Miller County, Missouri

Not to be confused with Miller, Missouri.

Miller County is a county located in the northern Ozarks region of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 24,722.^[1] Its county seat is Tuscumbia.^[2] The county was organized February 6, 1837, and named for John Miller,^[3] former U.S. Representative and Governor of Missouri.

Miller County
County
The Miller County Courthouse in Tuscumbia
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Missouri's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°13′N 92°26′W
Country	United States
State	Missouri
Founded	February 6, 1837
Named after	John Miller
Seat	Tuscumbia
Largest city	Eldon
Area
• Total	600 sq mi (2,000 km2)
• Land	593 sq mi (1,540 km2)
• Water	7.4 sq mi (19 km2)  1.2%
Population  (2020)
• Total	24,722
• Density	41/sq mi (16/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	www.millercountymissouri.org

John Miller, the county's namesake

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 600 square miles (1,600 km²), of which 593 square miles (1,540 km²) is land and 7.4 square miles (19 km²) (1.2%) is water.^[4]

Adjacent counties

• Moniteau County (north)
• Cole County (northeast)
• Osage County (northeast)
• Maries County (east)
• Pulaski County (south)
• Camden County (southwest)
• Morgan County (west)

Major highways

• U.S. Route 54
• Route 17
• Route 42
• Route 52
• Route 87
• Route 134
• Route 242

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1840	2,282		—
1850	3,834		68.0%
1860	6,812		77.7%
1870	6,616		−2.9%
1880	9,805		48.2%
1890	14,162		44.4%
1900	15,187		7.2%
1910	16,717		10.1%
1920	15,567		−6.9%
1930	16,728		7.5%
1940	14,798		−11.5%
1950	13,734		−7.2%
1960	13,800		0.5%
1970	15,026		8.9%
1980	18,532		23.3%
1990	20,700		11.7%
2000	23,564		13.8%
2010	24,748		5.0%
2020	24,722		−0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[5] 1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7] 1990-2000[8] 2010-2015[9]

As of the census^[10] of 2000, there were 23,564 people, 9,284 households, and 6,443 families residing in the county. The population density was 40 people per square mile (15 people/km²). There were 11,263 housing units at an average density of 19 units per square mile (7.3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.99% White, 0.28% Black or African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. Approximately 0.98% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,284 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.00% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.60% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.30% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 15.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,977, and the median income for a family was $36,770. Males had a median income of $26,225 versus $18,903 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,144. About 10.80% of families and 14.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.30% of those under age 18 and 14.70% of those age 65 or over.

2020 Census

Miller County Racial Composition^[11]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	22,908	92.7%
Black or African American (NH)	117	0.47%
Native American (NH)	113	0.46%
Asian (NH)	64	0.26%
Pacific Islander (NH)	24	0.1%
Other/Mixed (NH)	1,030	4.17%
Hispanic or Latino	466	1.9%

Education

Public schools

• Eldon R-I School District – Eldon
  • South Elementary School (PK-03)
  • Eldon Upper Elementary School (04-06)
  • Eldon Middle School (07-08)
  • Eldon High School (09-12)
• Iberia R-V School District – Iberia
  • Iberia Elementary School (PK-06)
  • Iberia High School (07-12)
• Miller County R-III School District – Tuscumbia
  • Miller County Elementary School (K-08)
  • Tuscumbia High School (09-12)
• School of the Osage – Lake Ozark
  • Leland O. Mills Elementary School (PK-02)
  • Osage Upper Elementary School (03-05)
  • Osage Middle School (06-08)
  • Osage High School (09-12)
• St. Elizabeth R-IV School District – St. Elizabeth
  • St. Elizabeth Elementary School (K-06)
  • St. Elizabeth High School (07-12)

Private schools

• Lakeview Christian Academy – Lake Ozark (K-10) – Nondenominational Christian
• Our Lady of the Snows School – Eugene (K-08) – Roman Catholic
• Eldon Montessori Children's House – Eldon (PK-K) – Nonsectarian
• The King's Academy - Christ the King Lutheran School – Lake Ozark (Preschool-8) – Lutheran

Public libraries

• Heartland Regional Library System^[12]

Communities

Cities and towns

• Bagnell
• Brumley
• Eldon (largest city)
• Iberia
• Lake Ozark
• Lakeside
• Olean
• Osage Beach
• St. Elizabeth
• Tuscumbia (county seat)

Census-designated place

• Aurora Springs

Unincorporated communities

• Atwell
• Brays
• Capps
• Etterville
• Faith
• Hoecker
• Kaiser
• Keethtown
• Marys Home
• Pleasant Mount
• Rocky Mount
• Saint Anthony
• Spring Garden
• Ulman
• Watkins
• West Aurora

Government and Politics

Political culture

Like most counties in rural western Missouri, Miller County is very Republican. It hasn't supported a Democrat for president since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. The only other time it supported a Democrat in the 20th century was in 1912, when Woodrow Wilson carried the county against a mortally divided GOP. Lyndon Johnson is the last Democrat to garner even 40 percent of the county's vote.

