing the county on its way south, and a portion of Mark Twain National Forest reaching into the county’s western edge. The terrain is mostly forested hill country in the north and west, opening into farmland and bottomland in the south and east.
Butler County borders Wayne County to the north, Stoddard County to the northeast, Dunklin County to the southeast, Clay County, Arkansas to the south, Ripley County to the west, and Carter County to the northwest.
Demographics
Butler County had 42,130 residents at the 2020 census, a density of roughly 61 people per square mile of land. Poplar Bluff is by far the largest community, home to about 38 percent of the county’s population; Neelyville and Qulin are the next-largest incorporated places, each far smaller. Household income in the county runs well below the Missouri median of $68,545, typical of the rural Ozark Foothills counties along the state’s southeastern edge.
Economy & Local Life
Poplar Bluff anchors the county’s economy as the regional hub for southeast Missouri’s Ozark Foothills. Mid-Continent Steel and Wire, based in Poplar Bluff, is the largest nail manufacturer in the United States. Three Rivers College serves the county with two-year and technical programs, and the Poplar Bluff R-1 School District runs the area’s public schools. Agriculture, timber, and healthcare round out the local economy in the smaller towns and rural townships.
History
Butler County was organized from Wayne County on February 27, 1849, and named for William O. Butler, a Kentucky congressman and U.S. Army general who ran unsuccessfully for vice president in 1848. The first county court met on June 18, 1849. Poplar Bluff, the seat, grew through the late 1800s as a railroad and timber town and remains the commercial center of Missouri’s southeastern Ozark Foothills.
Getting There
U.S. Routes 60, 67, and 160 cross Butler County, along with Missouri Routes 51, 53, 142, and 158, all converging on Poplar Bluff.
- Cape Girardeau, Missouri — about 70 miles northeast
- Jonesboro, Arkansas — about 60 miles south
- Springfield, Missouri — about 140 miles northwest
- Memphis, Tennessee — about 140 miles southeast
Poplar Bluff has an Amtrak station, served by the Texas Eagle line. Cape Girardeau Regional Airport, to the northeast, offers the nearest scheduled commercial flights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Butler County, Missouri?
It is in southeastern Missouri, on the edge of the Ozark Foothills where they meet the Bootheel lowlands, centred near 36°43′N 90°24′W.
What is the population of Butler County?
Butler County had a population of 42,130 at the 2020 census.
How big is Butler County?
The county covers 699 square miles (1,810 km2), of which 695 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Butler County?
Poplar Bluff is the county seat.
How many towns are in Butler County?
The county has four incorporated cities — Poplar Bluff, Fisk, Neelyville, and Qulin — plus several census-designated places and dozens of unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Butler County?
Butler County’s main ZIP codes are 63901 and 63902 (Poplar Bluff), 63940 (Fisk), 63954 (Neelyville), 63961 (Qulin), 63945 (Harviell), 63932 (Broseley), and 63962 (Rombauer).
What is Butler County known for?
It is home to Mid-Continent Steel and Wire, the largest nail manufacturer in the United States, based in Poplar Bluff.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.