What is the largest city in Cole County, MO?

Jefferson City is the largest city or town in Cole County, with about 42,488 residents.

How many ZIP codes are in Cole County?

Cole County includes 7 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 65023, 65040, 65053, 65074, 65076.

What is the population of Cole County, MO?

About 77,032 people live in Cole County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

What counties border Cole County?

Cole County borders Boone County, Callaway County, Miller County, Moniteau County, Osage County.

Cole County, MO: Cities, ZIP Codes & Local Data

Population

77,032

Land area

392sq mi

People per sq mi

197

ZIP codes

7

Cole County at a glance

Cole County is about 2.2 times as dense as Missouri as a whole.
It is the 16th most populous of 115 counties in Missouri.
Households here earn a median of $74,876 a year, 6% more than the Missouri figure of $70,702.
A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $229,600 and median rent is $834 a month.
The biggest population centers are Jefferson City (42,488), Wardsville (1,579) and Taos (1,242).

Local data for Cole County, MO

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Cole County, MO, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$74,876

Poverty rate

9.0%

Median home value

$229,600

Prices +6.6% in a year

Median rent

$834/mo

Homeownership

67.9%

Bachelor's or higher

38.9%

Median age

39.9

Average commute

17.9 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (22,958), Irish Americans (6,996), Mexican Americans (1,943).

Home values and rents Income, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, income, federal spending and pandemic loans

Details

Unemployment rate

3.3%

Aug 2026, -0.3 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$59,511

54,542 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$64,594

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$1.83B

FY 2026, $23,617 per person

PPP loans

$195M

3,649 loans, 22,510 jobs reported

Campaign donations

$320K

Itemized, 2026 cycle

Economy Federal spending PPP loans

How people get to work

Cole County, MO, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

Drove alone78.0%
Carpooled8.7%
Public transit0.5%
Walked1.3%
Bicycle0.1%
Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other2.2%
Worked from home9.2%

Average one-way commute: 17.9 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Cole County, MO, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Low

Top: heat wave

Storm events since 1996

365

Most often hail

Flood insurance policies

83

0.3% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

88° / 21°F

43.6 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm history Check a flood zone 37 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Cole County, MO, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

36.6%

U.S. 33.3% +3.3 pts

Diabetes

11.0%

U.S. 12.1% -1.1 pts

Smoking

13.9%

U.S. 12.8% +1.1 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

7.6%

U.S. 11.1% -3.5 pts

Cities, towns and ZIP codes in Cole County

Population shown

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Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Cole County, MO?: Jefferson City is the largest city or town in Cole County, with about 42,488 residents.
How many ZIP codes are in Cole County?: Cole County includes 7 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 65023, 65040, 65053, 65074, 65076.
What is the population of Cole County, MO?: About 77,032 people live in Cole County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What counties border Cole County?: Cole County borders Boone County, Callaway County, Miller County, Moniteau County, Osage County.