# Lincoln County, Missouri

Lincoln County is located in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 59,574. Its county seat is Troy. The county was founded December 14, 1818, and named for Major General Benjamin Lincoln of the American Revolutionary War. Lincoln County is part of the St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.

## History

According to Goodspeed's History of Lincoln County, Missouri (1888), Lincoln County was named by Major Christopher Clark, the first permanent white settler in an address to the Territorial Legislature. He said, "I was born, sir, in Link-Horn County, N.C., I lived for many years in Link-Horn County in old Kain-tuck. I wish to die in Link-Horn County, in Missouri; and I move, therefore, that the blank in the bill be filled with the name Link-Horn." The motion was carried unanimously and the clerk, not adopting the frontier parlance of the Major, wrote "Lincoln" in the blank space of the bill. Others say it was named for Major General Benjamin Lincoln, who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolution.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 640 square miles (1,700 km$^2$), of which 627 square miles (1,620 km$^2$) is land and 14 square miles (36 km$^2$) (2.2%) is water. The county's eastern border with Illinois is formed by the Mississippi River.

### Adjacent counties

* Pike County (north)
* Calhoun County, Illinois (east)
* St. Charles County (southeast)
* Warren County (southwest)
* Montgomery County (west)

### Major highways

* U.S. Route 61
* Route 47
* Route 79
* Route 147

### Transit

* Burlington Trailways
* OATS Transit

### Railroads

* BNSF Railway

## Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 38,944 people, 13,851 households, and 10,554 families residing in the county. The population density was 62 inhabitants per square mile (24/km$^2$). There were 15,511 housing units at an average density of 25 units per square mile (9.7/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 96.13% White, 1.74% Black or African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. Approximately 1.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 37.7% were of German, 17.0% American, 10.9% Irish and 7.4% English ancestry.
There were 13,851 households, out of which 40.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.50% were married couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.80% were non-families. 19.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 30.00% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 30.20% from 25 to 44, 21.00% from 45 to 64, and 10.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,592, and the median income for a family was $47,747. Males had a median income of $35,564 versus $23,270 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,149. About 6.20% of families and 8.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.60% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.

### 2020 Census

Lincoln County Racial Composition :
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
| White (NH) | 53,051 | 89.05% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 1,072 | 1.8% |
| Native American (NH) | 193 | 0.32% |
| Asian (NH) | 235 | 0.4% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 27 | 0.05% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 3,455 | 5.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,541 | 2.6% |

## Education
### Public schools

School districts include:
* Silex R-I School District – Silex
** Silex Elementary School (K-06)
** Silex High School (07-12)
* Elsberry R-II School District – Elsberry
** Clarence Cannon Elementary School (PK-04)
** Ida Cannon Middle School (05-08)
** Elsberry High School (09-12)
* Lincoln County R-III School District – Troy
** Early Childhood Education Center (Pre-K & PAT)
** Boone Elementary School (K-05)
** Claude Brown Elementary School (K-05)
** Cuivre Park Elementary School (K-05)
** Hawk Point Elementary School (K-05)
** Lincoln Elementary School (K-05)
** Main Street Elementary School (K-05)
** William R. Cappel Elementary School (K-05)
** Troy Middle School (06-08)
** Troy South Middle School (06-08)
** Ninth Grade Center (09)
** Troy Buchanan High School (10-12)
** New Horizons High School (10-12)
* Winfield R-IV School District – Winfield
** Winfield Elementary School (PK-02)
** Winfield Intermediate School (03-05)
** Winfield Middle School (06-08)
** Winfield High School (09-12)
* Wright City R-II School District - Wright City
** Additionally, the Wright City R-II serves southern portions of Lincoln County.
* Pike County R-III School District
* Warren County R-III School District

### Private schools

* Calvary Christian School – Winfield (01-12) – Pentecostal
* First Baptist Christian Academy - Troy (K-08) - Baptist
* Immaculate Conception School – Old Monroe (K-08) – Roman Catholic
* Sacred Heart School – Troy (K-08) – Roman Catholic
* St. Alphonsus School – Silex (PK-08) – Roman Catholic
* Troy Holiness School – Troy (K-12) – Methodist

### Public libraries

* Powell Memorial Library

## Communities
### Cities and villages

* Cave
* Chain of Rocks
* Elsberry
* Foley
* Fountain N' Lakes
* Hawk Point
* Moscow Mills
* Old Monroe
* Silex
* Troy (county seat)
* Truxton
* Whiteside
* Winfield

### Unincorporated communities

* Apex
* Argentville
* Auburn
* Brevator
* Briscoe
* Brussells
* Cap au Gris
* Chantilly
* Corso
* Dameron
* Davis
* Ethlyn
* Fairview
* Famous
* Louisville
* Mackville
* Millwood
* New Hope
* Okete
* Olney
* South Troy

## Politics
### Local

The Republican Party mostly controls politics at the local level in Lincoln County. Republicans hold all but four of the elected positions in the county.

