Vernon County, Missouri

Vernon County
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Missouri's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°51′N 94°20′W / 37.85°N 94.34°W / 37.85; -94.34
Country United States
State Missouri
FoundedFebruary 27, 1855
Named afterColonel Miles Vernon, state senator, and veteran of the Battle of New Orleans
SeatNevada
Largest cityNevada
Area
  Total
837 sq mi (2,170 km2)
  Land826 sq mi (2,140 km2)
  Water10 sq mi (30 km2)  1.2%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
19,707
  Density24/sq mi (9.1/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
  Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district4th
Websitewww.vernoncountymo.org

Vernon County is a county located in the western region of the U.S. state of Missouri, on the border with Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,707. Its county seat is Nevada. The county was organized on February 27, 1855, considerably later than counties in the eastern part of the state. It was named for Colonel Miles Vernon (1786–1867), a state senator and veteran of the Battle of New Orleans. This area was part of the large historic territory of the Osage Nation of Native Americans.