Homesteading in Missouri
Explore 115 counties and state-level regulations for homesteaders in Missouri.
Missouri uses a Riparian water rights system , allows county-level building code enforcement , and has constitutional carry. The effective property tax rate is 0.88%.
State Regulations
Water Rights
System: Riparian
Follows riparian doctrine. The Department of Natural Resources oversees water use but does not require permits for most uses.
Statute: Mo. Rev. Stat. § 256.400 et seq.
Building Codes
Statewide IRC: No (county-level)
No mandatory statewide residential building code. Municipalities and counties may adopt codes locally.
Statute: Mo. Rev. Stat. § 67.280
Gun Laws
Open Carry: Yes
Constitutional Carry: Yes
Permitless carry for persons 19 and older (18 for military). Second Amendment Preservation Act enacted in 2021.
Statute: Mo. Rev. Stat. § 571.030; Mo. Rev. Stat. § 1.420
Right to Farm
Protected: Yes
Protects farming operations from nuisance suits if the farm has been in operation for at least one year. Missouri also has a constitutional amendment (Article I, Section 35) guaranteeing the right to farm.
Statute: Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.295; Mo. Const. Art. I, § 35
Counties in Missouri
115 counties · Click column headers to sort
| County | Population | Median Home | Property Tax | Growing Days | Overall Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adair County | 25,299 | $146,700 | $1,156 | 79 | Very Low |
| Andrew County | 18,069 | $175,300 | $1,428 | 80 | Very Low |
| Atchison County | 5,270 | $96,100 | $1,070 | 78 | Very Low |
| Audrain County | 24,873 | $112,300 | $1,060 | 83 | Relatively Low |
| Barry County | 34,701 | $159,000 | $976 | 96 | Relatively Low |
| Barton County | 11,683 | $115,600 | $917 | 92 | Relatively Low |
| Bates County | 16,101 | $151,300 | $933 | 88 | Very Low |
| Benton County | 19,616 | $154,700 | $898 | 88 | Relatively Low |
| Bollinger County | 10,658 | $123,500 | $797 | 92 | Very Low |
| Boone County | 184,043 | $237,600 | $2,181 | 84 | Relatively Moderate |
| Buchanan County | 84,544 | $149,600 | $1,215 | 81 | Relatively Low |
| Butler County | 42,280 | $132,600 | $881 | 95 | Relatively Moderate |
| Caldwell County | 8,876 | $143,300 | $1,095 | 81 | Very Low |
| Callaway County | 44,517 | $184,300 | $1,484 | 85 | Relatively Low |
| Camden County | 43,227 | $248,700 | $1,321 | 89 | Relatively Moderate |
| Cape Girardeau County | 81,703 | $194,200 | $1,348 | 92 | Relatively Moderate |
| Carroll County | 8,513 | $105,500 | $931 | 82 | Very Low |
| Carter County | 5,299 | $181,100 | $785 | 94 | Relatively Low |
| Cass County | 108,205 | $242,300 | $2,212 | 86 | Relatively Low |
| Cedar County | 14,314 | $152,700 | $872 | 90 | Very Low |
| Chariton County | 7,417 | $121,000 | $922 | 82 | Very Low |
| Christian County | 89,568 | $229,200 | $1,723 | 94 | Relatively Low |
| Clark County | 6,693 | $124,600 | $1,153 | 78 | Very Low |
| Clay County | 253,085 | $237,200 | $2,733 | 83 | Relatively Moderate |
| Clinton County | 21,155 | $187,200 | $1,722 | 82 | Relatively Low |
