Christian County, Missouri

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Christian County is in southwest Missouri and is part of the Springfield metropolitan area. The county seat is Ozark, and the largest city is Nixa. It covers about 564 square miles (most of it land) and sits in a hilly area drained by the James River and branches of the White River. The 2020 population was 88,842.

History and naming
The county was organized on March 8, 1859. It’s named after William Christian, a Revolutionary War soldier from Kentucky (through the name Christian County, Kentucky).

People and life
About 90% of residents are White, with small Black, Asian, Native American, and multiracial communities. Roughly 57% live in urban areas and 42% in rural areas. There are about 33,000 households, with roughly 74% owner-occupied homes. The median household income is around $50,200 and the per capita income is about $23,900.

Government and politics
Christian County is a Republican stronghold. All countywide elected officials are Republicans. In 2015, Sheriff Joey Kyle pled guilty to embezzlement and resigned. The county votes mostly for conservative candidates in statewide and national elections.

Representation
The county is divided into three Missouri House districts (all Republicans). It is part of Missouri’s 20th Senate District and the U.S. House’s 7th District, both represented by Eric Burlison.

Education and libraries
The Christian County Library system has branches in Ozark, Nixa, and Clever. In 2017, voters approved a 20-cent property tax levy to expand library services, aiming to bring library access within five miles of most residents.

Notable facts
The Bald Knobbers, a masked group, helped shape local culture and inspired imagery seen in books and in the Fire in the Hole ride at Silver Dollar City. Parts of the movie Winter’s Bone were filmed in the area, and the nearby city of Nixa is linked to notable film and literary connections. The county grew rapidly after 2000 as Springfield expanded.