Pulaski County is a county in Missouri, United States, home to the U.S. Army’s Fort Leonard Wood training installation. It had a population of 53,955 at the 2020 census and covers 551 square miles (1,430 km2) centred near 37°49′N 92°13′W.
Waynesville is the county seat, and its postal code is 65583. The county has five incorporated cities, one census-designated place, and more than two dozen unincorporated communities and resort settlements along its rivers. It lies in the Central time zone; its FIPS code is 29169.
Towns & Villages in Pulaski County
Pulaski County’s 35 named places split into five incorporated cities, the Fort Leonard Wood census-designated place, and a long tail of unincorporated crossroads and river-camp communities. Only the incorporated cities and the CDP have their own post offices; most unincorporated places are served by a nearby town’s ZIP code.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waynesville | City · seat | 5,013 | 65583 |
| Saint Robert | City | 5,313 | 65584 |
| Fort Leonard Wood | CDP | 12,336 | 65473 |
| Richland | City | 1,764 | 65556 |
| Dixon | City | 1,563 | 65459 |
| Crocker | City | 1,020 | 65452 |
| Devils Elbow | Unincorp. | — | 65457 |
| Laquey | Unincorp. | — | 65534 |
| Big Piney | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bloodland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Buckhorn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cookville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Franks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gascozark | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gospel Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Greenview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hancock | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hanna | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hawkeye | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Helm | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hooker | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kieselwetter Resort | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mazzaville Resort | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Morgan Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ozark Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Palace | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Piney End Resort | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pippin Place | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ross Bridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Saint John | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shady Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stillhouse Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Swedeborg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Three Island Resort | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Turkey Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wheelers Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
Saint Robert and Waynesville sit side by side just outside Fort Leonard Wood’s main gate and are often confused with one another; Saint Robert is the newer, faster-growing of the two, incorporated in 1951 to house off-post soldiers and civilian workers. Saint John, an unincorporated hamlet near the Gasconade River, is unrelated to Saint Robert despite the similar name.
ZIP Codes
- 65583 — Waynesville (also serves surrounding rural Waynesville township area)
- 65584 — Saint Robert
- 65473 — Fort Leonard Wood
- 65556 — Richland (also serves Swedeborg and Gascozark)
- 65459 — Dixon (also serves Cookville and Hancock)
- 65452 — Crocker (also serves Buckhorn)
- 65457 — Devils Elbow
- 65534 — Laquey (also serves Ozark Springs)
The county’s smaller river-camp and resort communities — Bloodland, Franks, Gospel Ridge, Greenview, Hanna, Hawkeye, Helm, Hooker, Kieselwetter Resort, Mazzaville Resort, Morgan Heights, Palace, Piney End Resort, Pippin Place, Ross Bridge, Saint John, Shady Grove, Stillhouse Springs, Three Island Resort, Turkey Ridge and Wheelers Mill — do not have their own post offices and use a neighboring town’s ZIP code.
Geography
Pulaski County lies on the Ozark Plateau, a landscape of forested ridges and dolomite bluffs cut by spring-fed rivers. The Gasconade River crosses the northern half of the county and the Big Piney River runs through its centre near Devils Elbow, both popular canoeing and float-fishing streams; Roubidoux Creek drains the area around Waynesville. Much of the county’s northern portion lies within Mark Twain National Forest.
Pulaski County borders Miller County to the north, Maries County to the northeast, Phelps County to the east, Texas County to the south, Laclede County to the southwest, and Camden County to the west.
Demographics
Pulaski County had 53,955 residents at the 2020 census, giving it a density of roughly 99 people per square mile of land. The largest communities are the Fort Leonard Wood CDP (12,336) and Saint Robert (5,313), followed by the county seat, Waynesville (5,013). The county’s median household income runs below the Missouri median of $68,545, reflecting a population weighted toward younger enlisted service members and their families rather than long-tenured civilian earners.
Economy & Local Life
Fort Leonard Wood dominates the county’s economy, hosting the U.S. Army Engineer School, the Military Police School, and the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School, along with thousands of civilian contractor and support jobs. Off-post, tourism along the Gasconade and Big Piney rivers — canoe liveries, campgrounds, and float trips — is a major seasonal draw, and a preserved stretch of historic Route 66 through Devils Elbow and Waynesville brings heritage travelers through the county each summer.
History
Pulaski County was organized in 1833 and named for Kazimierz Pułaski, the Polish cavalry officer who died fighting for American independence in 1779. The county’s modern history turns on 1940–41, when the U.S. Army built what became Fort Leonard Wood on farmland southwest of Waynesville, permanently reshaping the county’s population and economy from a sparsely settled Ozark farming district into a military community.
Getting There
Interstate 44 crosses the county east–west, with historic Route 66 running a parallel, older alignment through Devils Elbow and Waynesville; U.S. Route 63 serves the county’s eastern edge through Dixon.
- Rolla — 20 miles east
- Lebanon — 25 miles west
- Springfield — 75 miles southwest
- Jefferson City — 60 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Springfield-Branson National Airport, about 75 miles southwest; a small general-aviation field, Waynesville-St. Robert Regional Airport, sits on the county’s north side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Pulaski County, Missouri?
It sits on the Ozark Plateau in south-central Missouri, along Interstate 44 between Rolla and Lebanon.
What is the population of Pulaski County?
53,955 at the 2020 census.
How big is Pulaski County?
551 square miles (1,430 km2), of which 547 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Pulaski County?
Waynesville is the county seat.
How many towns and communities are in Pulaski County?
Five incorporated cities, one census-designated place, and around 29 unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Pulaski County?
Waynesville uses ZIP code 65583; other towns use 65584 (Saint Robert), 65473 (Fort Leonard Wood), 65556 (Richland), 65459 (Dixon), 65452 (Crocker), 65457 (Devils Elbow) and 65534 (Laquey).
Why is Fort Leonard Wood in Pulaski County?
The Army selected the site in 1940 for its rugged, sparsely populated Ozark terrain, well suited to combat-engineer training; the post has anchored the county’s economy ever since.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.