Stone County is a county in Missouri, United States, on the northern shore of Table Rock Lake in the Ozarks. It had a population of 31,076 at the 2020 census and covers 511 square miles (1,320 km2), of which 464 square miles are land and 47 square miles are water, centred near 36°44′N 93°28′W.
Galena is the county seat, and its postal code is 65656. The county has seven incorporated cities and towns, four villages, and several unincorporated communities; it has no civil townships. Stone County sits in the Central time zone and is part of the Branson, MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Towns & Villages in Stone County
Stone County’s settlements range from lakefront resort towns to small farming communities. The table below covers every incorporated city, town, and village, plus the unincorporated places carried over from the county’s historical gazetteer. “CDP” marks a Census Bureau-defined place with no municipal government; “Unincorp.” marks a named community with no formal boundary.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galena | City · seat | 437 | 65656 |
| Reeds Spring | City | 1,000 | 65737 |
| Crane | City | 1,489 | 65633 |
| Kimberling City | City | 2,652 | 65686 |
| Branson West | City | 4,904 | 65737 |
| Hurley | Village | 184 | 65675 |
| Blue Eye | Village | — | 65611 |
| Coney Island | Village | — | — |
| Indian Point | Village | — | — |
| McCord Bend | Village | — | — |
| Cape Fair | Unincorp. | — | 65624 |
| Lampe | Unincorp. | — | 65681 |
| Oto | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Union City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ponce de Leon | Unincorp. | — | 65728 |
| Notch | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shell Knob | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Viola | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Marvel Cave | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Carr Lane | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cross Roads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| White City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nauvoo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Homer | Unincorp. | — | — |
Branson West and Kimberling City sit closest to the Table Rock Lake shoreline and see the county’s heaviest seasonal traffic. A handful of names from the county’s older gazetteer — Abesville, Baxter, Bradfield, Browns Spring, Carico, Elsey, Jamesville, Marmaros, Norwalk, Possum Trot, Quail, Radical, School, Stoneridge, Stutts, Tauria, and Thelma — are historical rural place names with no verifiable population or ZIP data and are omitted from the table above pending confirmation.
ZIP Codes
- 65656 — Galena (also serves Marvel Cave, Notch)
- 65737 — Reeds Spring (also serves Branson West)
- 65686 — Kimberling City
- 65633 — Crane
- 65611 — Blue Eye
- 65624 — Cape Fair
- 65681 — Lampe
- 65675 — Hurley
- 65728 — Ponce de Leon
Smaller communities such as Coney Island, Indian Point, McCord Bend, Oto, Union City, Shell Knob, and Viola share a ZIP code with a nearby post office town rather than having their own.
Geography
Stone County lies in the White River Hills of the southwestern Ozarks, a landscape of limestone bluffs, spring-fed hollows, and the impounded waters of Table Rock Lake, which forms much of its eastern and southern shoreline. The James River and Long Creek also cross the county before feeding the lake. Christian County lies to the north, Taney County to the east, Carroll County, Arkansas to the south, Barry County to the west, and Lawrence County to the northwest.
Demographics
Stone County had 31,076 residents at the 2020 census, giving a density of about 67 people per square mile of land. Branson West and Kimberling City are its two largest incorporated communities. Median household income in the county trails the Missouri median of $68,545, reflecting a local economy weighted toward seasonal tourism and retail rather than year-round wage jobs.
Economy & Local Life
Tourism tied to Table Rock Lake and the nearby Branson entertainment strip drives much of Stone County’s economy — marinas, resorts, vacation rentals, and Silver Dollar City theme park, which sits partly within the county near Indian Point. Away from the lakefront, cattle farming and small-scale manufacturing support the county’s rural townships. The Reeds Spring and Crane school districts anchor their respective communities.
History
Stone County was organized on February 10, 1851, formed from parts of Taney County and named for William Stone, an early Missouri pioneer. The county’s early economy centered on subsistence farming and lead mining before the mid-20th-century damming of the White River created Table Rock Lake, flooding some low-lying settlements and remaking the county around tourism and lake recreation.
Getting There
U.S. Route 65 and Missouri Route 13 are the county’s main highways, with State Highway 76 (the Branson strip’s western extension) crossing the northeast corner.
- Branson, Missouri — 12 miles east
- Springfield, Missouri — 35 miles north
- Cassville, Missouri — 20 miles southwest
- Berryville, Arkansas — 25 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Branson Airport (BKG), just east of the county line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Stone County, Missouri?
It is in the southwestern Ozarks of Missouri, on the northern shore of Table Rock Lake, southwest of Branson.
What is the population of Stone County?
31,076 at the 2020 census.
How big is Stone County?
511 square miles (1,320 km2), including 47 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Stone County?
Galena is the county seat.
How many towns are in Stone County?
Seven incorporated cities and towns, four villages, and a number of unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Stone County?
Nine ZIP codes serve the county, including 65656 (Galena), 65737 (Reeds Spring/Branson West), and 65686 (Kimberling City).
What is Stone County known for?
Table Rock Lake recreation, its proximity to Branson’s entertainment district, and Silver Dollar City theme park near Indian Point.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Missouri.