Boone County is located in the U.S. state of Missouri. Centrally located the state's Mid-Missouri region, its county seat is in Columbia, which is Missouri's fourth-largest city and location of the University of Missouri. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county's population was listed as 183,610, making it the state's eighth-most populous county or county equivalent. The county was organized November 16, 1820, removed from the former larger Howard County (now to the northwest) of the old federal Missouri Territory of 1812–1821, and named for the famous Western explorer and settler of Kentucky, then recently deceased Daniel Boone (1734–1820), whose kin largely populated the Boonslick area, having arrived in the 1810s on the Boone's Lick Road.

Boone County comprises the Columbia Metropolitan Area. The towns of Ashland and Centralia are the second and third most populous towns in the county.

History Boone County was organized November 16, 1820, from a separated portion of the larger territorial Howard County, first designated under the former federal Louisiana Territory (1804–1812) and subsequent successor Missouri Territory (1812–1821). The central region of the state is known as Mid-Missouri and is also known as the cultural area of Boonslick or Boone's Lick Country, because of a nearby salt spring or "lick" which famed Western American frontier explorer, pioneer, settler Daniel Boone's (1734–1820) sons, Daniel Morgan Boone (1769–1839), and younger Nathan Boone (1780–1856), used for their animals stock.

Boone County was settled primarily from the Upper South states of Kentucky, Tennessee and further east of Virginia. The settlers brought slaves and idea of slave-holding with them, and quickly started cultivating crops similar to those in Middle Tennessee and the bluegrass state of Kentucky: hemp and tobacco. Boone was one of several counties to the north and south of the diagonal flowing southwestward Missouri River that was settled by mostly Southerners. Because of its culture and traditions, the area became known as Little Dixie, and Boone County was at its heart.The Story of Little Dixie, Missouri, Missouri Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans , accessed June 3, 2008 In 1860 slaves made up 25 percent or more of the county's population, Boone County was strongly pro-Confederacy during the American Civil War (1861–1865).T. J. Stiles, Jesse James: The Last Rebel of the Civil War, New York: Vintage Books, 2003, pp.10–11

Shortly after the assassination / murder in April 1865, of 16th President Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865, served 1861–1865), the leading citizens of the county and its county seat town denounced the killing. They also directed that all public buildings including the county courthouse and the nearby state university be draped in black mourning for thirty days.PAPERS RELATING TO FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ACCOMPANYING THE ANNUAL MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT TO THE SECOND SESSION THIRTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS, PART IV, APPENDIX TO DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE OF 1865; THE ASSASSINATION OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, LATE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF WILLIAM H. SEWARD, SECRETARY OF STATE, AND FREDERICK W. SEWARD, ASSISTANT SECRETARY, ON THE EVENING OF April 14, 1865; EXPRESSIONS OF CONDOLENCE AND SYMPATHY INSPIRED BY THESE EVENTS; Foreign Relations of the United States; Washington DC, 1866, Document 1090

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.8%) is water. The Missouri River makes up the southern border of the county.

National protected areas Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge Mark Twain National Forest (part)

Adjacent counties Audrain County (northeast) Callaway County (east) Cole County (south) Cooper County (west) Howard County (northwest) Moniteau County (southwest) Randolph County (north)

Major highways Interstate 70 Interstate 70 Business Loop U.S. Route 40 U.S. Route 63

Route 22 Route 124 Route 163 Route 740 Route 763

Demographics

2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 183,610. The median age was 31.9 years. 20.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 13.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.5 males age 18 and over. 77.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 22.8% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 76.2% White, 9.9% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 4.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.0% from some other race, and 7.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.4% of the population.

There were 73,470 households in the county, of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 29.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 79,836 housing units, of which 8.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 54.2% were owner-occupied and 45.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.8%.

2020 census +Boone County, Missouri – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)91,08699,275114,367131,677137,77190.74%88.34%84.43%80.96%75.03%Black or African American alone (NH)6,3778,30611,47914,94317,8826.35%7.39%8.47%9.19%9.74%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)1883745245234520.19%0.33%0.39%0.32%0.25%Asian alone (NH)1,0903,0934,0006,1127,7721.09%2.75%2.95%3.76%4.23%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 Census4082120xx0.03%0.05%0.07%Other race alone (NH)6621052553149900.66%0.09%0.19%0.19%0.54%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census2,3764,09610,571xx1.75%2.52%5.76%Hispanic or Latino (any race)9731,2262,4134,8958,0520.97%1.09%1.78%3.01%4.39%Total100,376112,379135,454162,642183,610 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2000 census As of the 2000 census, there were 135,454 people, 53,094 households, and 31,378 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 56,678 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 85.43% White, 8.54% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 2.96% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.69% from other races, and 1.93% from two or more races. Approximately 1.78% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.6% claimed German, 12.3% American, 11.2% English and 9.8% Irish ancestry.

