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COLUMBIA, Mo. – Employment in Missouri’s warehousing and storage industry grew 29% between 2020 and 2025, matching the national growth rate and substantially outpacing neighboring states, according to a new Missouri Economy Indicators brief from University of Missouri Extension.
Warehousing an increasingly important part of Missouri’s economy and supply chain infrastructure, the brief notes. Large general warehousing facilities accounted for most of the growth, adding almost 4,900 jobs during the five-year period.
The brief is part of the Missouri Economy Indicators series published by MU Extension’s Exceed – Regional Economic and Entrepreneurial Development program.
“Warehousing doesn’t always get much attention, but it’s a key part of how products move through the economy,” says MU Extension specialist TaylorAnn Washburn, who co-authored the brief with Mallory Rahe, an MU associate extension professor. “Whether it’s agricultural products, consumer goods or food items, businesses rely on storage and distribution facilities to reach customers efficiently.”
Missouri's location provides an advantage
As businesses grow, access to storage, transportation and distribution networks can influence where they choose to locate or expand.
Missouri’s central location and transportation network offer some advantages for warehousing and logistics operations. Kansas City is a major rail and freight hub, the St. Louis region offers access to river transportation, and major interstate corridors connect businesses to markets across the country.
Warehousing employment is concentrated in several parts of the state. St. Charles County had Missouri’s largest warehousing employment base in 2025, with about 5,800 jobs, followed by Cass County with 3,300 and Greene County with 2,900. Employment concentration was highest in the nonmetro counties of Phelps and Randolph.
Missouri’s growth outpaced the combined growth rate of neighboring states, which saw warehousing employment increase 17% over the same period.
Growth creates opportunities and challenges
Missouri’s warehousing sector also includes refrigerated facilities used by food businesses, nonrefrigerated storage for bulk farm products, and specialized facilities for products ranging from petroleum and lumber to documents and auto salvage.
The brief notes that warehousing capacity can be a significant issue for small businesses and food entrepreneurs looking to grow. Access to refrigerated and frozen storage, in particular, can be limited because of the costs associated with buildings, equipment and labor.
“For some businesses, especially those working with food products, having enough storage space can be the difference between serving a local market and serving a regional one,” says Rahe. “Access to warehousing is an important piece of the puzzle when businesses are ready to scale up.”
Businesses may invest in their own facilities, but others rely on contract storage, shared facilities and third-party logistics providers to increase capacity and reach new markets.
The Missouri Economy Indicators series highlights trends affecting the state’s economy, workforce and communities.
Related resources
MU Extension’s Scaling Local Farm and Food Businesses showcases Missouri businesses’ journeys to grow their operations and markets. Cold storage warehousing investments are shown in one case study
The U.S. Department of Transportation has freight traffic maps and statistics that you can use to look at national freight flow by commodity. Explore Missouri freight profiles and maps for trucks that pass through or start/end in the state.