Boone County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the population was 162,642 making it the eighth-most populous county in the state. Its county seat is Columbia, the fifth-largest city in Missouri. The county was organized November 16, 1820 and named for Daniel Boone.Boone County comprises the Columbia, MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.The University of Missouri is located in Columbia.