St. Clair County is a county in Missouri, United States, in the west-central part of the state. It had a population of 9,284 at the 2020 census and covers 702 square miles (1,820 km2), of which 670 square miles is land and 32 square miles is water, centred near 38°02′N 93°46′W.
Osceola is the county seat, and its postal code is 64776. The county has 3 incorporated cities, 4 incorporated villages, about 13 recognized unincorporated communities and 16 civil townships. St. Clair County observes Central time.
Towns & Villages in St. Clair County
St. Clair County lists 36 named places. Three are incorporated cities (Appleton City, Lowry City and Osceola, the county seat), four are incorporated villages, and the rest are unincorporated communities, crossroads and former post-office settlements — many no longer more than a cluster of houses or a cemetery marker. Populations and township assignments are shown only where independently verified; unverified cells read —.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osceola | City · seat | Osceola | — | 64776 |
| Appleton City | City | Appleton | — | — |
| Lowry City | City | — | — | — |
| Collins | Village | Collins | — | — |
| Gerster | Village | — | — | — |
| Roscoe | Village | Roscoe | — | — |
| Vista | Village | — | — | — |
| Chalk Level | Unincorp. | Chalk Level | — | — |
| Cobb | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Crooks Springs | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Harper | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Iconium | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Johnson City | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Monegaw Springs | Unincorp. | Monegaw | — | — |
| Ohio | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Oyer | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Pape | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Raney | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Taberville | Unincorp. | Taber | — | — |
| Tiffin | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Birdsong | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Blackjack | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Browns Ford | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Chloe | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Copeland | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Donia | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Fox Run | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Hardyville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Iuka Springs | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Lindale | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| New Oyer | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Ninnescah Park | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Osage Heights | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Rookins | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Terry | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Topper | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Tracy | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
Oyer and New Oyer are two separate named places a short distance apart, not a duplicate entry — both persist in federal gazetteer records.
Townships
St. Clair County is divided into 16 civil townships. Per-township 2020 population breakdowns are not published in a source available for this rewrite, so populations are omitted rather than estimated; the table instead notes each township’s principal named place where one is on record.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Appleton | — | Appleton City |
| Butler | — | — |
| Center | — | — |
| Chalk Level | — | Chalk Level |
| Collins | — | Collins |
| Dallas | — | — |
| Doyal | — | — |
| Jackson | — | — |
| Monegaw | — | Monegaw Springs |
| Osage | — | — |
| Osceola | — | Osceola |
| Polk | — | — |
| Roscoe | — | Roscoe |
| Speedwell | — | — |
| Taber | — | Taberville |
| Washington | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 64776 — Osceola (county seat)
Osceola’s ZIP code is independently confirmed. ZIP codes for Appleton City, Lowry City, Collins, Gerster, Roscoe and Vista were not independently verified for this rewrite and are omitted rather than guessed; readers should confirm the current code for any of these towns via the USPS ZIP Lookup tool.
Geography
St. Clair County sits in the transition zone between the Osage Plains to the west and the edge of the Ozark uplift to the east, drained mainly by the Sac River and the Osage River. The Osage River’s Truman Lake impoundment reaches into the county’s northeastern corner, accounting for most of the county’s 32 square miles of water. The terrain is a mix of rolling prairie and river-bottom timber.
Henry County lies to the north, Benton County to the northeast, Hickory County to the east, Polk County to the southeast, Cedar County to the south, Vernon County to the southwest, and Bates County to the west.
Neighbouring county pages: Henry County, Benton County, Hickory County, Polk County, Cedar County, Vernon County and Bates County.
Demographics
St. Clair County had 9,284 residents at the 2020 census. Appleton City is the county’s largest incorporated city; Osceola, the county seat, is its second-largest incorporated place. Median household income figures specific to St. Clair County were not independently verified for this rewrite; the Missouri median household income was $68,545 (2023 ACS), and rural Missouri counties like St. Clair typically run below the state figure. Population density is roughly 14 people per square mile of land, among the more sparsely settled counties in west-central Missouri.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture is the backbone of the county’s economy — cattle grazing and hay production dominate the rolling grassland, with row crops along the Sac and Osage river bottoms. Truman Lake’s western arm draws fishing, boating and lake-cabin tourism to the county’s northeastern communities, complementing the agricultural base. Osceola and Appleton City serve as the county’s local government, schooling and retail centers.
History
St. Clair County was organized on January 29, 1841, and named for General Arthur St. Clair, the first governor of the Northwest Territory. St. Clair served as President of the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation in 1787 — a distinct office from the later presidency of the United States, which did not exist until 1789. In the decades after 1870, the county became known for its prolonged refusal to honor railroad-bond debts issued before the Civil War, a dispute with federal courts that dragged on for more than 30 years.
Getting There
U.S. Route 13 crosses the county north–south through Osceola, and Missouri Route 82 crosses east–west near the southern part of the county.
- Clinton, Missouri — about 20 miles north
- Nevada, Missouri — about 30 miles west
- Springfield, Missouri — about 65 miles southeast
- Kansas City, Missouri — about 90 miles northwest
The nearest commercial airport is Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF), roughly 70 miles southeast of Osceola.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is St. Clair County, Missouri?
It is in west-central Missouri, between Kansas City and Springfield, drained by the Sac and Osage rivers.
What is the population of St. Clair County?
St. Clair County had a population of 9,284 at the 2020 census.
How big is St. Clair County?
The county covers 702 square miles (1,820 km2), of which 670 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of St. Clair County?
Osceola is the county seat.
How many towns are in St. Clair County?
The county has 3 incorporated cities, 4 incorporated villages, and roughly a dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in St. Clair County?
Osceola’s ZIP code is 64776; codes for the county’s other towns should be confirmed via USPS ZIP Lookup.
Why is it called St. Clair County?
It was named in 1841 for General Arthur St. Clair, first governor of the Northwest Territory and a president of the Confederation Congress.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.