Missouri

Cole

77,279
2020 population
1830
first census record
20
census records

About Cole

Cole, Missouri, first appears in the United States federal census in 1830, when it recorded a population of 3,023. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 77,279.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 5 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Jefferson City Approach Skirmish (1861), Osage River Skirmish (Cole County), Jefferson City Second Skirmish 1862, and 55 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202077,279
201075,990
200071,397
199063,579
198056,663
197046,228
196040,761
195035,464
194034,912
193030,848
192024,680
191021,957
190020,578
189017,281
188015,515
187010,292
18609,697
18506,696
18409,286
18303,023
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Cole

Military engagements that took place in Cole, Missouri.

Jefferson City Approach Skirmish (1861)
1861
Osage River Skirmish (Cole County)
1862
Jefferson City Second Skirmish 1862
1862
Raid on Jefferson City Environs (1862)
1862
Battle of Moreau Creek (Missouri)
1864

Historic places in Cole

National Register of Historic Places listings in Cole, Missouri.

Garnett Farm Historic District
Centertown
Jefferson Female Seminary
Jefferson City
Missouri Governor's Mansion
Jefferson City
Lansdown-Higgins, House
Jefferson City
Missouri State Penitentiary Warden's House
Jefferson City
Grove, Claud D. and Berenice Sinclair Grove House
Jefferson City
Ivy Terrace
Jefferson City
Hobo Hill Historic District
Jefferson City
Munichburg Commercial Historic District
Jefferson City
Parker, Lester S. and Missouri "Zue" Gordon, House
Jefferson City
Kaullen Mercantile Company
Jefferson City
Jefferson City National Cemetery
Jefferson City
Moreau Park Historic District
Jefferson City
Gensky, H.E., Grocery Store Building
Jefferson City
Capitol Avenue Historic District
Jefferson City
Missouri State Capitol Building and Grounds
Jefferson City
Porth, Dr. Joseph P. and Effie, House
Jefferson City
Missouri State Capitol Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Jefferson City
Missouri State Capitol Historic District
Jefferson City
Stephens, Hugh and Bessie, House
Jefferson City
Moreau Drive Historic District
Jefferson City
Dulle Farmstead Historic District
Jefferson City
Lohman's Landing Building
Jefferson City
St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and Rectory
Taos
Browse all Missourihistoric sites ›

Other counties in Missouri

Explore census history and historic records for more Missouri counties.

PulaskiPutnamRallsRandolphRayReynoldsRipleySalineSchuylerScotlandScottShannonShelbySt. CharlesSt. ClairSt. FrancoisSt. LouisSt. Louis citySte. GenevieveStoddard
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Everything a full report reveals about Cole County, Missouri

This page charts the census history of Cole County, Missouri. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Cole

When does Cole first appear in the US census?
Cole, Missouri first appears in the federal census in 1830, with a recorded population of 3,023.
What is the population of Cole?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Cole had a recorded population of 77,279.
Were any battles fought in Cole?
5 documented military engagements took place in Cole, including Jefferson City Approach Skirmish (1861), Osage River Skirmish (Cole County), Jefferson City Second Skirmish 1862.
How many historic places are in Cole?
55 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Cole, Missouri.
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