Dent County is a county in Missouri, United States, in the Ozark hills of the south-central part of the state. It had a population of 14,421 at the 2020 census and covers 753 square miles (1,950 km2) of land, centred near 37°37′N 91°30′W.
Salem is the county seat, and its postal code is 65560. The county has 2 incorporated cities, more than two dozen unincorporated communities, and 13 civil townships. Dent County sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Dent County
Dent County has two incorporated places and around thirty unincorporated communities scattered across its townships. The table below lists both, with type and township noted; unincorporated places carry no population figure unless separately enumerated by the Census Bureau.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem | City · seat | Current | 4,749 | 65560 |
| Bunker | City | Spring Creek East | 420 | 65725 |
| Anutt | Unincorp. | Norman | — | — |
| Bangert | Unincorp. | Meramec | — | — |
| Boss | Unincorp. | Watkins | — | 65440 |
| Condray | Unincorp. | Linn | — | — |
| Cooksey | Unincorp. | Franklin | — | — |
| Coulstone | Unincorp. | Texas | — | — |
| Custer | Unincorp. | Osage | — | — |
| Darien | Unincorp. | Sinking | — | — |
| Doss | Unincorp. | Gladden | — | — |
| Fawn | Unincorp. | Spring Creek West | — | — |
| Gladden | Unincorp. | Gladden | — | 65539 |
| Hedrick | Unincorp. | Short Bend | — | — |
| Hobson | Unincorp. | Current | — | — |
| Howes | Unincorp. | Franklin | — | — |
| Howes Mill | Unincorp. | Franklin | — | 65533 |
| Jack | Unincorp. | Meramec | — | — |
| Jadwin | Unincorp. | Spring Creek East | — | 65501 |
| Joy | Unincorp. | Watkins | — | — |
| Lake Spring | Unincorp. | Linn | — | 65473 |
| Lecoma | Unincorp. | Linn | — | 65540 |
| Lenox | Unincorp. | Norman | — | — |
| Montauk | Unincorp. | Current | — | — |
| Mounce | Unincorp. | Osage | — | — |
| North Lenox | Unincorp. | Norman | — | — |
| Ranger | Unincorp. | Sinking | — | — |
| Rhyse | Unincorp. | Meramec | — | — |
| Short Bend | Unincorp. | Short Bend | — | — |
| Sligo | Unincorp. | Osage | — | — |
| Smoky Hollow | Unincorp. | Spring Creek West | — | — |
| Stone Hill | Unincorp. | Meramec | — | — |
| Turtle | Unincorp. | Texas | — | — |
| West Bunker | Unincorp. | Spring Creek East | — | — |
Dent Ford and Deep Ford, carried on some older lists, are river-crossing names on the Meramec drainage rather than settlements with their own community identity; they are omitted from the table above.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Current | — | Salem, Hobson, Montauk |
| Spring Creek East | — | Bunker, Jadwin, West Bunker |
| Franklin | — | Howes Mill, Howes, Cooksey |
| Linn | — | Lecoma, Lake Spring, Condray |
| Meramec | — | Bangert, Jack, Stone Hill, Rhyse |
| Norman | — | Anutt, Lenox, North Lenox |
| Osage | — | Custer, Mounce, Sligo |
| Gladden | — | Gladden, Doss |
| Watkins | — | Boss, Joy |
| Sinking | — | Darien, Ranger |
| Short Bend | — | Short Bend, Hedrick |
| Texas | — | Coulstone, Turtle |
| Spring Creek West | — | Fawn, Smoky Hollow |
ZIP Codes
- 65560 — Salem (also serves Hobson and Montauk)
- 65725 — Bunker (also serves West Bunker)
- 65440 — Boss
- 65539 — Gladden
- 65533 — Howes Mill
- 65501 — Jadwin
- 65473 — Lake Spring
- 65540 — Lecoma
Most of Dent County’s smaller crossroads communities have no post office of their own and are served by mail from one of the ZIP codes above.
Geography
Dent County lies in the Ozark Highlands, a landscape of oak-hickory forest, spring-fed streams, and dolomite karst. The Meramec River rises in the county and the Current River’s headwaters cross its southern edge; Montauk State Park, built around one of Missouri’s premier trout-fishing springs, sits on the Current’s origin near the Dent–Texas line. Of the county’s 755 square miles, 753 are land and about 1.7 are water.
Dent County borders Crawford County to the northeast, Phelps County to the northwest, Iron County and Reynolds County to the southeast, Shannon County to the south, and Texas County to the southwest.
Demographics
Dent County’s population was 14,421 at the 2020 census. Salem, the county seat, is by far the largest community; Bunker is the only other incorporated place. The county’s median household income runs well below the Missouri median of $68,545, consistent with its rural, forestry- and agriculture-based economy. Population density is roughly 19 people per square mile, one of the lower densities among Missouri’s Ozark counties.
Economy & Local Life
Timber and wood products have anchored Dent County’s economy for more than a century, alongside cattle farming on the county’s cleared bottomland. Salem Memorial District Hospital is one of the county’s largest employers, along with the Salem R-80 school district and several food-service and manufacturing operations serving the wider Ozarks region. Montauk State Park and the Current River draw seasonal trout-fishing and canoeing visitors, supporting a small tourism trade around Salem and Montauk.
History
Dent County was organized on February 10, 1851, carved from parts of Crawford, Shannon, and Texas counties, and named for Lewis Dent, an early settler and state representative. Iron furnaces operated in the county from the 1880s into the 1920s, drawing on local ore and charcoal, and the timber industry that followed left a lasting mark on the landscape. During the Great Depression, Civilian Conservation Corps camps in the county built much of the infrastructure that later became Montauk State Park.
Getting There
Missouri Routes 19, 32, 68, 72, 117, and 119 cross the county, with Route 19 and Route 32 meeting at Salem.
- Rolla — 30 miles north
- Cuba — 33 miles northeast
- West Plains — 45 miles south
- Springfield — 90 miles southwest
The nearest commercial airport is Rolla National Airport for general aviation, with Springfield-Branson National Airport the closest full commercial-service option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Dent County?
Dent County is in the Ozark hills of south-central Missouri, about 90 miles southwest of St. Louis and 30 miles north of West Plains.
What is the population of Dent County?
Dent County had a population of 14,421 at the 2020 census.
How big is Dent County?
The county covers 753 square miles (1,950 km2) of land and about 1.7 square miles (4.4 km2) of water.
What is the Dent County seat?
Salem is the county seat.
How many towns are in Dent County?
Salem and Bunker are the two incorporated cities; roughly thirty unincorporated communities round out the county.
What ZIP codes are in Dent County?
Salem uses 65560 and Bunker uses 65725, with smaller ZIPs at Boss, Gladden, Howes Mill, Jadwin, Lake Spring, and Lecoma.
What is Montauk State Park known for?
Montauk State Park sits at the headwaters of the Current River and is one of Missouri’s four trout parks, stocked daily during trout season.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.