Trendsights Newsletter

Census Data Gem: OnTheMap
Data Gems from the U.S. Census Bureau are a series of "how-to" videos available for data users who are looking for a quick and easy way to enhance their knowledge of Census data. This instructional six-part video series about OnTheMap will show users how to visualize data for an area about workers, jobs, and labor force characteristics using the OnTheMap tool.
Southwest Region Labor Market Summary
Southwest Missouri employers posted 7,210 job ads from January through March 2023, with 72 percent for full-time positions. More than half of the region’s job postings during the quarter were in three industries: Health Care and Social Assistance, Manufacturing, and Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
April Online Job Postings
There were 74,450 new job postings in Missouri in April 2023, according to data from Lightcast™. This was down from 80,190 in March 2023. Health Care and Social Assistance, Retail Trade, and Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation were the industries with the most new job postings in the state during the month.
Fastest Growing Occupations 2022-2024
Missouri is projected to have more than 350,000 total job openings each year between 2022 and 2024. Some of the jobs with the fastest projected growth rates include Nurse Practitioners; Logisticians; Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers; Computer Controlled Tool Programmers; Cooks; Operations Research Analysts; and Information Security Analysts.
Mother's Day Fun Facts
According to the National Retail Federation, consumers are eager to honor mothers with flowers, gift cards, an evening out, and jewelry in 2023. Mother's Day spending is projected to reach $35.7 billion nationwide, with the average person spending $274.02. View this infographic for some facts and figures about how mothers will be honored on their special day.
Real-Time Job Summaries Q1 2023
Missouri employers posted 257,300 job ads from January through March 2023, with 70 percent for full-time positions. Health Care and Social Assistance was the industry with the largest number of job postings, making up 25 percent of the total. The St. Louis Region had over 97,000 job postings in the quarter, which was the most of any region. See summaries for the state and each region in these quarterly briefs.
March 2023 Job Ad Comparison
Job postings increased 16 percent from March 2022 to March 2023. In March 2023, there were 100,050 online job postings compared to 86,350 in March 2022. The number of job postings in the Health Care and Social Assistance Industry increased by 66 percent over the year.
Where Americans Moved in 2022
Where and why did Americans move in 2022? According to the United Van Lines 2022 National Movers Study, Missouri was a “balanced state” for movers, with nearly the same number of residents moving inbound as outbound. Almost 42 percent relocated to the state due to a job, while over 37 percent moved here for family reasons. Click on the link above to access the interactive map with more details about movers in Missouri and the U.S.
Census Household Pulse Survey Tool - New Data Released
The U.S. Census Bureau recently released new data from their Household Pulse Survey (HPS). The HPS is an effort by the Census Bureau and other federal statistical agencies to inform federal and state response and planning by providing near real-time data on the social and economic issues impacting American households. The survey provides data for topics such as food scarcity and concerns about price increases. Data is available for states and some large metropolitan areas.
Northeast Region Profile
The Northeast Region is comprised of 16 counties in northeastern Missouri. This region is home to several cities including Kirksville, Hannibal, Moberly, and Warrenton. The Northeast Region workforce has around 123,900 employees, making up 4.2 percent of Missouri’s employment. The largest employing industries in the region are Health Care and Social Assistance, Manufacturing, and Retail Trade.
BLS Feedback Survey: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is conducting a survey of individuals and groups who use data developed as part of the federal-state Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) cooperative program. The survey covers topics including how the data are used, adequacy of the data detail, program documentation, and potential enhancements for the program. Whether you use the data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics website or from MERIC, this feedback survey is an opportunity to share how you use the OEWS data and how it may be improved.
Missouri Short-term Occupational Projections 2022-2024
New Missouri occupational projections for 2022-2024 estimate employment growth of 1.7 percent over the period. Occupational groups projected to have the fastest two-year growth rates are Construction and Extraction, Healthcare Support, and Personal Care and Service. Additional information by detailed occupation is in this Excel file download.
Central Region Profile
The Central Region is comprised of 19 counties in the center of Missouri. This region is home to cities such as Columbia, Mexico, Rolla, Camdenton, Lebanon, and the state capital, Jefferson City. The Central Region workforce has more than 313,700 employees, making up 10.7 percent of Missouri’s employment. The largest employing industries in the region are Health Care and Social Assistance, Retail Trade, and Educational Services.
