Recent issues
Vol. 5, Issue 9: Population Trends – July 15, 2024 (PDF)
Missouri’s 2020-23 annual population growth rate of 0.2%, typical for the Midwest, notably outpaced neighboring Illinois (-0.6%) and Kansas (0.0%) but was significantly slower than Tennessee (1.0%) and Oklahoma (0.7%). Nonmetro areas grew faster than metro regions from 2020-23 in contrast to the prior decade’s trend of rural population decline. Recreation-dependent counties, which had stagnated population change from 2010-20, are increasing population five times faster than the state average from 2020-23.
Vol. 5, Issue 8: Construction – June 10, 2024 (PDF)
In 2023, more than 180,000 Missourians were employed in the construction sector. The demand for construction services is on the rise in Missouri, yet many contractors struggle to find qualified workers. In response to the increasing demand, Missouri contractors have been hiring aggressively – and the possibility of even greater workforce needs loom on the horizon.
Vol. 5, Issue 7: Agritourism – May 13, 2024 (PDF)
Agritourism is rising in Missouri, as the number of farms and revenue increased roughly 22% between 2017 and 2022. With an average agritourism income of nearly $24,000 per operation, Missouri ranked 5th among its border states. Agritourism sales benefit when located near the state’s population centers; metro area operations had average sales of $35,902 compared to $11,802 for nonmetro locations.