Ray County, Missouri

Ray County
Ray County Courthouse
Ray County Courthouse
Map of Missouri highlighting Ray County
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Map of the United States highlighting Missouri
Missouri's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°21′N 93°59′W / 39.35°N 93.99°W / 39.35; -93.99
Country United States
State Missouri
FoundedNovember 16, 1820
Named forJohn Ray, Missouri state legislator
SeatRichmond
Largest cityRichmond
Area
 • Total574 sq mi (1,490 km2)
 • Land569 sq mi (1,470 km2)
 • Water5.1 sq mi (13 km2)  0.9%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total23,158
 • Density40/sq mi (16/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district5th
Websitewww.raycountymo.com

Ray County is a county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,158.[1] Its county seat is Richmond.[2] The county was organized November 16, 1820, and named for John Ray, a Missouri state legislator and member of the first state Constitutional Convention.[3]

  1. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Eaton, David Wolfe (1917). How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named. The State Historical Society of Missouri. pp. 344.