### State

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results :
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties |
| 2020 | 72.70% 21,014 | 24.62% 7,116 | 2.68% 775 |
| 2016 | 58.56% 14,536 | 37.68% 9,352 | 3.76% 934 |
| 2012 | 49.29% 11,092 | 47.64% 10,730 | 3.12% 703 |
| 2008 | 45.43% 10,589 | 52.33% 12,197 | 2.23% 521 |
| 2004 | 53.75% 10,626 | 44.64% 8,824 | 1.61% 318 |
| 2000 | 52.12% 8,282 | 44.26% 7,034 | 3.62% 575 |
| 1996 | 43.69% 5,507 | 53.93% 6,797 | 2.38% 300 |
Lincoln County is divided into two legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives.
* District 40 — Chad Perkins (R-Bowling Green). Consists of the northernmost section of the county.
Missouri House of Representatives — District 40 — Lincoln County (2020) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Chad Perkins | 270 | 97.12% | |
Missouri House of Representatives — District 40 — Lincoln County (2018) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Jim hansen | 202 | 97.58% | |
Missouri House of Representatives — District 40 — Lincoln County (2016) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Jim Hansen | 232 | 100.00% | +23.78 |
Missouri House of Representatives — District 40 — Lincoln County (2014) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Jim Hansen | 125 | 76.22% | +17.79 |
| | Democratic | Lowell Jackson | 39 | 23.78% | −17.79 |
Missouri House of Representatives — District 40 — Lincoln County (2012) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Jim Hansen | 156 | 58.43% | |
| | Democratic | Paul Quinn | 111 | 41.57% | |
* District 41 — Doyle Justus (R-Troy). Consists of most of the county and includes the communities of Cave, Foley Troy, Truxton, and Whiteside.
Missouri House of Representatives — District 41 — Lincoln County (2022) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Doyle Justus | 18,148 | 72.8% | |
Missouri House of Representatives — District 41 — Lincoln County (2018) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Randy Pietzman | 10,612 | 68.57% | |
| | Democratic | David Beckham | 4,848 | 31.33% | |
Missouri House of Representatives — District 41 — Lincoln County (2016) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Randy Pietzman | 15,609 | 100.00% | +38.21 |
Missouri House of Representatives — District 41 — Lincoln County (2014) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Randy Pietzman | 6,243 | 61.79% | +20.10 |
| | Democratic | Dan Dildine | 3,861 | 38.21% | −20.10 |
Missouri House of Representatives — District 41 — Lincoln County (2012) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Ed Schieffer | 9,589 | 58.31% | |
| | Republican | Beverly Steiniger | 6,857 | 41.69% | |
* District 64 — Tony Lovasco (R- O'Fallon) Includes the southeast corner of the county and the communities of Chain of Rocks, Fountain N' Lakes, Moscow Mills, Old Monroe, and Winfield.
Missouri House of Representatives — District 64 — Lincoln County (2020) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Tony Lovasco | 5,786 | 75.90% | |
| | Democratic | Aaliyah Bailey | 1,829 | 23.99% | |
Missouri House of Representatives — District 64 — Lincoln County (2018) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Tony Lovasco | 3,448 | 63.80% | |
| | Democratic | Shawn Finklein | 1,946 | 36.01% | |
All of Lincoln County is a part of Missouri's 10th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Jeanie Riddle (R-Fulton).
Missouri Senate — District 10 — Lincoln County (2018) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Jeanie Riddle | 14,652 | 69.22% | |
| | Democratic | Ayanna Shivers | 6,490 | 30.66% | |
Missouri Senate — District 10 — Lincoln County (2014) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Jeanie Riddle | 7,542 | 56.52% | |
| | Democratic | Ed Scheiffer | 5,802 | 44.48% | |
United States presidential election results for Lincoln County, Missouri :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 24,866 | 77.38% | 6,908 | 21.50% | 359 | 1.12% |
| 2020 | 21,848 | 75.17% | 6,607 | 22.73% | 610 | 2.10% |
| 2016 | 18,159 | 72.31% | 5,575 | 22.20% | 1,380 | 5.49% |
| 2012 | 14,332 | 62.93% | 7,734 | 33.96% | 710 | 3.12% |
| 2008 | 12,924 | 54.72% | 10,234 | 43.33% | 461 | 1.95% |
| 2004 | 11,316 | 57.04% | 8,368 | 42.18% | 155 | 0.78% |
| 2000 | 8,549 | 53.72% | 6,961 | 43.74% | 403 | 2.53% |
| 1996 | 4,897 | 38.83% | 5,644 | 44.75% | 2,070 | 16.41% |
| 1992 | 3,718 | 29.13% | 5,453 | 42.72% | 3,594 | 28.16% |
| 1988 | 5,305 | 53.38% | 4,605 | 46.34% | 28 | 0.28% |
| 1984 | 6,137 | 65.10% | 3,290 | 34.90% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1980 | 4,963 | 53.17% | 4,110 | 44.03% | 262 | 2.81% |
| 1976 | 3,581 | 43.99% | 4,473 | 54.95% | 86 | 1.06% |
| 1972 | 5,127 | 64.81% | 2,784 | 35.19% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 3,185 | 41.78% | 3,142 | 41.21% | 1,297 | 17.01% |
| 1964 | 2,271 | 31.26% | 4,993 | 68.74% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 3,471 | 47.78% | 3,793 | 52.22% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 3,114 | 43.83% | 3,990 | 56.17% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 3,458 | 46.19% | 4,020 | 53.69% | 9 | 0.12% |
| 1948 | 2,135 | 33.70% | 4,190 | 66.13% | 11 | 0.17% |
| 1944 | 2,910 | 43.45% | 3,773 | 56.33% | 15 | 0.22% |
| 1940 | 3,035 | 40.57% | 4,420 | 59.09% | 25 | 0.33% |
| 1936 | 2,258 | 32.61% | 4,625 | 66.80% | 41 | 0.59% |
| 1932 | 1,604 | 26.46% | 4,428 | 73.06% | 29 | 0.48% |
| 1928 | 2,722 | 44.71% | 3,356 | 55.12% | 10 | 0.16% |
| 1924 | 2,563 | 41.63% | 3,419 | 55.53% | 175 | 2.84% |
| 1920 | 3,209 | 46.45% | 3,660 | 52.97% | 40 | 0.58% |
| 1916 | 1,642 | 39.66% | 2,468 | 59.61% | 30 | 0.72% |
| 1912 | 1,258 | 33.17% | 2,326 | 61.32% | 209 | 5.51% |
| 1908 | 1,620 | 38.51% | 2,555 | 60.73% | 32 | 0.76% |
| 1904 | 1,462 | 38.12% | 2,295 | 59.84% | 78 | 2.03% |
| 1900 | 1,563 | 35.47% | 2,761 | 62.65% | 83 | 1.88% |
| 1896 | 1,564 | 34.12% | 3,003 | 65.51% | 17 | 0.37% |
| 1892 | 1,380 | 35.15% | 2,508 | 63.88% | 38 | 0.97% |
| 1888 | 1,628 | 40.57% | 2,380 | 59.31% | 5 | 0.12% |

