Editing Belle, Missouri

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                     = Belle, Missouri
| settlement_type          = [[City]]
| official_name            = 
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    = 

<!-- Images -->
| image_skyline            = Land2.JPG
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = Grain conveyor on a farm near Belle
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = 

<!-- Maps -->
| image_map                = Maries_County_Missouri_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Belle_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location in Maries County and the state of Missouri
| image_map1               = 
| mapsize1                 = 
| map_caption1             = 

<!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name         = United States
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1        = [[Missouri]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Missouri|Counties]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Maries County, Missouri|Maries]], [[Osage County, Missouri|Osage]]
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = 
| leader_title             = Mayor
| leader_name              = Chris Heitman
| leader_title1            = 
| leader_name1             = 
| established_title        = Incorporated
| established_date         = 1895

<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref                = Imperial
| area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2023">{{cite web |title=2023 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Missouri |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2023_Gazetteer/2023_gaz_place_29.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=March 21, 2024}}</ref>
| area_total_km2           = 3.46
| area_land_km2            = 3.46
| area_water_km2           = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi         = 1.34
| area_land_sq_mi          = 1.33
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=1600000US2904150&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=P1. Race – Belle city, Missouri: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=March 21, 2024}}</ref>
| population_total         = 1381
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| pop_est_footnotes        = 
| population_est           = 
| population_density_km2   = 399.48
| population_density_sq_mi = 1034.46

<!-- General information -->
| timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset               = -6
| timezone_DST             = CDT
| utc_offset_DST           = -5
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft             = 1024
| coordinates              = {{coord|38|17|05|N|91|43|19|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 65013
| area_code                = [[Area code 573|573]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 29-04150<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 2394112<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2394112}}</ref>
| website                  = {{URL|cityofbellemo.org}}
| footnotes                = 
}}
'''Belle''' is a city in northeast [[Maries County, Missouri|Maries County]] and extending north into southeast [[Osage County, Missouri|Osage County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Missouri]]. The population was 1,381 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]],<ref name="Census 2020"/> down from 1,545 in [[2010 United States census|2010]].

The Osage County portion of Belle is part of the [[Jefferson City, Missouri]] [[Jefferson City, Missouri Metropolitan Area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History==
A post office called Belle has been in operation since 1895.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MO&county=Maries | title=Post Offices| publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | accessdate=2 November 2016}}</ref> It is unclear why the name Belle was applied to this community.<ref>{{cite web | url =http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_maries.html | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624071404/http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_maries.html | archivedate = June 24, 2016 | url-status = live | title=Maries County Place Names, 1928–1945 | publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri| accessdate= November 2, 2016}}</ref> Belle was a depot on the [[Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad]], commonly known as the Rock Island.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/statemissouri00willgoog | title=The State of Missouri | author=Williams, Walter | year=1904 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/statemissouri00willgoog/page/n483 441]}}</ref>

==Geography==
Belle is located in northeastern Maries County and southeastern Osage County at the intersection of Missouri routes [[Missouri Route 28|28]] and [[Missouri Route 89|89]]. [[Vienna, Missouri|Vienna]], the Belle [[county seat]], is {{convert|17|mi}} to the southwest along routes 28 and 42. [[Bland, Missouri|Bland]] in [[Gasconade County, Missouri|Gasconade County]] is {{convert|5|mi|0}} to the east-northeast along Route 28, while [[Linn, Missouri|Linn]] is {{convert|18|mi}} to the northwest along Route 89. Belle is {{convert|93|mi}} west-southwest of [[St. Louis]].

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], Belle has a total area of {{convert|1.34|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|0.001|sqmi|acre|1}}, or 0.07%, are water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2023"/> The city sits on high ground which drains northwest toward the [[Gasconade River]], a tributary of the [[Missouri River]], and southeast toward the [[Dry Fork (Bourbeuse River tributary)|Dry Fork]], a tributary of the [[Bourbeuse River]] and part of the [[Meramec River]] watershed.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1910= 383
|1920= 437
|1930= 630
|1940= 621
|1950= 906
|1960= 1016
|1970= 1133
|1980= 1233
|1990= 1218
|2000= 1344
|2010= 1545
|2020= 1381
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2012-07-08}}</ref> of 2010, there were 1,545 people, 659 households, and 408 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1153.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 734 housing units at an average density of {{convert|547.8|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.5% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.2% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.1% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.6% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.6% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 659 households, of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.1% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.91.

The median age in the city was 36.2 years. 26.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.4% were from 25 to 44; 24.5% were from 45 to 64; and 15.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,344 people, 595 households, and 357 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,062.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 652 housing units at an average density of {{convert|515.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.10% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.07% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.52% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.60% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.71% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.12% of the population.

There were 595 households, out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $24,091, and the median income for a family was $35,982. Males had a median income of $27,917 versus $17,857 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $17,785. About 14.7% of families and 19.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 31.3% of those under age 18 and 15.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Maries County R-II School District operates Belle Elementary and High School in the community.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.greatschools.org/missouri/belle/maries-county-r_ii-school-district/schools/ | title=Maries County R-Ii School District | publisher=Great Schools | accessdate=17 March 2018}}</ref>

Belle has a [[public library]], a branch of the Heartland Regional Library System.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.heartland.lib.mo.us/belle-branch | title=Belle Branch | publisher=Heartland Regional Library System | accessdate=17 March 2018}}</ref>

==References==
<references />
{{Commons category|Belle, Missouri}}

==External links==
* {{Official|cityofbellemo.org}}
* Historic maps of Belle in the [http://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A138705 Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection] at the [[University of Missouri]]

{{Maries County, Missouri}}
{{Osage County, Missouri}}

 <!-- applies only to the Osage County portion of Belle -->

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Maries County, Missouri]]
[[Category:Cities in Osage County, Missouri]]
[[Category:Cities in Missouri]]
[[Category:Jefferson City metropolitan area]]