Who is the Cole County Assessor?

Tim Theroff (Republican) is the Assessor of Cole County, Missouri.

Who is the Cole County Auditor?

Mark Ruether (Republican) is the Auditor of Cole County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Cole County Circuit Clerk?

Mark Eichholz (Republican) is the Circuit Clerk of Cole County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Cole County Collector of Revenue?

Larry Vincent (Republican) is the Collector of Revenue of Cole County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Cole County Coroner?

Carl R. Doerhoff is the Coroner of Cole County, Missouri.

Who is the Cole County County Clerk?

Steve Korsmeyer (Republican) is the County Clerk of Cole County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Cole County Prosecuting Attorney?

Locke Thompson (Republican) is the Prosecuting Attorney of Cole County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Cole County Public Administrator?

Ralph Jobe (Republican) is the Public Administrator of Cole County, Missouri.

Who is the Cole County Recorder of Deeds?

Judy Ridgeway (Republican) is the Recorder of Deeds of Cole County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Cole County Sheriff?

John Wheeler (Republican) is the Sheriff of Cole County, Missouri.

Who is the Cole County Treasurer?

Eric Peters (Republican) is the Treasurer of Cole County, Missouri.

Who are the Cole County commissioners?

Jeff Hoelscher (Associate Commissioner, Eastern District); Harry Otto (Associate Commissioner, Western District); Sam Bushman (Presiding Commissioner).

What is the population of Cole County?

About 77,032 people, with a median age of 39.9; the median household income is $74,876 and 9% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).

What is the unemployment rate in Cole County?

2.7% in September 2026 (preliminary): 1,102 people unemployed in a labor force of 40,672, against 2.8% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).

How many local governments are there in Cole County?

31 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 8 municipal, 4 school district and 18 special district governments.

Cole County, MO elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Cole County: 14 seats on 12 elected bodies. 7 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County Commission

Cole County Commission

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
Associate Commissioner, Eastern District	Jeff Hoelscher Republican source
Associate Commissioner, Western District	Harry Otto Republican source
Presiding Commissioner	Sam Bushman Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

County officers

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
Assessor	Tim Theroff Republican source
Auditor	Mark Ruether Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Circuit Clerk	Mark Eichholz Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Collector of Revenue	Larry Vincent Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Coroner	Carl R. Doerhoff source
County Clerk	Steve Korsmeyer Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Prosecuting Attorney	Locke Thompson Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Public Administrator	Ralph Jobe Republican source
Recorder of Deeds	Judy Ridgeway Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Sheriff	John Wheeler Republican source
Treasurer	Eric Peters Republican source

How many local governments Cole County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 31 local governments in Cole County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of government	Census count (2022)	Listed on this page
County government	1	1
Cities, towns, villages and townships	8	0
School districts (school boards)	4	0
Special districts (elected boards)	18	0

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Cole County

77,032people

39.9median ageU.S.: 38.9

$74,876 household incomeU.S.: $80,734

9%below the U.S.: 12.5%

38.9%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%

$229,600median home valueU.S.: $332,700

2.9%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%

2.9%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%

7.7%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%

5.8%U.S.: 8.4%

34.5%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%

15.7%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 3.6% · White 79.2% · Black 9.7% · Asian 1.4% · Other or more than one race 6% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Cole County

2.7%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 2.8%. Missouri: 3.3%.

1,102people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.

39,570people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.

40,672in the September 2026, preliminary.

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years

Month	Rate	Unemployed	Employed	Labor force
September 2026 (preliminary)	2.7%	1,102	39,570	40,672
August 2026	3.3%	1,343	39,577	40,920
July 2026	3.4%	1,413	39,995	41,408
June 2026	3.2%	1,299	39,395	40,694
May 2026	2.9%	1,164	39,478	40,642
April 2026	2.8%	1,132	39,677	40,809
March 2026	3.3%	1,363	39,482	40,845
February 2026	3.2%	1,316	39,383	40,699
January 2026	3.4%	1,363	39,252	40,615
December 2025	2.5%	1,024	39,810	40,834
November 2025	2.6%	1,086	40,060	41,146
October 2025	not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 2025	2.8%	1,117	39,242	40,359
August 2025	3.6%	1,445	39,164	40,609
July 2025	3.7%	1,521	39,570	41,091
June 2025	3.6%	1,446	39,237	40,683
May 2025	3.3%	1,333	39,179	40,512
April 2025	3.0%	1,208	39,279	40,487
March 2025	3.4%	1,380	38,864	40,244
February 2025	3.5%	1,391	38,626	40,017
January 2025	3.4%	1,348	38,660	40,008
December 2024	2.7%	1,081	38,802	39,883
November 2024	2.8%	1,108	39,012	40,120
October 2024	2.8%	1,112	39,174	40,286

