# Osage County, Missouri

Osage County is a county in the central part of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,274. 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.
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 (1,600 km$^2$), of which 604 square miles (1,560 km$^2$) is land and 6.1 square miles (16 km$^2$) (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
* Route 133

## 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 (8.5 people/km$^2$). There were 5,904 housing units at an average density of 10 units per square mile (3.9/km$^2$). 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.

### 2020 Census

Osage County Racial Composition :
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
| White (NH) | 12,688 | 95.58% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 24 | 0.18% |
| Native American (NH) | 28 | 0.21% |
| Asian (NH) | 3 | 0.02% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 10 | 0.08% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 396 | 3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 125 | 1% |

## Education
### Public schools

* Osage County R-I School District – Chamois
** Osage County R-I Elementary School (PK-06)
** Chamois High School (07-12)
* Osage County R-II School District – Linn
** Osage County R-II Elementary School (PK-06)
** Linn High School (07-12)
* Osage County R-III School District – Westphalia
** Fatima Elementary School (PK-06)
** Fatima High School (07-12)

### Private schools

* St. Joseph Catholic School – Westphalia (K-09) – Roman Catholic
* Immaculate Conception School – Loose Creek (K-09) – Roman Catholic
* St. George School – Linn (K-09) – Roman Catholic
* Sacred Heart School – Rich Fountain (K-09) – Roman Catholic
* Holy Family School – Freeburg (K-09) – Roman Catholic
* St. Mary's School – Bonnots Mill (K-09) – Roman Catholic

### Post-secondary

* State Technical College of Missouri - Linn, Missouri

### Public libraries

* Osage County Library

## Communities
### Cities and Towns

* Argyle (a portion of the city extends into Maries County)
* Belle (mostly in Maries County)
* Bland (mostly in Gasconade County)
* Chamois
* Freeburg
* Linn (county seat)
* Meta
* Westphalia

### Unincorporated Communities

* Aud
* Babbtown
* Bonnots Mill
* Byron
* Cooper Hill
* Crook
* Deer
* Folk
* Frankenstein
* Freedom
* Hope
* Judge
* Koeltztown
* Koenig
* Loose Creek
* Luystown
* Mint Hill
* Potts
* Rich Fountain
* Saint Aubert

## Politics
### Local

The Republican Party mostly controls politics at the local level in Osage County. Republicans currently hold over half of the elected positions in the county.

### State

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results :
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties |
| 2020 | 86.43% 6,512 | 12.30% 927 | 1.26% 95 |
| 2016 | 64.64% 4,579 | 32.76% 2,321 | 2.60% 184 |
| 2012 | 58.37% 4,016 | 39.42% 2,712 | 2.21% 152 |
| 2008 | 59.51% 4,212 | 39.45% 2,792 | 1.04% 74 |
| 2004 | 68.67% 4,586 | 30.61% 2,044 | 0.71% 48 |
| 2000 | 55.78% 3,450 | 42.78% 2,646 | 1.44% 89 |
| 1996 | 38.80% 2,151 | 59.33% 3,289 | 1.88% 104 |
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 — Aaron Griesheimer). Consists of the northern half of the county.
Missouri House of Representatives — District 61 — Osage County (2018) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Aaron D. Griesheimer | 1,909 | 81.54% | +5.00 |
| | Democratic | Pamela A. Menefee | 431 | 18.41% | −5.00 |
Missouri House of Representatives — District 61 — Osage County (2016) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Justin Alferman | 2,147 | 74.63% | −1.48 |
| | Democratic | Tom Smith | 593 | 20.61% | +1.48 |
Missouri House of Representatives — District 61 — Osage County (2012) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Dave Schatz | 1,965 | 74.80% | |
| | Democratic | Michael Sage | 662 | 25.20% | |
* District 62 — Tom Hurst (R- Meta). Consists of Linn and the southern half of the county.
Missouri House of Representatives — District 62 — Osage County (2016) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Tom Hurst | 3,906 | 100.00% | |
Missouri House of Representatives — District 62 — Osage County (2014) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Tom Hurst | 2,195 | 100.00% | +32.51 |
Missouri House of Representatives — District 62 — Osage County (2012) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Tom Hurst | 2,755 | 67.49% | |
| | Democratic | Greg Stratman | 1,327 | 32.51% | |
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).
Missouri Senate — District 6 — Osage County (2014) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Mike Kehoe | 3,541 | 85.63% | |
| | Democratic | Mollie Kristen Fairbairn | 594 | 14.37% | |