Underlining how Republican the county has been over the years, it rejected native son Harry Truman in 1944 as Roosevelt's running mate, and when he headed the ticket himself in 1948.

Local

The Republican Party completely controls politics at the local level in Miller County. Republicans currently hold all of the elected positions in the county.

Miller County, Missouri
Elected countywide officials
Assessor	Joseph Cochran	Republican
Circuit Clerk	Sheila Curtman	Republican
County Clerk	Clinton Jenkins	Republican
Collector	Jody Vance	Republican
Commissioner (presiding)	Kevin Cardwell	Republican
Commissioner (district 1)	Don Abbett	Republican
Commissioner (district 2)	Travis Rowden	Republican
Coroner	Caleb Shelton	Republican
Prosecuting Attorney	Matthew Howard	Republican
Public Administrator	Theresa Lupardus	Republican
Recorder	Kathy Plemmons	Republican
Sheriff	Louis Gregoire	Republican
Surveyor	Rick Wilson	Republican
Treasurer	Phil Lawson	Republican

State

Gubernatorial

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results^[13]

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2024	82.84% 10,638	14.76% 1,893	2.40% 308
2020	82.82% 10,212	15.31% 1,888	1.87% 231
2016	69.65% 7,924	27.37% 3,114	2.98% 339
2012	59.85% 6,547	36.67% 4,012	3.48% 381
2008	55.86% 6,414	42.31% 4,858	1.84% 211
2004	67.76% 7,331	31.15% 3,370	1.09% 118
2000	57.12% 5,343	39.38% 3,684	3.50% 327
1996	45.28% 3,984	51.76% 4,554	2.97% 261

Missouri House of Representatives

Miller County is divided into four legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, all of which are represented by Republicans.

• District 58 — David Wood (R-Versailles). Consists of the city of Eldon.

Missouri House of Representatives — District 58 — Miller County (2020)^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Willard Haley	2,307	98.67%
		Write In	31	1.33%

Missouri House of Representatives — District 58 — Miller County (2016)^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	David Wood	1,940	83.40%	−16.60
	Democratic	Travis Maupin	386	16.60%	+16.60

Missouri House of Representatives — District 58 — Miller County (2014)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	David Wood	1,021	100.00%

Missouri House of Representatives — District 58 — Miller County (2012)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	David Wood	2,067	100.00%

• District 59 — Mike Bernskoetter (R-Jefferson City). Consists of the community of Olean.

Missouri House of Representatives — District 59 — Miller County (2020)^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Rudy Veit	1,056	99.15%
		Write In	9	0.85%

Missouri House of Representatives — District 59 — Miller County (2016)^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Mike Bernskoetter	941	100.00%	+13.18%

Missouri House of Representatives — District 59 — Miller County (2014)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Mike Bernskoetter	428	86.82%	+8.73
	Constitution	Michael Eberle	65	13.18%	+13.18

Missouri House of Representatives — District 59 — Miller County (2012)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Mike Bernskoetter	802	78.09%
	Democratic	Vonnieta E. Trickey	225	21.91%

• District 62 — Tom Hurst (R-Meta). Consists of the community of St. Elizabeth.

Missouri House of Representatives — District 62 — Miller County (2020)^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Bruce Sassmann	877	89.95%
	Democratic	Nancy Ragan	97	9.95%

Missouri House of Representatives — District 62 — Miller County (2016)^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Tom Hurst	878	100.00%

Missouri House of Representatives — District 62 — Miller County (2014)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Tom Hurst	450	100.00%	+23.17

Missouri House of Representatives — District 62 — Miller County (2012)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Tom Hurst	703	76.83%
	Democratic	Greg Stratman	212	23.17%

• District 124 — Rocky Miller (R-Lake Ozark). Consists of most of the county, including the communities of Bagnell, Brumley, Iberia, Kaiser, Lake Ozark, Lakeside, Osage Beach, Tuscumbia, and Ulman.

