Trendsights Newsletter
| Occupational Outlook Handbook: Diagnostic Medical Sonographers Diagnostic medical sonographers and cardiovascular technologists and technicians operate special imaging equipment to create images or to conduct tests. Most diagnostic imaging workers are employed in hospitals, while many of the rest worked in physicians’ offices or medical and diagnostic laboratories. This occupation typically requires an associate degree for employment. Employment of medical sonographers and cardiovascular technologists and technicians is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations in both Missouri and the U.S. In Missouri, the average annual wage for those in these careers range from $50,000 to $74,000 per year. |
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| Southwest Region Profile The Southwest Region is comprised of seven counties in the southwest portion of Missouri. This region is home to several cities including Joplin, Neosho, and Monett. The Southwest Region workforce has more than 127,800 employees, making up four percent of Missouri’s employment. Click above to learn more about the industries and workforce that make up the Southwest Region. |
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| New Household Pulse Survey Data Released The U.S. Census Bureau released new data from the latest phase of the experimental Household Pulse Survey (HPS). The HPS is a new monthly release of data tracking current household trends on socioeconomic topics such as food scarcity, child care disruptions, health, and housing insecurity for the U.S. and states. |
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| West Central Real-Time Labor Market Summary West Central employers posted 2,941 job ads from October through December 2021, with 77 percent for full-time positions. Health Care and Social Assistance was the industry with the largest number of job postings, making up 36 percent of the total. See the full summary for information on other industries and the top employers posting jobs during the quarter. |
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| Missouri Demographic Census Profile The U.S. Census Bureau provides a state-by-state look at the demographic changes the 2020 Census results reveal. The profile shows key population demographics, including population, housing, race and ethnicity for Missouri and its counties. |
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| Missouri Exports Rise in 2021 Missouri exports increased by more than 23 percent from 2020 to 2021. Over half of all Missouri’s export income came from exports to three countries. Canada purchased $5.2 billion in goods, followed by Mexico ($3.3 billion), and China ($698 million). Click on the link to see more about Missouri exports. |
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| 2021 Average Cost of Living Missouri had the 7th lowest cost of living in the United States in 2021. In general, the most expensive areas to live were Hawaii, Alaska, the Northeast, and the West Coast. The least expensive areas were the Midwest and Southern states. |
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| Missouri 2020 Personal and Per Capita Income Per capita income for states was recently revised by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Per capita income in Missouri was $51,697 in 2020, a 5.6 percent increase from 2019 while the per capita income for the U.S. was $59,510. Missouri’s per capita income growth generally tracks with the national average. The 2020 annual growth rate of 5.6 percent is 0.6 percentage points lower than that of the national average. |
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| Federal Reserve Beige Book for January 2022 The Federal Reserve released the January summary of current economic conditions by Federal Reserve District. Reported eight times a year and commonly known as the Beige Book, each Federal Reserve Bank gathers anecdotal information on current economic conditions in its District through reports from Bank and Branch directors and interviews with key business contacts, economists, market experts, and other sources. Missouri includes the Federal Reserve Banks of both St. Louis and Kansas City. Both reports share information about economic growth, employment and wages, and key industries in the state. |
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| Southeast Region Profile The Southeast Region is comprised of 13 counties in the southeast portion of Missouri. The region is home to several cities including Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Caruthersville, and Park Hills. The workforce in this region has more than 155,400 employees, making up five percent of Missouri's employment. |
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| Keep Track of New Census Data Releases The U.S. Census Bureau posted anticipated release dates for each regular and recurring statistical product scheduled for release in 2022. These products are listed in the Census Bureau’s online product calendar, which is updated as needed throughout the year. Bookmark this link to keep track of the latest data releases. |
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| Missouri County Personal and Per Capita Income Missouri had a per capita income of $51,697 in 2020. Six Missouri counties had higher per capita income in 2020 than the state: St. Louis, Platte, St. Charles, Holt, Atchison, and Cole. Per capita income levels for Missouri tend to be highest around larger metro areas such as St. Louis and Kansas City. |
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| Business Index Remains High Missouri’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for December was 65.3, decreasing 1.0 points from November, but still in expansion territory, according to the monthly Mid-America Business Conditions Survey, conducted by Creighton University. This key economic indicator measures factors such as new orders, production, supplier delivery times, backlogs, inventories, prices, employment, import orders and exports. Typically, a score greater than 50 indicates an expansionary economy while a score below 50 forecasts a sluggish economy. The index has been above 50 for 19 of the last 20 months. |