| Cole County | 76,890 | $198,900 | $1,718 | 87 | Relatively Low |
| Cooper County | 16,893 | $168,200 | $1,174 | 85 | Very Low |
| Crawford County | 23,023 | $156,500 | $999 | 89 | Relatively Low |
| Dade County | 7,598 | $137,400 | $947 | 92 | Very Low |
| Dallas County | 17,158 | $139,400 | $739 | 91 | Very Low |
| Daviess County | 8,418 | $133,400 | $1,086 | 80 | Very Low |
| DeKalb County | 11,838 | $160,300 | $1,300 | 80 | Very Low |
| Dent County | 14,509 | $123,300 | $777 | 91 | Relatively Low |
| Douglas County | 11,803 | $148,900 | $655 | 94 | Very Low |
| Dunklin County | 28,174 | $93,300 | $675 | 98 | Relatively Low |
| Franklin County | 104,858 | $201,700 | $1,697 | 87 | Relatively Moderate |
| Gasconade County | 14,801 | $159,100 | $1,205 | 87 | Very Low |
| Gentry County | 6,219 | $115,400 | $1,227 | 79 | Very Low |
| Greene County | 299,188 | $182,800 | $1,414 | 93 | Relatively Moderate |
| Grundy County | 9,878 | $111,300 | $1,133 | 79 | Very Low |
| Harrison County | 8,190 | $95,900 | $825 | 78 | Very Low |
| Henry County | 22,064 | $153,600 | $1,224 | 87 | Relatively Low |
| Hickory County | 8,452 | $108,900 | $573 | 90 | Very Low |
| Holt County | 4,274 | $115,500 | $974 | 79 | Very Low |
| Howard County | 10,142 | $140,900 | $1,144 | 84 | Very Low |
| Howell County | 39,960 | $141,600 | $826 | 95 | Relatively Low |
| Iron County | 9,538 | $109,400 | $721 | 91 | Relatively Low |
| Jackson County | 715,526 | $196,900 | $2,336 | 84 | Relatively High |
| Jasper County | 122,788 | $147,500 | $1,107 | 93 | Relatively Moderate |
| Jefferson County | 226,984 | $202,500 | $1,750 | 88 | Relatively Moderate |
| Johnson County | 54,025 | $206,600 | $1,473 | 86 | Relatively Low |
| Knox County | 3,772 | $89,000 | $787 | 79 | Very Low |
| Laclede County | 36,060 | $151,800 | $961 | 91 | Relatively Low |
| Lafayette County | 32,858 | $187,000 | $1,464 | 84 | Relatively Low |
| Lawrence County | 38,231 | $145,800 | $951 | 94 | Relatively Low |
| Lewis County | 9,987 | $104,500 | $822 | 79 | Very Low |
| Lincoln County | 60,172 | $206,800 | $1,662 | 84 | Relatively Low |
| Linn County | 11,892 | $107,600 | $929 | 80 | Very Low |
| Livingston County | 14,402 | $139,700 | $1,242 | 81 | Very Low |
| McDonald County | 23,381 | $117,200 | $682 | 96 | Relatively Low |
| Macon County | 15,173 | $115,900 | $962 | 80 | Very Low |
| Madison County | 12,649 | $127,300 | $1,052 | 92 | Relatively Low |
| Maries County | 8,454 | $197,400 | $1,002 | 88 | Very Low |
| Marion County | 28,525 | $150,900 | $1,308 | 80 | Relatively Low |
| Mercer County | 3,517 | $104,800 | $932 | 78 | Very Low |
| Miller County | 24,855 | $164,900 | $1,076 | 88 | Relatively Low |
| Mississippi County | 12,305 | $92,600 | $809 | 95 | Relatively Low |
| Moniteau County | 15,401 | $162,100 | $1,197 | 86 | Very Low |
| Monroe County | 8,668 | $136,600 | $987 | 82 | Very Low |
| Montgomery County | 11,421 | $162,200 | $1,264 | 85 | Very Low |
| Morgan County | 21,169 | $174,500 | $1,115 | 87 | Relatively Low |
| New Madrid County | 16,341 | $93,400 | $684 | 96 | Relatively Low |