### Federal

U.S. Senate — Missouri — Osage County (2018) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Republican | Josh Hawley | 4,626 | 76.04% | +9.30 |
| Democratic | Claire McCaskill | 1,255 | 20.63% | −5.75 |
| Libertarian | Japeth Campbell | 44 | 0.72% | +0.72 |
| Green | Jo Crain | 28 | 0.46% | +0.46 |
| Independent | Craig O'Dear | 80 | 1.31% | +1.31 |
U.S. Senate — Missouri — Osage County (2012) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Todd Akin | 3,986 | 58.49% |
| Democratic | Claire McCaskill | 2,359 | 34.61% |
| Libertarian | Jonathan Dine | 470 | 6.90% |
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.
U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri’s 3rd Congressional District — Osage County (2016) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Republican | Blaine Luetkemeyer | 5,956 | 84.89% | +2.02 |
| Democratic | Kevin Miller | 889 | 12.67% | −1.71 |
| Libertarian | Dan Hogan | 122 | 1.74% | −0.94 |
| Constitution | Doanita Simmons | 49 | 0.70% | +0.70 |
U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 3rd Congressional District — Osage County (2014) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Republican | Blaine Luetkemeyer | 3,435 | 82.87% | −0.58 |
| Democratic | Courtney Denton | 596 | 14.38% | −0.13 |
| Libertarian | Steven Hedrick | 111 | 2.68% | +0.64 |
| Write-In | Harold Davis | 3 | 0.07% | +0.07 |
U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 3rd Congressional District — Osage County (2012) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Blaine Luetkemeyer | 5,694 | 83.45% |
| Democratic | Eric C. Meyer | 990 | 14.51% |
| Libertarian | Steven Wilson | 139 | 2.04% |

#### Political culture

United States presidential election results for Osage County, Missouri :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 6,657 | 85.95% | 1,009 | 13.03% | 79 | 1.02% |
| 2020 | 6,425 | 85.14% | 1,037 | 13.74% | 84 | 1.11% |
| 2016 | 5,856 | 82.60% | 998 | 14.08% | 236 | 3.33% |
| 2012 | 5,329 | 77.02% | 1,473 | 21.29% | 117 | 1.69% |
| 2008 | 5,062 | 71.51% | 1,907 | 26.94% | 110 | 1.55% |
| 2004 | 4,975 | 74.58% | 1,673 | 25.08% | 23 | 0.34% |
| 2000 | 4,154 | 67.24% | 1,938 | 31.37% | 86 | 1.39% |
| 1996 | 2,890 | 51.90% | 2,045 | 36.73% | 633 | 11.37% |
| 1992 | 2,784 | 45.84% | 1,860 | 30.63% | 1,429 | 23.53% |
| 1988 | 3,885 | 68.58% | 1,771 | 31.26% | 9 | 0.16% |
| 1984 | 4,381 | 76.54% | 1,343 | 23.46% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1980 | 3,679 | 63.19% | 2,045 | 35.13% | 98 | 1.68% |
| 1976 | 3,224 | 61.19% | 2,015 | 38.24% | 30 | 0.57% |
| 1972 | 4,266 | 74.18% | 1,485 | 25.82% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 3,107 | 61.63% | 1,540 | 30.55% | 394 | 7.82% |
| 1964 | 2,712 | 50.98% | 2,608 | 49.02% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 2,678 | 48.01% | 2,900 | 51.99% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 3,077 | 55.72% | 2,445 | 44.28% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 3,404 | 60.73% | 2,191 | 39.09% | 10 | 0.18% |
| 1948 | 2,488 | 48.12% | 2,672 | 51.68% | 10 | 0.19% |
| 1944 | 3,284 | 60.68% | 2,121 | 39.19% | 7 | 0.13% |
| 1940 | 3,743 | 61.50% | 2,332 | 38.32% | 11 | 0.18% |
| 1936 | 2,836 | 48.08% | 2,995 | 50.77% | 68 | 1.15% |
| 1932 | 1,798 | 33.38% | 3,567 | 66.21% | 22 | 0.41% |
| 1928 | 2,474 | 44.40% | 3,092 | 55.49% | 6 | 0.11% |
| 1924 | 2,496 | 51.98% | 1,986 | 41.36% | 320 | 6.66% |
| 1920 | 3,699 | 76.17% | 1,118 | 23.02% | 39 | 0.80% |
| 1916 | 1,769 | 55.56% | 1,383 | 43.44% | 32 | 1.01% |
| 1912 | 981 | 33.56% | 1,394 | 47.69% | 548 | 18.75% |
| 1908 | 1,820 | 55.24% | 1,439 | 43.67% | 36 | 1.09% |
| 1904 | 1,699 | 52.70% | 1,451 | 45.01% | 74 | 2.30% |
| 1900 | 1,731 | 54.28% | 1,396 | 43.78% | 62 | 1.94% |
| 1896 | 1,700 | 53.26% | 1,456 | 45.61% | 36 | 1.13% |
| 1892 | 1,378 | 51.23% | 1,266 | 47.06% | 46 | 1.71% |
| 1888 | 1,446 | 54.04% | 1,190 | 44.47% | 40 | 1.49% |

### Missouri presidential preference primary (2016)

Donald J. Trump received more votes, a total of 1,316, than any candidate from either party in Osage County during the 2016 presidential primary.