Monett is the most-populous city in Barry and Lawrence counties in the U.S. state of Missouri.

[4] Southwest Missouri, including the area of what is now Monett, was inhabited by Native Americans of the Osage Nation until their forced removal to Indian Territory.

During this time the area went through several names including Kings Prairie Depot, Plymouth, Plymouth Junction (when the southern branch was built in 1880), Gonten (named for the local postmaster because the Post Service said there were other Plymouths); and finally, Monett in 1887 when the area was formally platted and the Monett name was applied to the post office.

[6][7][8][9] The community was very much noted for being a rail town and had a Harvey House operating at the Frisco train station from 1896 until 1930.

[10] The community in the Ozark Mountains also had a thriving fruit business and was nicknamed the "Strawberry Capital of the Midwest.

[12][13] In 1894, a lynching and race riot took place in Monett before the violence spread to Pierce City and other southwestern Missouri towns.

Monett became a sundown town, banning African Americans from living or staying there after dark, with a sign across the main street saying: "Nigger, don't let the sun go down.

"[16] When Pierce City drove out its African American population in an act of ethnic cleansing, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch said the town had been "Monettized".

[17] From about 1908 through 1911, Monett investors led by L. B. Durnil and U. S. Barnsley sought to build an airplane.

Through a combination of private investment and public resources, numerous restoration and revitalization projects have been undertaken in the historic downtown to restore its architectural quality, upgrade the infrastructure, drive local business success, and improve the quality of life.

In 2018, Missouri Governor Eric Greitens and Senator Roy Blunt announced an "Opportunity Zone" in Monett, allocating state and federal tax incentives for businesses that invest in the areas designated.

[22] The 2020 United States census[23] counted 9,576 people, 3,246 households, and 2,193 families in Monett.

Monett's economy is based on manufacturing, financial services, software, retail, and education.

More recently, heavy investment into Monett's Historical Downtown has brought new life to many businesses, and the area's cultural scene.

Monett is a part of the Southwest Missouri Council of Governments (SMCOG), providing urban planning and economic development resources for the ten-county region around the Springfield metropolitan area, Missouri.

The district has the following schools: Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled (MSSD) is a state-operated program serving Missouri students with severe disabilities in the greater Monett area at: The private schools in Monett include Berean Christian Academy and St. Lawrence Catholic Elementary.

[36] The climate is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year.