### Federal

U.S. Senate — Missouri — (2018) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Josh Hawley | 13,140 | 61.05% |
| Democratic | Claire McCaskill | 7,391 | 34.34% |
| Independent | Craig O'Dear | 540 | 2.51% |
| Libertarian | Japheth Campbell | 306 | 1.42% |
| Green | Jo Crain | 125 | 0.58% |
U.S. Senate — Missouri — (2016) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Republican | Roy Blunt | 14,061 | 56.70% | +8.57 |
| Democratic | Jason Kander | 9,264 | 37.35% | −7.97 |
| Libertarian | Jonathan Dine | 751 | 3.03% | −3.52 |
| Green | Johnathan McFarland | 305 | 1.23% | +1.23 |
| Constitution | Fred Ryman | 419 | 1.69% | +1.69 |
U.S. Senate — Missouri — (2012) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Claire McCaskill | 10,225 | 45.32% |
| Republican | Todd Akin | 10,860 | 48.13% |
| Libertarian | Jonathan Dine | 1.479 | 6.55% |
All of Lincoln 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 — Lincoln County (2020) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Blaine Luetkemeyer | 21,592 | 75.88% |
| Democratic | Megan Rezabek | 6,179 | 21.72% |
| Libertarian | Leonard J Steinman II | 665 | 2.34% |
U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 3rd Congressional District — Lincoln County (2018) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Blaine Luetkemeyer | 14,475 | 68.22% |
| Democratic | Katy Geppert | 6,232 | 29.37% |
| Libertarian | Donald Stolle | 495 | 2.33% |
U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 3rd Congressional District — Lincoln County (2016) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Republican | Blaine Luetkemeyer | 16,826 | 69.05% | +0.87 |
| Democratic | Kevin Miller | 6,429 | 26.38% | −0.52 |
| Libertarian | Dan Hogan | 775 | 3.18% | −1.74 |
| Constitution | Doanita Simmons | 338 | 1.39% | +1.39 |
U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri’s 3rd Congressional District — Lincoln County (2014) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Republican | Blaine Luetkemeyer | 8,804 | 68.18% | +7.45 |
| Democratic | Courtney Denton | 3,473 | 26.90% | −8.15 |
| Libertarian | Steven Hedrick | 635 | 4.92% | +0.70 |
U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 3rd Congressional District — Lincoln County (2012) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Blaine Luetkemeyer | 13,171 | 60.73% |
| Democratic | Eric Mayer | 7,601 | 35.05% |
| Libertarian | Steven Wilson | 916 | 4.22% |