Yearly averages

Year	Rate	Unemployed	Employed	Labor force
2025 (11 months)	3.2%	1,300	39,245	40,545
2024	3.1%	1,246	38,919	40,165
2023	2.6%	1,030	38,363	39,393
2022	2.1%	813	37,598	38,411
2021	3.0%	1,134	36,854	37,988
2020	4.5%	1,709	36,305	38,014
2019	2.6%	992	37,346	38,338
2018	2.6%	965	36,587	37,552
2017	3.0%	1,139	36,782	37,921
2016	3.6%	1,394	37,140	38,534

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Missouri's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.6% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Cole County

104.7 per 100,0002025. Missouri: 417.8.

280.2 per 100,0002025. Missouri: 1,644.1.

0murders2025, 37 violent crimes in all.

Earlier years

Year	Violent	Rate	Property	Rate
2025	37	104.7	99	280.2
2024	32	90.4	77	217.6
2022	63	182.5	224	649.0
2021	38	110.6	214	622.9
2020	48	140.6	361	1,057.4
2019	34	99.9	381	1,119.8
2018	55	162.3	268	790.8
2017	70	207.1	233	689.5
2016	42	125.1	278	827.9

By police agency (1)

Agency	Year	Violent	Property	People served
Cole County Sheriff's Office	2025	37	99	35,332

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Missouri · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.73 per 1,000 residents2025, 1 agency serving 35,332 people.

61sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.

31civilian staff2025, full-time.

Agencies counted (1), 2025

Agency	Officers	Civilians	People served
Cole County Sheriff's Office	61	31	35,332

Earlier years

Year	Officers	Per 1,000	Civilians	Agencies
2025	61	1.73	31	1
2021	60	1.75	41	1
2019	49	1.44	30	1
2018	49	1.45	34	1
2017	52	1.54	33	1
2016	52	1.55	32	1

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Cole County Assessor?: Tim Theroff (Republican) is the Assessor of Cole County, Missouri.
Who is the Cole County Auditor?: Mark Ruether (Republican) is the Auditor of Cole County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Cole County Circuit Clerk?: Mark Eichholz (Republican) is the Circuit Clerk of Cole County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Cole County Collector of Revenue?: Larry Vincent (Republican) is the Collector of Revenue of Cole County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Cole County Coroner?: Carl R. Doerhoff is the Coroner of Cole County, Missouri.
Who is the Cole County County Clerk?: Steve Korsmeyer (Republican) is the County Clerk of Cole County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Cole County Prosecuting Attorney?: Locke Thompson (Republican) is the Prosecuting Attorney of Cole County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Cole County Public Administrator?: Ralph Jobe (Republican) is the Public Administrator of Cole County, Missouri.
Who is the Cole County Recorder of Deeds?: Judy Ridgeway (Republican) is the Recorder of Deeds of Cole County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Cole County Sheriff?: John Wheeler (Republican) is the Sheriff of Cole County, Missouri.
Who is the Cole County Treasurer?: Eric Peters (Republican) is the Treasurer of Cole County, Missouri.
Who are the Cole County commissioners?: Jeff Hoelscher (Associate Commissioner, Eastern District); Harry Otto (Associate Commissioner, Western District); Sam Bushman (Presiding Commissioner).
What is the population of Cole County?: About 77,032 people, with a median age of 39.9; the median household income is $74,876 and 9% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Cole County?: 2.7% in September 2026 (preliminary): 1,102 people unemployed in a labor force of 40,672, against 2.8% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Cole County?: 31 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 8 municipal, 4 school district and 18 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the Missouri Secretary of State's Official Manual (Blue Book) 2025–2026; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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