Stone County is located in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 31,076. Its county seat is Galena.

Stone County was part of the Branson micropolitan area until 2023.

History The county was officially organized on February 10, 1851, and is named after William Stone, an English pioneer and an early settler in Maryland who also served as Taney County Judge.

In 1904, the White River Railway was extended through the rugged terrain of Stone and Taney counties. By then, both counties had had a sundown town policy for years, forbidding African Americans from living there.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (9.2%) is water.

Adjacent counties Christian County (north) Taney County (east) Carroll County, Arkansas (south) Barry County (west) Lawrence County (northwest)

National protected area Mark Twain National Forest (part)

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition +Stone County, Missouri – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)15,40218,79027,79730,93828,29698.81%98.49%97.00%96.07%91.05%Black or African American alone (NH)061746790.00%0.03%0.06%0.14%0.25%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)1081311641722150.69%0.69%0.57%0.53%0.69%Asian alone (NH)203752951150.13%0.19%0.18%0.30%0.37%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census9820xx0.03%0.02%0.06%Other race alone (NH)80618840.05%0.00%0.02%0.06%0.27%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census3153721,485xx1.10%1.16%4.78%Hispanic or Latino (any race)491142985537820.31%0.60%1.04%1.72%2.52%Total15,58719,07828,65832,20231,076 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 31,076, a median age of 54.0 years, 17.0% of residents under the age of 18, and 30.8% of residents 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.3 males age 18 and over.

17.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 82.9% lived in rural areas.

There were 13,296 households, of which 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 20.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 19,935 housing units, of which 33.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 81.3% were owner-occupied and 18.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 21.9%.

The racial makeup (assigning Hispanics to the various racial categories) of the county was 91.0% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.8% from some other race, and 5.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.5% of the population, and detailed totals are listed below.

+Stone County Racial CompositionRaceNum.Perc.White (NH)28,29691.05%Black or African American (NH)790.25%Native American (NH)2150.7%Asian (NH)1150.37%Pacific Islander (NH)200.06%Other/Mixed (NH)1,5695.05%Hispanic or Latino7822.52%

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 28,658 people, 11,822 households, and 8,842 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 16,241 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.64% White, 0.07% Black or African American, 0.61% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. Approximately 1.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Among the major first ancestries reported in Stone County were 24.3% American, 20.4% German, 11.3% English, and 10.8% Irish ancestry.

There were 11,822 households, out of which 25.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.70% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.20% were non-families. 21.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.76.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.40% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 23.80% from 25 to 44, 29.70% from 45 to 64, and 18.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,487, and the median income for a family was $46,675. Males had a median income of $26,224 versus $19,190 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,813. About 8.50% of families and 12.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.00% of those under age 18 and 8.10% of those age 65 or over.

Education Of adults 25 years of age and older in Stone County, 80.4% possesses a high school diploma or higher while 14.2% holds a bachelor's degree or higher as their highest educational attainment.

K-12 school districts in the county, including those based in other counties that have portions of this county, include: - Text list

Billings R-IV School District Blue Eye R-V School District Clever R-V School District Crane R-III School District Galena R-II School District Hollister R-V School District Hurley R-I School District Marionville R-IX School District Nixa School District Reeds Spring R-IV School District Spokane R-VII School District

The county also has one elementary school district, Shell Knob 78 School District.

Public schools Blue Eye R-V School District - Blue Eye Blue Eye Elementary School (PK-04) Blue Eye Middle School (05-08) Blue Eye High School (09-12) Crane R-III School District - Crane Crane Elementary School (K-06) Crane High School (07-12) Galena R-II School District - Galena Galena-Abesville Elementary School (PK-06) Galena High School (07-12) Hurley R-I School District - Hurley Hurley Elementary School (K-05) Hurley High School (06-12) Reeds Spring R-IV School District - Reeds Spring Reeds Spring Primary School (PK-01) Reeds Spring Elementary School (02-04) Reeds Spring Intermediate School (05-06) Reeds Spring Middle School (07-08) Reeds Spring High School (09-12)

Private schools Apostolic Christian School - Reeds Spring - (05-12) - Non-denominational Christian

Alternative and vocational schools Tri-Lakes Special Education Cooperative - Blue Eye - (K-12) - Special Education Gibson Technical Center - Reeds Spring - (09-12) - Vocational/Technical New Horizons Alternative School - Reeds Spring - (06-12) - Alternative/Other

Public libraries Blue Eye Public Library Crane Public Library Galena Public Library Kimberling Area Library

Politics and government

Government Stone County is a third-class county located in Southwest Missouri. The county's government includes a 3-person County Commission (Presiding Commissioner, Northern District Commissioner, Southern District Commissioner), several elected officials, and a Road Commission consisting of the 3 County Commissioners as well as a Northern Road Commissioner and a Southern Road Commissioner. The County Commission also oversees the Planning and Zoning Department, Senior Citizens' Services Board, a Law Enforcement Restitution Board, and neighborhood improvement districts. All elected Officials in Stone County serve 4 year terms. The county employed 157 full-time employees (including elected officials) and 12 part-time employees as of December 31, 2019.

The Government primarily operates out of the County Seat of Galena, Missouri. The offices of the County Commission, County Clerk, Collector of Revenue, Recorder of Deeds, Treasurer as well as the University of Missouri Extension Office all operate out of the Historic Courthouse in the center of the square. The Stone County Sheriff's office, Judiciary, Circuit Clerk, and Jail are all in the Stone County Judicial Center on the east side of the square. The Assessor and Planning and Zoning offices are located in buildings on the south side of the square.

The Republican Party completely controls politics at the local level in Stone County. All current office holders are members of the Republican Party. Elected Officials in Stone County on average have a long tenure once elected to office.

State + Past Gubernatorial Elections Results Year Republican Democratic Third Parties202478.98% 14,91119.32% 3,6471.71% 322202079.84% 14,70418.46% 3,3991.7% 314201672.28% 11,92025.07% 4,1352.64% 436201259.29% 9,43437.86% 6,0252.85% 453200849.53% 8,04347.46% 7,7083.01% 489200467.23% 10,17631.66% 4,7911.11% 168200060.91% 7,33837.22% 4,4841.87% 225199658.55% 5,88638.11% 3,8313.34% 336 Stone County is divided into two legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, both of which are held by Republicans.

District 138 — Brad Hudson (R-Cape Fair). Consists of almost all of the county.

District 158 — Scott Cupps (R-Shell Knob). Consists of a small, unincorporated region in the northwest part of the county, located just south of Crane.

All of Stone County is a part of Missouri's 29th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Mike Moon (R-Ash Grove)

Federal

All of Stone County is included in Missouri's 7th Congressional District and is currently represented by Eric Burlison (R-Springfield) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Political culture

Like most counties situated in Southwest Missouri, Stone County is a Republican stronghold in presidential elections. George W. Bush carried Stone County in 2000 and 2004 by more than two-to-one margins, and like many other rural counties throughout Missouri, Stone County strongly favored John McCain over Barack Obama in 2008. The solitary Democratic presidential candidate to win Stone County since the Civil War has been Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1932,Menendez, Albert J.; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004, pp. 239-246 and even Roosevelt won by only 163 votes out of 3,688.Robinson, Edgar Eugene; The Presidential Vote; 1896-1932 (second edition); pp. 226-227 Published 1947 by Stanford University Press