Jackson County, Missouri, USA
County or equivalent
Location overview
Jackson County is located in western Missouri along the Kansas state line and forms the urban core of the Missouri side of the Kansas City metropolitan area. The Missouri River defines much of its northern boundary, while the Blue and Little Blue rivers drain the county’s rolling uplands and suburban landscape. Kansas City occupies the county’s northwestern portion and is its largest city, while Independence is the legally designated county seat; county government and courts maintain major facilities in both cities. Other communities include Blue Springs, Grandview, Grain Valley, Raytown and parts of Lee’s Summit. Interstates 29, 35, 49, 70, 435 and 470 connect the county to the wider region, and its economy includes government, healthcare, logistics, manufacturing, finance, professional services and major sports and entertainment facilities. Jackson County covers 604.52 square miles of land and had about 717,000 residents at the 2020 census.