Branson, Missouri
Branson, Missouri | |
|---|---|
Aerial view from northwest | |
| Nickname: Live Entertainment Capital of the World | |
Interactive map of Branson | |
| Coordinates: 36°39′55″N 93°13′57″W / 36.66528°N 93.23250°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| Counties | Taney, Stone |
| Founded | 1882 |
| Incorporated | April 1, 1912 |
| Named after | Reuben Branson |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Larry Milton |
| Area | |
| 21.50 sq mi (55.69 km2) | |
| • Land | 21.35 sq mi (55.29 km2) |
| • Water | 0.15 sq mi (0.40 km2) |
| Elevation | 965 ft (294 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| 12,638 | |
| • Density | 592.05/sq mi (228.59/km2) |
| • Urban | 14,359 |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 65615–65616 |
| Area code | 417 |
| FIPS code | 29-07966 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2394242 |
| Website | cityofbranson.gov |
Branson is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri. Most of the city is situated in Taney County, with a small portion in the west extending into Stone County. Branson is in the Ozark Mountains. The community was named after Reuben Branson, postmaster and operator of a general store in the area in the 1880s. The population was 12,638 at the 2020 census, and its population constitutes nearly one fourth of the Taney County population.
Branson has long been a popular destination for vacationers from Missouri and around the country. The collection of entertainment theaters along 76 Country Boulevard (and to a lesser extent along Shepherd of the Hills Expressway), including Dolly Parton's Stampede, has increased Branson's popularity as a tourist destination. Branson is the site of the Branson Cross, the largest cross monument in North America.