Cole County | |
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![]() The Cole County Courthouse in Jefferson City | |
![]() Location within the U.S. state of Missouri | |
![]() Missouri's location within the U.S. | |
Coordinates: 38°31′N 92°17′W / 38.51°N 92.28°W | |
Country | ![]() |
State | ![]() |
Founded | 1820 |
Named for | Stephen Cole |
Seat | Jefferson City |
Largest city | Jefferson City |
Area | |
• Total | 402 sq mi (1,040 km2) |
• Land | 394 sq mi (1,020 km2) |
• Water | 8.2 sq mi (21 km2) 2.0% |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 77,279 |
• Density | 190/sq mi (74/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Congressional district | 3rd |
Website | www |
Cole County is located in the central part of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, its population was 77,279.[1] Its county seat and largest city is Jefferson City, the state capital.[2] The county was organized November 16, 1820, and named after pioneer William Temple Cole who built Cole's Fort in Boonville.[3]
Cole County is in the Jefferson City, MO Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is south of the Missouri River.
In 2010, the center of the population of Missouri was in Cole County, near the village of Wardsville.[4]