Lawrence County is a county in Missouri, United States, in the Ozarks region of the southwest part of the state. It had a population of 38,001 at the 2020 census and covers 613 square miles (1,590 km2) centred near 37°07′N 93°50′W.
Mount Vernon is the county seat, and its postal code is 65712. The county has eight cities, three villages, one census-designated place, and a scatter of small unincorporated communities. Lawrence County sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Lawrence County
Lawrence County has twelve incorporated places — eight cities, three villages, and one census-designated place — plus a long list of small unincorporated communities and rural crossroads that never organized as towns. The table below carries over every settlement historically listed for the county; population figures are shown where a verified 2020 census count exists for that specific place.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Vernon | City · seat | — | 65712 |
| Aurora | City | — | 65605 |
| Monett | City | — | 65708 |
| Marionville | City | — | 65705 |
| Pierce City | City | — | 65723 |
| Verona | City | — | 65769 |
| Miller | City | — | 65707 |
| Stotts City | City | — | 65756 |
| Freistatt | Village | — | 65654 |
| Halltown | Village | — | 65664 |
| Hoberg | Village | — | — |
| Chesapeake | CDP | — | — |
| La Russell | Unincorp. | — | 64848 |
| Albatross | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bonham | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bowers Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Call | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Clarkson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dry Valley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elliott | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Globe | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Grays Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Heatonville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Landrum | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lawrenceburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Logan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McKinley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nickelville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Olinger | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Opal | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Orange | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Paris Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Phelps | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Plew | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Red Oak | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rescue | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Round Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sage Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spencer | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stinson | Unincorp. | — | — |
Two of the county’s cities straddle a border with a neighbor: Monett sits mostly in Barry County, with its northern edge reaching into Lawrence, and La Russell sits mainly in Jasper County, with the community’s eastern fringe in Lawrence. Both are counted here because part of each place lies within Lawrence County.
ZIP Codes
- 65605 — Aurora
- 65712 — Mount Vernon (post office town for the county seat)
- 65705 — Marionville
- 65723 — Pierce City
- 65769 — Verona
- 65707 — Miller
- 65756 — Stotts City
- 65654 — Freistatt (PO Box delivery only)
- 65664 — Halltown (PO Box delivery only)
- 64848 — La Russell
Monett’s post office ZIP, 65708, is centered just across the line in Barry County but also serves the Lawrence County portion of the city. Wentworth’s ZIP, 64873, covers a small slice of the county’s western edge along the Newton County line. Smaller unincorporated communities such as Hoberg and Chesapeake are served by the ZIP code of their nearest post office town rather than having one of their own.
Geography
Lawrence County lies in the Springfield Plateau section of the Ozarks, a landscape of rolling prairie-to-woodland terrain cut by spring-fed creeks. The county’s total area is 613 square miles, of which 612 square miles is land and 1.6 square miles is water. It is home to the Ozark Cavefish National Wildlife Refuge, established to protect the habitat of the endangered Ozark cavefish found in the county’s cave springs.
Lawrence County borders Dade County to the north, Greene County to the northeast, Christian County and Stone County to the southeast, Barry County to the south, Newton County to the southwest, and Jasper County to the west.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 38,001 residents in Lawrence County. Aurora and Monett are the county’s two largest communities, both incorporated cities with several thousand residents each; Mount Vernon, the county seat, is the third-largest. Missouri’s statewide median household income is the Missouri median of $68,545; Lawrence County, a mix of small-town and agricultural households, typically runs below that figure. With 38,001 people across 612 square miles of land, the county’s population density is roughly 62 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture, food processing, and small-town commerce anchor Lawrence County’s economy. Monett has long been a regional food-processing and rail hub, and Aurora carries a manufacturing and retail base serving the northern part of the county. Mount Vernon, the seat, hosts the county courthouse and county government offices along with a cluster of local businesses on and around its historic square. Poultry and cattle operations remain common across the county’s rural townships.
History
Lawrence County was organized in 1845, carved from parts of Barry County, and named for James Lawrence, a United States naval officer from the War of 1812 remembered for his dying order aboard USS Chesapeake, “Don’t give up the ship.” The Ozark Cavefish National Wildlife Refuge, established later to protect cave-spring habitat unique to the region, remains one of the county’s more distinctive natural landmarks.
Getting There
Interstate 44 crosses the northern part of Lawrence County, with US Route 60 and Missouri Routes 96, 97, and 266 (a former alignment of US Route 66) serving the rest of the county.
- Springfield, Missouri — 25 miles northeast
- Joplin, Missouri — 35 miles southwest
- Branson, Missouri — 45 miles southeast
- Bolivar, Missouri — 30 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Springfield-Branson National Airport, northeast of the county via I-44 and US 60.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Lawrence County, Missouri?
It is in the Ozarks region of southwest Missouri, between Springfield and Joplin.
What is the population of Lawrence County?
Lawrence County had a population of 38,001 at the 2020 census.
How big is Lawrence County?
The county covers 613 square miles (1,590 km2), of which 612 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Lawrence County?
Mount Vernon is the county seat.
How many towns are in Lawrence County?
The county has eight incorporated cities, three villages, and one census-designated place, plus numerous small unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Lawrence County?
Major ZIP codes include 65712 (Mount Vernon), 65605 (Aurora), 65705 (Marionville), 65723 (Pierce City), and 65769 (Verona), among others.
Why is it called Lawrence County?
It was named for James Lawrence, a U.S. naval officer known for his War of 1812 battle cry, “Don’t give up the ship.”
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.