Howell County is a county located in the southern portion of Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the population was 40,400.^[1] The largest city and county seat is West Plains.^[2] The county was officially organized on March 2, 1851, and is named after Josiah Howell, a pioneer settler in the Howell Valley.

Howell County comprises the West Plains, MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.  Wickipedia