List of counties in Missouri

There are 114 counties and one independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri.
In Missouri, the county level of government level comes between those of the city and the state. Its main responsibilities include maintaining roads, providing security, prosecuting criminals, and collecting taxes. Elected officials at this level include a sheriff, prosecuting attorney, and assessor.
The city of St. Louis is an independent city, and is not within the limits of a county. Its residents voted to secede from Saint Louis County in 1876. Throughout the United States, St. Louis is one of three independent cities outside the state of Virginia (the other two are Baltimore, Maryland and Carson City, Nevada).