Osage County is a county in the central part of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the population was 13,878. Its county seat is Linn. The county was organized January 29, 1841, and named from the Osage River.
Osage County is part of the Jefferson City, MO Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its geography and the founding of Westphalia Vineyards links it to the Missouri Rhineland, extending along the Missouri River valley to the western edges of the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. Westphalia Vineyards, although started only in 2005, won the gold medal in the National Norton Festival Wine Competition in St. Louis in 2007 for the top-rated wine from the Norton grape.
According to data from the 2010 census, Osage County is the whitest county in Missouri, with 98.85 percent of residents being white.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 610 square miles (1,600Â km2), of which 604 square miles (1,560Â km2) is land and 6.1 square miles (16Â km2) (1.0%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- Callaway County (north)
- Gasconade County (east)
- Maries County (south)
- Miller County (southwest)
- Cole County (west)
- Montgomery County (northeast)
Major highways
- U.S. Route 50
- U.S. Route 63
- Route 89
- Route 100
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,062 people, 4,922 households, and 3,578 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile (8/km²). There were 5,904 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.64% White, 0.16% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.07% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Approximately 0.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,922 households out of which 34.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.70% were married couples living together, 6.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 23.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the county, the population was spread out with 26.30% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 103.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,565, and the median income for a family was $46,503. Males had a median income of $29,538 versus $22,353 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,245. About 5.90% of families and 8.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.00% of those under age 18 and 10.40% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Public schools
- Osage County R-I School District â€" Chamois
- Osage County R-I Elementary School (PK-06)
- Chamois High School (07-12)
- Osage County R-II School District â€" Linn
- Osage County R-II Elementary School (PK-06)
- Linn High School (07-12)
- Osage County R-III School District â€" Westphalia
- Fatima Elementary School (PK-06)
- Fatima High School (07-12)
Private schools
- St. Joseph Catholic School â€" Westphalia (K-09) â€" Roman Catholic
- Immaculate Conception School â€" Loose Creek (K-09) â€" Roman Catholic
- St. George School â€" Linn (K-09) â€" Roman Catholic
- Sacred Heart School â€" Rich Fountain (K-09) â€" Roman Catholic
- Holy Family School â€" Freeburg (K-09) â€" Roman Catholic
- St. Mary’s School â€" Bonnots Mill (K-09) â€" Roman Catholic
Post-secondary
- State Technical College of Missouri â€" Linn
Public libraries
- Osage County Library
Politics
Local
The Democratic Party mostly controls politics at the local level in Osage County. Democrats hold a little over half of the elected positions in the county.
State
Osage County is split between two of the districts that elect members of the Missouri House of Representatives, and both are represented by Republicans.
- District 61 â€" Justin Alferman (R-Herman). Consists of the northern half of the county.
- District 62 â€" Tom Hurst (R- Meta). Consists of Linn and the southern half of the county.
All of Osage County is a part of Missouri’s 6th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Mike Kehoe (R-Jefferson City).
Federal
All of Osage County is included in Missouri’s 3rd Congressional District and is currently represented by Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-St. Elizabeth) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Political Culture
Missouri Presidential Preference Primary (2008)
- Former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) received more votes, a total of 874, than any candidate from either party in Osage County during the 2008 presidential primary.
Communities
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Osage County, Missouri
References
Further reading
- History of Cole, Moniteau, Morgan, Benton, Miller, Maries and Osage counties, Missouri : from the earliest time to the present, including a department devoted to the preservation of sundry personal, business,professional and the private records; besides a valuable fund of notes, original observations, etc. etc. (1889) online
External links
- The Osage County Branch of the Missouri River Regional Library
- Westphalia Vineyards Official Website
- Osage Community Players, Inc.
- Digitized 1930 Plat Book of Osage County from University of Missouri Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books