Missouri Facts for Kids

A Map of the U.S. state Missouri
  • U.S. State: Missouri
  • Abbreviation: MO
  • Joined the USA: August 10th, 1821 (24th State)
  • Located: Midwestern United States
  • Capital City: Jefferson City, MO
  • Most Populated City: Kansas City, MO

35 Missouri Facts for Kids

  1. Missouri is a state in the United States of America.
  2. Missouri became a U.S. State on Friday, August 10th, 1821.
  3. Missouri was the 24th state to join the United States.
  4. The U.S. state of Missouri covers 69,715 square miles.
  5. Missouri is the 21st largest state by area in the United States.
  6. In 2019, the population of Missouri was estimated to be 6,137,000 residents by the U.S. Census Bureau.
  7. In 2019, Missouri was the 18th most populated state in the United States.
  8. A person who is from or lives in Missouri is called a Missourian.
  9. The capital city of Missouri is Jefferson City.
  10. The five most populated cities in Missouri are Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Columbia and Independence.
  11. The largest city by population in Missouri is Kansas City.
  12. The largest metropolitan area in Missouri is the Greater St. Louis area.
  13. The U.S. state of Missouri has 114 counties.
  14. The most populated county in Missouri is Saint Louis County with 998,985 residents (2019, U.S. Census Bureau).
  15. The largest county by area in Missouri is Texas County with 1,179 square miles.
  16. The highest elevation point in Missouri is Taum Sauk Mountain at 1,772 feet above sea level.
  17. The lowest elevation point in Missouri is the St. Francis River at 230 feet above sea level.
  18. The average precipitation (rain and snow) in Missouri is 42.5 inches.
  19. Missouri is the 26th wettest state by precipitation (rain and snow) in the United States.
  20. The average temperature in Missouri is 54.7 °F.
  21. Missouri is the 18th warmest state in the United States.
  22. The warmest temperature ever recorded in Missouri was 118 °F on July 14th, 1954.
  23. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Missouri was -40 °F on February 13th, 1905.
  24. A few natural disasters that can affect Missouri are blizzards, earthquakes, hail, heat waves, ice storms, river flooding and thunderstorms.
  25. Missouri is in one time zone, Central Time Zone (CT).
  26. The USPS abbreviation for Missouri is MO.
  27. Missouri is also known as the Show Me State, the Cave State and the Mother of the West.
  28. The official motto of the U.S. state of Missouri in English is “Let the good of the people be the supreme law”.
  29. There are four professional sports teams in Missouri, the Kansas City Royals (MLB), the St. Louis Cardinals (MLB), Kansas City Chiefs (NFL) and the St. Louis Blues (NHL).
  30. The official state insect of Missouri is the honeybee (Apis).
  31. The official state fish of Missouri is the channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus).
  32. The official state bird of Missouri is the bluebird (Sialia).
  33. The official state animal of Missouri is the mule (Equus asinus × Equus caballus).
  34. The official state flower of Missouri is the hawthorn (Crataegus).
  35. The official state tree of Missouri is the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida).

Additional Resources on Missouri

  • About Missouri – Discover more about the U.S. state of Missouri on the Info Please website.
  • History of Missouri – Learn about the history of Missouri on the Missouri Secretary of State website.
  • Facts About Missouri – Find more facts about Missouri on the 50 States website.
  • Missouri – Britannica – Read this detailed article about the U.S. state of Missouri on the Britannica website.