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St. Francois County (/ˈfrænsɪs/ FRAN-siss) is a county in the Lead Belt region in the U.S. state of Missouri. At the 2020 census, the population was 66,922. The largest city and county seat is Farmington. The county was officially organized on December 19, 1821. It was named after the St. Francis River. The origin of the river's name is unclear. It may refer to St. Francis of Assisi. Another possibility is that Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit who explored the region in 1673, named the river for the Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier; Marquette had spent some time at the mission of St. François Xavier before his voyage and, as a Jesuit, was unlikely to have given the river a name honoring the Franciscans.
A former county seal, used from 2018 to 2022, was posted on the subreddit r/CrappyDesign where it received considerable attention and was covered by local and national news organizations. It was criticized for being "overdone" and "amateurish," though some said they felt it stood out and was "spontaneous."
The 2018 seal was designed during a weekend deadline by county commissioner Harold Gallaher and incorporated components from an older 1982 seal designed by a high school student in needlework. The seal was unanimously approved by the county commission and was used on government signage and vehicles.
In response to the attention it received, the county held a contest to redesign the seal. Gallaher requested that the redesign make reference to the parks in the county as well as include elements from the old seal. The county received 264 or 282 entries from 33 counties and 35 states, of which three finalists were chosen. Some included the St. Francois County Courthouse and referenced the county's mining history. The winning design was submitted by Bryan Finch, a graphic designer from Farmington, Missouri, a city in St. Francois County.
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2015
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 66,922. The median age was 40.3 years. 20.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 113.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 116.5 males age 18 and over.
59.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 41.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 24,792 households in the county, of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 26.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 28,636 housing units, of which 13.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 65.9% were owner-occupied and 34.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.1%.
St. Francois County, Missouri – Racial and ethnic compositionNote: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,641 people, 20,793 households, and 14,659 families residing in the county. The population density was 124 inhabitants per square mile (48/km2). There were 24,449 housing units at an average density of 54 units per square mile (21/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.14% White, 2.02% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.
There were 20,793 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.90% were married couples living together, 11.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.50% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.00% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 103.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,551, and the median income for a family was $47,923. Males had a median income of $29,961 versus $19,412 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,047. Approximately 14.90% of the population and 11.00% of families were below the poverty line, including 19.80% under the age of 18 and 11.50% over the age of 65.
Religion
According to the Association of Religion Data Archives County Membership Report (2000), St. Francois County is a part of the Bible Belt with evangelical Protestantism being the majority religion. The most predominant denominations among residents in St. Francois County who adhere to a religion are Southern Baptists (45.48%), Roman Catholics (14.94%), and Methodists (8.37%). There is also a small Orthodox Christian presence in the county, an example being Nativity of the Holy Virgin Mary Orthodox Church in Desloge.
Catholic Churches in the county are Immaculate Conception in Park Hills, St. Joseph in Farmington, St. Joseph in Bonne Terre, St. John in Bismarck, and St. Anne in French Village.
Politics
Local
The Republican Party predominantly controls politics at the local level in St. Francois County. Republicans hold all but two of the county's elected positions.
District 116 — Currently represented by Dale Wright (politician) (R-Farmington). It consists of the southeastern section of the county, including part of Farmington.
Missouri House of Representatives — District 116 — St. Francois County (2020)
District 117 — Currently represented by Mike Henderson (R-Bonne Terre). It consists of the western parts of the county and includes the communities of Bismarck, Bonne Terre, Desloge, Doe Run, Iron Mountain Lake, Leadington, Leadwood, and parts of Farmington and Park Hills.
Missouri House of Representatives — District 117 — St. Francois County (2020)
During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the head of the St. Francois County Public Health Department described being driven to resign from her position by residents who refused to "accept the reality of the pandemic" and made "cowardly" anonymous threats against her and her family.
Education
Of adults 25 years of age and older in St. Francois County, 72.4% possess a high school diploma or higher while 10.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher as their highest level of educational attainment.
Public schools
Bismarck R-V School District – Bismarck Bismarck Elementary School (PK–06) Bismarck High School (07–12)
Farmington R-VII School District – Farmington Jefferson Elementary School (01–04) Lincoln Intermediate School (05–06) Roosevelt Elementary School (01–04) Truman Learning Center (PK-K) Washington-Franklin Elementary School (01–04) Farmington Middle School (07–08) Farmington High School (09–12) W.L. Johns Administrative Office Building
North St. Francois County R-I School District – Bonne Terre North St. Francois County Primary School (PK–02) – Bonne Terre North St. Francois County Parkside Elementary School (03–04) – Desloge North St. Francois County Intermediate School (05–06) – Desloge North St. Francois County Middle School (07–08) – Desloge North St. Francois County High School (09–12) – Bonne Terre
St. Francois County Central R-III School District – Park Hills Park Hills Central Elementary School (K–02) West Elementary School (03–05) Park Hills Central Middle School (06–08) Park Hills Central High School (09–12)
West St. Francois County R-IV School District – Leadwood West St. Francois County Elementary School (PK–05) – Park Hills West St. Francois County Middle School (06–08) – Leadwood West St. Francois County High School (09–12) – Park Hills
This article incorporates text fromCampbell's Gazetteer of Missouri, by Robert A. Campbell, a publication from 1874, now in the public domain in the United States.
