Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the United States with a total population of 6.1 million. The state’s most populous city is Kansas City which has a total count of over 475,000 inhabitants. The second most populous city, St. Louis, has over 315,000 residents. There are three additional cities with population counts of over 100,000: Springfield, Columbia and Independence. The state’s capital, Jefferson City, falls further down the list in terms of population, as it has just 43,169 inhabitants.
Cities in the state of Missouri are divided into three different classifications. Class 3 cities have population counts between 3,000 and 29,999. They have more flexibility in terms of government than the Class 4 designated cities, which have populations of at least 500 but no more than 2,999. There are also cities that have been incorporated under constitutional charters. Any municipality with a population of less than 500 is incorporated as a village.