There were 53,094 households, out of which 30.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.50% were married couples living together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.90% were non-families. 28.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.80% under the age of 18, 19.90% from 18 to 24, 29.90% from 25 to 44, 18.80% from 45 to 64, and 8.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,485, and the median income for a family was $51,210. Males had a median income of $33,304 versus $25,990 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,844. About 7.60% of families and 14.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.10% of those under age 18 and 5.90% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

According to the Association of Religion Data Archives County Membership Report (2010), Boone County is sometimes regarded as being on the northern edge of the so-called Bible Belt, with evangelical Protestantism being the most predominant religious faith represented. The most predominant denominations among residents in Boone County who adhere to a religion are the Baptists with the largest being from the conservative Southern Baptist Convention (20.81%), Roman Catholics (16.71%), and smaller / minor nondenominational or evangelical groups (13.23%).

Education

Boone County is the most highly educated county in Missouri. A majority of adult residents over the age of 25 have bachelor's degrees.

School districts in the county, including those based in other counties that cover portions of this one, include: - Text list

Columbia Public Schools Centralia R-VI School District Fayette R-III School District Hallsville R-IV School District Harrisburg R-VIII School District New Franklin R-I School District North Callaway County R-I School District Southern Boone County R-I School District Sturgeon R-V School District

Public schools Southern Boone R-I School District - Ashland Southern Boone Primary School (PK-02) Southern Boone Elementary (03-05) Southern Boone Middle School (06-08) Southern Boone High School (09-12) Centralia R-VI School District – Centralia Chance Elementary School (PK-02) Centralia Intermediate School (03-05) Chester Boren Middle School (06-08) Centralia High School (09-12) Columbia School District No. 93 – Columbia Center for Gifted Education (01-05) Cedar Ridge Elementary School (PK-05) Thomas Benton Elementary School (PK-05) John Ridgeway Elementary School (K-05) Alpha Hart Lewis Elementary School (PK-05) Midway Heights Elementary School (PK-05) Ulysses S. Grant Elementary School (PK-05) Two Mile Prairie Elementary School (PK-05) New Haven Elementary School (PK-05) West Boulevard Elementary School (PK-05) Locust Street Expressive Arts Elementary School Parkade Elementary School (PK-05) Blue Ridge Elementary School (PK-05) Fairview Elementary School (PK-05) Rock Bridge Elementary School (PK-05) Russell Boulevard Elementary School (PK-05) Shepard Boulevard Elementary School (PK-05) Mary Paxton Keeley Elementary School (PK-05) Beulah Ralph Elementary School (PK-05) Eliot Battle Elementary School (PK-05) Derby Ridge Elementary School (PK-05) Mill Creek Elementary School (PK-05) John B. Lange Middle School (06-08) Ann Hawkins Gentry Middle School (06-08) Smithton Middle School (06-08) Oakland Middle School (06-08) Jefferson Middle School (06-08) West Middle School (06-08) Warner Middle School (06-08) Hickman High School (09-12) Battle High School (09-12) Frederick Douglass High School (09-12) – Alternative School Rock Bridge High School (09-12) Hallsville R-IV School District – Hallsville Hallsville Primary School (PK-01) Hallsville Intermediate School (02-05) Hallsville Middle School (06-08) Hallsville High School (09-12) Harrisburg R-VIII School District – Harrisburg Harrisburg Elementary School (PK-06) Harrisburg Middle School (07-08) Harrisburg High School (09-12) Sturgeon R-V School District – Sturgeon Sturgeon Elementary School (K-04) Sturgeon Middle School (05-08) Sturgeon High School (09-12)

Private schools Apple School – Columbia (PK-K) – Nonsectarian Children's House And Windsor Street Montessori – Columbia (PK-06) – Nonsectarian – Coed Christian Chapel Academy – Columbia (K-08) – Pentecostal Christian Fellowship School – Columbia (PK-12) – Nondenominational Christian College Park Christian Academy – Columbia (K-09) – Seventh-day Adventist Our Lady of Lourdes Interparish School– Columbia (K-08) – Roman Catholic Columbia Independent School – Columbia (PK-12) – Nonsectarian Columbia KinderCare – Columbia (NS-PK) – Nonsectarian Columbia Montessori School – Columbia (PK-K) – Nonsectarian Father Tolton Regional High School - Columbia (09-12) – Roman Catholic