Missouri House of Representatives — District 124 — Miller County (2020)^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Lisa Thomas	6,449	98.90%
		Write In	72	1.10%

Missouri House of Representatives — District 124 — Miller County (2016)^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Rockay Miller	6,140	100.00%

Missouri House of Representatives — District 124 — Miller County (2014)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Rocky Miller	2,842	100.00%

Missouri House of Representatives — District 124 — Miller County (2012)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Rocky Miller	5,717	100.00%

Missouri Senate

All of Miller 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 — Miller County (2014)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Mike Kehoe	4,547	85.37%
	Democratic	Mollie Kristen Freebairn	779	14.63%

Federal

US Senate

U.S. Senate — Missouri — Miller County (2016)^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Roy Blunt	7,760	68.47%	+12.45
	Democratic	Jason Kander	3,032	26.75%	−9.27
	Libertarian	Jonathan Dine	303	2.67%	−5.29
	Green	Johnathan McFarland	114	1.01%	+1.01
	Constitution	Fred Ryman	124	1.09%	+1.09

U.S. Senate — Missouri — Miller County (2012)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Todd Akin	6,084	56.02%
	Democratic	Claire McCaskill	3,912	36.02%
	Libertarian	Jonathan Dine	865	7.96%

US House of Representatives

All of Miller 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 — Miller County (2016)^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Blaine Luetkemeyer	9,228	82.06%	−0.69
	Democratic	Kevin Miller	1,641	14.59%	+0.94
	Libertarian	Dan Hogan	278	2.47%	−1.13
	Constitution	Doanita Simmons	99	0.88%	+0.88

U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 3rd Congressional District — Miller County (2014)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Blaine Luetkemeyer	4,436	82.75%	+3.62
	Democratic	Courtney Denton	732	13.65%	−3.57
	Libertarian	Steven Hedrick	193	3.60%	−0.05

U.S. House of Representatives — Missouri's 3rd Congressional District — Miller County (2012)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Blaine Luetkemeyer	8,548	79.13%
	Democratic	Eric C. Mayer	1,860	17.22%
	Libertarian	Steven Wilson	394	3.65%

Presidential

United States presidential election results for Miller County, Missouri^[15]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	10,826	83.21%	2,067	15.89%	118	0.91%
2020	10,176	82.08%	2,038	16.44%	183	1.48%
2016	9,285	80.87%	1,750	15.24%	447	3.89%
2012	8,099	73.31%	2,651	24.00%	298	2.70%
2008	7,797	67.43%	3,553	30.73%	213	1.84%
2004	7,797	71.99%	2,959	27.32%	75	0.69%
2000	5,945	63.54%	3,217	34.38%	194	2.07%
1996	4,387	50.20%	3,110	35.59%	1,242	14.21%
1992	4,175	44.01%	2,905	30.62%	2,407	25.37%
1988	5,662	68.82%	2,555	31.06%	10	0.12%
1984	6,706	76.55%	2,054	23.45%	0	0.00%
1980	5,560	67.93%	2,469	30.16%	156	1.91%
1976	4,095	59.64%	2,739	39.89%	32	0.47%
1972	5,682	78.05%	1,598	21.95%	0	0.00%
1968	4,425	64.88%	1,727	25.32%	668	9.79%
1964	3,784	56.97%	2,858	43.03%	0	0.00%
1960	4,482	63.43%	2,584	36.57%	0	0.00%
1956	4,085	61.71%	2,535	38.29%	0	0.00%
1952	4,237	63.42%	2,426	36.31%	18	0.27%
1948	3,088	55.03%	2,514	44.80%	9	0.16%
1944	3,609	61.69%	2,229	38.10%	12	0.21%
1940	3,971	55.87%	3,113	43.80%	23	0.32%
1936	3,607	50.90%	3,436	48.49%	43	0.61%
1932	2,615	40.64%	3,776	58.68%	44	0.68%
1928	3,379	62.85%	1,979	36.81%	18	0.33%
1924	3,011	56.16%	1,962	36.60%	388	7.24%
1920	3,555	64.94%	1,833	33.49%	86	1.57%
1916	1,862	55.52%	1,395	41.59%	97	2.89%
1912	1,240	38.98%	1,257	39.52%	684	21.50%
1908	2,016	57.47%	1,393	39.71%	99	2.82%
1904	1,959	57.75%	1,351	39.83%	82	2.42%
1900	1,796	53.63%	1,493	44.58%	60	1.79%
1896	1,707	50.00%	1,694	49.62%	13	0.38%
1892	1,497	51.23%	1,076	36.82%	349	11.94%
1888	1,596	56.06%	1,195	41.97%	56	1.97%

Missouri presidential preference primary (2008)

Main articles: 2008 Missouri Democratic presidential primary and 2008 Missouri Republican presidential primary

Former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-Arkansas) received more votes, a total of 1,406, than any candidate from either party in Miller County during the 2008 presidential primary.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Miller County, Missouri