Randolph County is a county in Missouri, United States, on the northern edge of the region known as Little Dixie. It had a population of 24,716 at the 2020 census and covers 488 square miles (1,260 km2), of which 483 square miles are land and 5.1 square miles are water, centred near 39°26′N 92°30′W.
Huntsville is the county seat, and its postal code is 65259. The county has five cities, three villages, and several unincorporated communities. Randolph County sits in the Central time zone and forms the core of the Moberly Micropolitan Statistical Area, part of the larger Columbia-Moberly-Mexico Combined Statistical Area.
Towns & Villages in Randolph County
Randolph County has eight incorporated places — five cities and three villages — plus a scatter of unincorporated crossroads communities. Moberly is by far the largest place, home to roughly six in ten county residents; Huntsville, the seat, is a fraction of that size. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moberly | City | 13,974 | 65270 |
| Huntsville | City · seat | 1,459 | 65259 |
| Higbee | City | 587 | 65257 |
| Clark | City | 331 | 65243 |
| Clifton Hill | City | 108 | 65244 |
| Cairo | Village | 111 | 65239 |
| Jacksonville | Village | 93 | 65260 |
| Renick | Village | 209 | 65278 |
| Darksville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fort Henry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Harkes | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hubbard | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kimberly | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Levick Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Milton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mount Airy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Randolph Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Roanoke | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ryder | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Thomas Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Urbandale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Yates | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 65270 — Moberly (the county’s largest ZIP by population)
- 65259 — Huntsville
- 65257 — Higbee
- 65243 — Clark
- 65244 — Clifton Hill
- 65239 — Cairo
- 65260 — Jacksonville
- 65278 — Renick (PO Box delivery only)
Unincorporated communities such as Darksville, Fort Henry, and Roanoke draw mail service from the nearest post office town rather than carrying a ZIP of their own.
Geography
Randolph County lies on the rolling till plains of north-central Missouri, drained by the East and Middle forks of the Chariton River and by Silver Fork Creek. Thomas Hill Reservoir, a cooling lake built for the Thomas Hill Energy Center, covers roughly 4,950 acres in the county’s east. The terrain is mostly cropland and pasture, with wooded stream valleys along the Chariton forks.
The county borders Macon County to the north, Shelby County to the northeast, Monroe County to the east, Audrain County to the southeast, Boone County to the south, Howard County to the southwest, and Chariton County to the west.
Demographics
Randolph County had 24,716 residents at the 2020 census, spread across roughly 51 people per square mile. Moberly and Huntsville together account for more than six in ten county residents. The county’s median household income trails the Missouri median of $68,545, reflecting its mix of manufacturing, agriculture, and public-sector jobs. Randolph County is part of the historically Upper South-settled “Little Dixie” belt of central Missouri, and its population is majority White with smaller Black and Hispanic communities concentrated in and around Moberly.
Economy & Local Life
Moberly anchors the county’s economy as a rail town turned manufacturing and logistics hub, home to Moberly Area Community College and industrial employers along the old Wabash Railroad corridor. The Thomas Hill Energy Center, one of Missouri’s largest coal-fired power plants, is a major employer and taxpayer in the county’s east. Agriculture — row crops, cattle, and hay — remains the mainstay outside Moberly and Huntsville. The Randolph County Fair, held in Huntsville, is the county’s longest-running annual event.
History
Randolph County was organized on January 22, 1829, from part of Chariton County, and named for John Randolph of Roanoke, the Virginia planter, U.S. Representative, and U.S. Senator. Early settlers came largely from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, bringing the slaveholding plantation culture that gave the wider region its “Little Dixie” name. The county was the birthplace of General Omar Bradley, the last of the U.S. military’s nine five-star generals, born near Clark in 1893. Moberly grew rapidly after the 1866 arrival of the North Missouri Railroad (later Wabash), which made it a division point and the county’s dominant town by the late 19th century.
Getting There
U.S. Route 63 runs north–south through Moberly and Huntsville, and U.S. Route 24 crosses the county east–west through Moberly; Missouri Route 3 connects Huntsville south toward Boone County.
- Columbia, Missouri — 30 miles south
- Kirksville, Missouri — 55 miles north
- Mexico, Missouri — 30 miles southeast
- Macon, Missouri — 25 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Columbia Regional Airport (COU), about 35 miles south of Moberly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Randolph County?
Randolph County is in north-central Missouri, about 30 miles north of Columbia, within the Moberly Micropolitan Statistical Area.
What is the population of Randolph County?
Randolph County had 24,716 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Randolph County?
The county covers 488 square miles (1,260 km2), of which 483 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Randolph County?
Huntsville is the county seat.
How many towns are in Randolph County?
Randolph County has eight incorporated places — five cities and three villages — plus about a dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Randolph County?
Randolph County’s ZIP codes include 65270 (Moberly), 65259 (Huntsville), 65257 (Higbee), 65243 (Clark), 65244 (Clifton Hill), 65239 (Cairo), 65260 (Jacksonville), and 65278 (Renick).
What is Randolph County’s largest city?
Moberly is the largest city, with about 13,974 residents at the 2020 census, well ahead of Huntsville.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.