This Missouri County Has the Most Real Missourians

How would you define a "real" Missourian? I think most would say that it's someone who was born and raised in the state while others might claim that spending years here would qualify. No matter how you look at it, there's one Missouri county that statistically has the most "real" Missourians in the state.

Here's one view from the most "Missouri" county in...well, Missouri

Google Maps Street View

That's the main drag in Linn, Missouri which is a part of Osage County. Osage County, if you're not familiar with the state, is located to the southeast of Jefferson City. According to the website Stacker, Osage County is the most Missouri county in Missouri. Look at these native birth statistics:

- Population: 13,402
- Born in Missouri: 11,814 (88.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,530 (11.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 13 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 45 (0.3% of population)

Even though I was born and raised in Missouri, my career has taken me all around this country. I always hated the feeling of being treated like an outsider in those places and I would never do that intentionally to anyone who moves to Missouri, but isn't "from here". I do think it's a legitimate claim to say that being born in Missouri is the most Missourian you can get, but I'm not in favor of being unfriendly or unwelcoming to outsiders.

I've heard some say they don't like it when people move to Missouri from other states because they fear those newcomers will want to "change things". I have found the opposite is true. Most people new to Missouri that I've met decided to relocate here because they weren't happy where they were previously and there was something about Missouri that appealed to them. Would be a shame to make people like that feel unwelcome, am I right? This country could use a few more Missourians, I think.