Livingston County is a county in Missouri, United States, in the northwestern part of the state. It had a population of 14,557 at the 2020 census and covers 539 square miles (1,396 km2), of which 532 square miles are land, centred near 39°47′N 93°33′W.
Chillicothe is the county seat and largest city, and its postal code is 64601. The county has three incorporated cities, three villages and two census-designated places, plus a scatter of small unincorporated communities. Livingston County observes Central Time.
Towns & Villages in Livingston County
Eight places in Livingston County are recognized by the Census Bureau as incorporated cities, villages, or census-designated places (CDPs); the rest are unincorporated crossroads communities with no formal population count. Chillicothe accounts for roughly two-thirds of the county’s residents.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chillicothe | City · seat | 9,107 | 64601 |
| Chula | City | — | 64635 |
| Wheeling | City | — | 64688 |
| Ludlow | Village | — | 64656 |
| Mooresville | Village | — | 64664 |
| Utica | Village | — | 64686 |
| Avalon | CDP | — | — |
| Dawn | CDP | — | 64638 |
| Bedford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blue Mound | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cavendish | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cleary | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cream Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Farmersville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Genova | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Niantic | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Norville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sampsel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Silverleaf | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Springhill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sturges | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 64601 — Chillicothe (also serves Bedford, Blue Mound, Cavendish, Cream Ridge, Norville, Sampsel and Springhill)
- 64635 — Chula (also serves Cleary and Genova)
- 64638 — Dawn
- 64656 — Ludlow
- 64664 — Mooresville
- 64686 — Utica (PO Box only)
- 64688 — Wheeling (also serves Farmersville, Niantic, Silverleaf and Sturges)
Avalon has no ZIP code of its own; mail there is typically addressed through a neighboring post office.
Geography
Livingston County sits on the rolling glacial till plains of northwestern Missouri, drained by the Grand River, which crosses the county roughly north to south and feeds the county’s largest reservoir, Poosey Conservation Area’s wetlands, near Chillicothe. Cropland and pasture cover most of the county outside the Grand River bottoms.
Livingston County borders Grundy County to the north, Linn County to the east, Chariton County to the southeast, Carroll County to the south, Caldwell County to the southwest, and Daviess County to the northwest.
Demographics
Livingston County had 14,557 residents at the 2020 census. Chillicothe, with 9,107 people, is by far the largest community; every other city and village in the county has well under 500 residents. Missouri’s statewide median household income is the Missouri median of $68,545; Livingston County, a mostly rural agricultural county, typically runs below that figure. Population density is roughly 27 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture — row crops, hogs and cattle — anchors the county’s economy, with Chillicothe serving as its trade, healthcare and retail center. Hedrick Medical Center in Chillicothe is the county’s main hospital, and Chillicothe R-II school district is the largest local employer outside agriculture. Chillicothe hosts an annual Sliced Bread Day celebration each August, marking the city’s claim to the invention of sliced bread.
History
Livingston County was organized on January 6, 1837, and named for Edward Livingston, who served as U.S. Secretary of State under President Andrew Jackson. Chillicothe was platted as the county seat the same year. The county’s best-known historical claim came in 1928, when the Chillicothe Baking Company became the first bakery to sell commercially sliced bread, using the Rohwedder bread-slicing machine — the origin of the phrase “the best thing since sliced bread.”
Getting There
U.S. Highways 36 and 65 cross at Chillicothe, giving the county its main road connections east-west and north-south.
- Chillicothe — Kansas City International Airport is about 85 miles southwest
- Brookfield (Linn County) — about 15 miles east of Chillicothe
- Trenton (Grundy County) — about 20 miles north of Chillicothe
- Cameron (Clinton/Caldwell counties) — about 30 miles southwest of Chillicothe
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Livingston County, Missouri?
It is in northwestern Missouri, along the Grand River, about 85 miles northeast of Kansas City.
What is the population of Livingston County?
14,557 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Livingston County?
539 square miles (1,396 km2), of which 532 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Livingston County?
Chillicothe is the county seat.
How many towns are in Livingston County?
Three cities (Chillicothe, Chula and Wheeling), three villages (Ludlow, Mooresville and Utica), two census-designated places (Avalon and Dawn), and about a dozen smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Livingston County?
64601 (Chillicothe), 64635 (Chula), 64638 (Dawn), 64656 (Ludlow), 64664 (Mooresville), 64686 (Utica) and 64688 (Wheeling).
Why is Chillicothe called the “Home of Sliced Bread”?
The Chillicothe Baking Company sold the first commercially sliced loaf in 1928, and the city marks the anniversary with a Sliced Bread Day celebration every August.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.