Mid-Missouri is a loosely defined region comprising the central area of United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 state of Missouri

Missouri

Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...

. The region's largest city is Columbia

Columbia, Missouri

Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...

 (population 100,000+). The Missouri state capital, Jefferson City

Jefferson City, Missouri

Jefferson City is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Cole County. Located in Callaway and Cole counties, it is the principal city of the Jefferson City metropolitan area, which encompasses the entirety of both counties. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,079...

, and the University of Missouri

University of Missouri

The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...

 are also located here. The region also includes parts of the Lake of the Ozarks

Lake of the Ozarks

The Lake of the Ozarks is a large reservoir created by impounding the Osage River in the northern part of the Ozarks in central Missouri. Extents of three smaller tributaries to the Osage, the Niangua River, Grandglaize Creek, and Gravois Creek, are included in the impoundment...

, the Ozark Mountains, and the Missouri Rhineland

Missouri Rhineland

The Missouri Rhineland is a geographical area of Missouri that extends from west of St. Louis to slightly east of Jefferson City, located mostly in the Missouri River Valley on both sides of the river...

. Mid-Missouri is centered on two contiguous metropolitan areas: the Columbia Metropolitan Area

Columbia, Missouri Metropolitan Area

The Columbia, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties—Boone and Howard—in central Missouri, anchored by the city of Columbia...

 and the Jefferson City Metropolitan Area

Jefferson City, Missouri Metropolitan Area

The Jefferson City Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of four counties – Cole, Callaway, Moniteau, and Osage – in central Missouri anchored by the city of Jefferson City...

, which together have a population of over 300,000.

Definition

Counties that are usually considered to be in the Mid-Missouri region are: Audrain

Audrain County, Missouri

Audrain County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 25,529. Its county seat is Mexico. The county was organized in 1836. Audrain County was named for Col. James Hunter Audrain. Col. Audrain was Colonel of militia in the War of 1812. In 1830 Col...

, Boone

Boone County, Missouri

Boone County is a county centrally located in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is the eighth most populous county in Missouri. In 2010, the population was 162,642. Its county seat, Columbia, is the fifth largest city in Missouri and the anchor city of the Columbia Metropolitan Area.-History:Boone...

, Cole, Moniteau, Callaway

Callaway County, Missouri

Callaway County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is part of the Jefferson City, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 44,332. Its county seat is Fulton. The county was organized in 1820. It was named for Capt. James Callaway, a grandson of...

, Osage

Osage County, Missouri

Osage County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. The county was named for the Osage River. As of 2000, the population was 13,062. Its county seat is Linn. The center of population of Missouri is located in Osage County, in the city of Westphalia .Osage County is part of the...

, Gasconade

Gasconade County, Missouri

Gasconade County is a county in the U.S. state of Missouri located on the south side of the Missouri River, which once served as the chief route of transportation in the state. Located in the area called the Missouri Rhineland, the county had a population of 15,342 as of the 2000 U.S. Census. A...

, Randolph, Howard, Pettis

Pettis County, Missouri

Pettis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. The county was organized in 1833 and is named for U.S. Congressman Spencer Darwin Pettis. As of 2000, the population was 39,403...

, Saline, Morgan

Morgan County, Missouri

Morgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of July 2007, the population was 20,820. Its county seat is Versailles.-History :...

, Miller, Camden

Camden County, Missouri

Camden County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2000, the population was 37,051. Its county seat is Camdenton. The county was organized in 1841 as Kinderhook County and renamed in 1843, for Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden, Chancellor of England, and leader of the Whig...

, Chariton

Chariton County, Missouri

Chariton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2000, the population was 8,438. Its county seat is Keytesville. The county was organized in 1820 from part of Howard County and was named from the Chariton River.-History:...

, Macon

Macon County, Missouri

Macon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 15,566. Its county seat is Macon. The county was organized in 1837 and named for Nathaniel Macon, a North Carolina politician...

 and Montgomery

Montgomery County, Missouri

Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies in East Central Missouri, approximately halfway between Columbia and St. Louis. As of 2000, the population was 12,136. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775...

. Counties that are sometimes considered to be in the Mid-Missouri region: Adair

Adair County, Missouri

Adair County is a county located in northeast Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 25,607. Its county seat is Kirksville. The county was organized in 1841 and is named in honor of Kentucky Governor John Adair....

, Laclede

Laclede County, Missouri

Laclede County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2000, the population was 32,513. Its county seat is Lebanon. The county was organized February 24, 1849, and was named after Pierre Laclède, founder of St...

, Maries, Phelps

Phelps County, Missouri

Phelps County is a county located in south-central Missouri in the United States.According to the U.S. Census Bureau, it includes the mean center of U.S. population in 2000. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the county's population was 39,825. A 2008 estimate, however, showed the population to be 42,205....

, Pulaski

Pulaski County, Missouri

Pulaski County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. The county was organized in 1833 and named for Kazimierz Pułaski, Polish patriot who died fighting in the American Revolution. As of 2010, the population was 52,274, an increase of 27% from the 2000 Census count of 41,165. Its...

 and Warren

Warren County, Missouri

Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. Warren County is part of the St. Louis Metro Area and is located west of the city on the north side of the Missouri River. As of 2008, the population was estimated to be 31,214. Its county seat is Warrenton...

.

Cities over 10,000

• Sedalia, Missouri
  Sedalia, Missouri
  Sedalia is a city located about south of the Missouri River in Pettis County, Missouri. U.S. Highway 50 and U.S. Highway 65 intersect in the city. As of 2006, the city had a total population of 20,669. It is the county seat of Pettis County. The Sedalia Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of...
  
  
• Rolla, Missouri
  Rolla, Missouri
  Rolla is a city in Phelps County, Missouri, United States, midway between the larger cities of St. Louis and Springfield along I-44. The population in the 2010 United States Census was 19,559.It is the county seat of Phelps County...
  
  
• Moberly, Missouri
  Moberly, Missouri
  Moberly is a city in Randolph County, Missouri, United States. According to the 2008 census bureau estimate, the population was 14,227. The city was incorporated 1868. The Moberly Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of Randolph County....
  
  
• Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
  Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
  Fort Leonard Wood is a census-designated place in Pulaski County, Missouri, United States. The population was 13,667 at the 2000 census. It is named in honor of Major General Leonard Wood, who was awarded the Medal of Honor...
  
  
• Fulton, Missouri
  Fulton, Missouri
  Fulton is a city in Callaway County, Missouri, the United States of America. It is part of the Jefferson City, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 12,790 in the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Callaway County...
  
  
• Mexico, Missouri
  Mexico, Missouri
  Mexico is a city in Audrain County, Missouri, United States. The population was 11,543 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Audrain County. The Mexico Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of Audrain County...