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| December Jobs Report Missouri non-farm payroll employment increased from November 2021 to December 2021, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by two-tenths of a percentage point. Employment, seasonally adjusted, increased by 16,700 jobs over the month, with job gains in both goods-producing and service-providing industries. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.3 percent in December 2021, down from 3.5 percent in November 2021. Recovery from COVID-19-related layoffs continued with an increase of 77,600 jobs from December 2020 to December 2021. |
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| December Occupations and Industry Job Postings December job postings data show Registered Nurses and Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers were the occupations with the most new job postings in Missouri. The Top Job Postings interactive dashboard uses data from Emsi Burning Glass Technologies to show trends in new job postings trends, and occupations and industries with the most postings from month-to-month for Missouri and its regions. |
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| Tool May Help Missourians Find Their Fit in Health Care Thousands of jobs in health care are waiting for just the right person to apply, according to a news release from the Missouri Hospital Association. The MHA has a tool to help potential job seekers learn where they might fit in the workforce, and direct them to the training they'll need, whether they wish to enter patient care or administration. Missourihealthcareers.com guides visitors through a career quiz that can help determine their trajectory. The site uses a series of questions about education, income, patient interaction, and other relevant interests to guide individuals to career paths that meet their preferences. |
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| Census Bureau Releases 2021 State Population Estimates The U.S. Census Bureau recently released state population estimates for 2021. Missouri gained approximately 13,700 new residents, growing by 0.2 percent compared to 2020 annual estimates. Texas had the largest gain in population adding 310,288 new residents, followed by Florida and Arizona. New York saw the largest decrease in population with 319,020 fewer residents, followed by California and Illinois. |
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| New Page on MERIC Website to Find Latest Research A new page on the MERIC website now makes it easy to keep up with the latest reports and research. Quick links to reports are provided in chronological order by month and year. Add this page to your favorites or find it under "What's New?" on the homepage. |
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| MERIC Customer Satisfaction Survey is Still Open There is still time to provide feedback about MERIC products and services, like those featured in this newsletter. The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) is part of the research unit in the Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development, providing innovative data, analyses, and assistance to policymakers and the public. An important part of MERIC’s mission is to provide customer-focused products. Your feedback through this annual customer satisfaction survey will provide valuable insight to help us develop and improve our products and services in the future. The survey takes about 5 minutes or less to complete. Thank you in advance for your participation! |
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| Missouri 2021 Employer Survey Report Released A state’s employers and workforce are economic drivers of its success, and Missouri has over 200,000 payroll employers who provide jobs for 2.6 million people. In the Missouri Workforce 2021 Employer Survey, a representative sample of businesses provided insight into workforce trends, barriers to expanding employment, and future staffing, training, and support needs. Compare the results from the 2020 survey, as well as differences between metro and non-metro areas in the full report. |
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| Job Postings Dashboard Now Includes Industry Data The monthly job postings dashboard has been updated to include industry data with the November release. November job postings data show Registered Nurses and Retail Salespersons were the occupations with the most new job postings in Missouri and General Medical and Surgical Hospitals and Restaurants and Other Eating Places were the top industries. The Top Job Postings interactive dashboard uses data from Emsi Burning Glass for new job postings trends from month-to-month for Missouri and the Workforce Development Areas. |
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| Winter Holiday Outlook Spending for the 2021 holiday season is predicted to reach record levels, totaling between $843 to $859 billion. More than 40 percent of Americans plan to travel, and both consumers and retailers have concerns about receiving holiday orders on time. See more about holiday shopping, shipping, and decorating in this holiday outlook. |
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| 12 Days of Christmas Price Index For the 38th year, PNC Wealth Management released its Christmas Price Index, a whimsical look at the cost of the gifts in the classic holiday song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, and how those prices change over time. This year's index compares to 2019 to eliminate the pandemic's impact on prices, particularly for performers. Overall, the gifts will cost more than $41,000 this year, an increase of 5.7 percent compared to 2019. See the full index for an interactive look at the price of True Love's gifts. |
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| MERIC Customer Satisfaction Survey MERIC Customer Satisfaction Survey The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) is part of the research unit in the Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development, providing innovative data, analyses, and assistance to policymakers and the public. An important part of MERIC’s mission is to provide customer-focused products. Your feedback through this annual customer satisfaction survey will provide valuable insight to help us develop and improve our products and services in the future. The survey takes about 5 minutes or less to complete. Thank you in advance for your participation! |