| Newton County | 59,019 | $162,900 | $1,172 | 94 | Relatively Low |
| Nodaway County | 21,140 | $157,200 | $1,335 | 78 | Relatively Low |
| Oregon County | 8,783 | $115,700 | $614 | 96 | Relatively Low |
| Osage County | 13,374 | $183,000 | $1,160 | 87 | Very Low |
| Ozark County | 8,688 | $142,600 | $703 | 96 | Very Low |
| Pemiscot County | 15,555 | $94,900 | $941 | 98 | Relatively Low |
| Perry County | 18,970 | $179,900 | $1,332 | 90 | Relatively Low |
| Pettis County | 43,059 | $150,000 | $1,213 | 86 | Relatively Low |
| Phelps County | 44,843 | $174,100 | $1,191 | 90 | Relatively Low |
| Pike County | 17,719 | $114,100 | $932 | 83 | Very Low |
| Platte County | 107,033 | $288,100 | $3,118 | 82 | Relatively Low |
| Polk County | 31,877 | $171,700 | $1,051 | 91 | Relatively Low |
| Pulaski County | 53,726 | $177,400 | $1,074 | 90 | Relatively Low |
| Putnam County | 4,698 | $99,600 | $1,162 | 78 | Very Low |
| Ralls County | 10,356 | $144,300 | $1,138 | 82 | Very Low |
| Randolph County | 24,652 | $131,200 | $1,173 | 82 | Very Low |
| Ray County | 23,122 | $169,200 | $1,512 | 83 | Relatively Low |
| Reynolds County | 6,102 | $105,300 | $506 | 92 | Relatively Low |
| Ripley County | 10,839 | $103,700 | $544 | 96 | Relatively Low |
| St. Charles County | 406,262 | $278,300 | $3,196 | 86 | Relatively Moderate |
| St. Clair County | 9,330 | $126,500 | $871 | 89 | Very Low |
| Ste. Genevieve County | 18,494 | $197,600 | $1,333 | 90 | Relatively Low |
| St. Francois County | 66,814 | $141,700 | $1,119 | 90 | Relatively Low |
| St. Louis County | 999,703 | $249,400 | $3,101 | 86 | Relatively High |
| Saline County | 23,219 | $129,600 | $1,101 | 84 | Relatively Low |
| Schuyler County | 4,066 | $106,200 | $951 | 78 | Very Low |
| Scotland County | 4,720 | $136,500 | $1,156 | 78 | Very Low |
| Scott County | 38,055 | $132,800 | $892 | 94 | Relatively Low |
| Shannon County | 7,132 | $141,600 | $654 | 93 | Relatively Low |
| Shelby County | 6,049 | $85,900 | $786 | 80 | Very Low |
| Stoddard County | 28,656 | $123,000 | $824 | 95 | Relatively Low |
| Stone County | 31,314 | $220,400 | $1,071 | 95 | Relatively Low |
| Sullivan County | 5,983 | $91,400 | $728 | 79 | Very Low |
| Taney County | 56,202 | $175,100 | $1,109 | 96 | Relatively Moderate |
| Texas County | 24,828 | $120,800 | $657 | 92 | Relatively Low |
| Vernon County | 19,777 | $127,800 | $937 | 90 | Relatively Low |
| Warren County | 35,729 | $227,000 | $1,760 | 86 | Relatively Low |
| Washington County | 23,580 | $112,300 | $659 | 90 | Relatively Low |
| Wayne County | 11,081 | $110,000 | $598 | 94 | Relatively Low |
| Webster County | 39,265 | $185,100 | $1,054 | 93 | Relatively Low |
| Worth County | 1,982 | $88,100 | $708 | 78 | Very Low |
| Wright County | 18,475 | $141,600 | $577 | 93 | Relatively Low |
| St. Louis city | 298,018 | $174,100 | $1,885 | 86 | Relatively High |
Compare counties with your priorities
Use our interactive Location Finder to score and rank counties in Missouri based on what matters most to you.
Open Location Finder for Missouri