Information Technology Skills
Employment in Information Technology occupations is projected to grow by 14.2 percent from 2020‐2030. From Feb.1, 2022, to Jan.31, 2023, there were over 76,000 online job ads for Computer and Mathematical occupations. Software development and programming skills are highly valued in these occupations, and the majority of job ads requested proficiency in various programming languages such as SQL, Java, and Python. Learn more about these occupations and the industries and employers hiring for them in this report.
2022-2024 Short-Term Industry Projections Released
New short-term industry projections have been released for Missouri and the St. Louis and Kansas City regions. The projections data shows the fastest and largest growing industries by 3-digit NAICS code. For Missouri, Warehousing and Storage is projected to have the fastest employment growth from 2022 to 2024. Click on the link above to view the data for other industries.
County Populations Estimates for 2022
St. Louis County is Missouri’s most populous county with more than 990,000 residents, according to new 2022 population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Population in the county declined by 7,813 compared to 2021. St. Charles County had the largest population growth, adding 3,292 residents during the year. Greene, Platte, Boone, Christian, and Lincoln counties also added more than 1,500 residents each from 2021 to 2022. Data for all of Missouri counties is available in the newly released population datasets.
Census Data GEM: How to Access Veteran Data
Did you know the U.S. Census Bureau collects and aggregates detailed demographic, social, economic, and even business ownership data about the veteran population? See this how-to-video to learn how to access resources that contain veteran data, including the Veteran Profile from the American Community Survey and the veteran business ownership data from the Annual Business Survey.
West Central Region Profile
The West Central Region is comprised of 13 counties in the west central part of Missouri. This region is home to cities including Warrensburg, Sedalia, Lexington, Clinton, and Nevada. The West Central Region workforce has more than 121,400 employees, making up 4.1 percent of Missouri’s employment. The largest employing industries in the region are Health Care and Social Assistance, Manufacturing, and Retail Trade.
February Online Job Postings by Region
There were 66,640 new job postings in Missouri in February 2023, according to data from Lightcast™. This was down from 88,440 in January 2023. General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, Restaurants and Other Eating Places, and Colleges, Universities, and other Professional Schools were the industries with the most new job postings in the state during the month. The St. Louis Region had the most job postings of any region in the state with 26,730.
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists and Technicians
Occupational health and safety specialists and technicians collect data about, as well as analyze many types of work environments and work procedures. Specialists inspect workplaces for adherence to regulations on safety, health, and the environment. Technicians work with specialists in conducting tests and measuring hazards to help prevent harm to workers, property, the environment, and the general public. The median annual wage for occupational health and safety specialists in Missouri was $74,270 in 2021 and requires a four-year degree and extensive training. The median annual wage for occupational health and safety technicians in Missouri was $61,400 and requires an associate degree or a high school diploma and on-the-job training. Learn more about these occupations at the link above.
Annual Business Applications by State and County
Business applications increased by 20.3 percent in Missouri in 2021, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, reaching a total of more than 84,000 for the year. Top counties included St. Louis County with 19,712, followed by Jackson County (13,209) and St. Louis City County (7,781). Data for each Missouri county is available in this new report.
Missouri Exports Rise in 2022
Exports from Missouri to other countries rose by 3.8 percent from 2021 to 2022, totaling over $6.1 billion. Over half of all Missouri’s export income came from the top three recipient countries in 2022. Canada purchased just under $5.7 billion in goods, followed by Mexico ($3.4 billion), and Germany ($679 million). Brazil had the largest percentage increase in exports from 2021 to 2022 with growth of 12 percent followed by Netherlands (10%) and Canada (9%).
Missouri Internet Access Survey Open
The University of Missouri Extension and Office of Broadband Development are conducting a survey about internet access in Missouri to help guide internet expansion and training efforts in the state. Complete this short, six-minute survey to make sure the internet access and experience in your area is included in the study.
State Business Index Rises
Missouri’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for February was 52.7, increasing 10.6 points from January, according to the monthly Mid-America Business Conditions Survey, conducted by Creighton University, Omaha, NE. The Mid American Business Survey rebounded to its highest level since July of 2022, after three consecutive months of sluggish index numbers. Economists consider the index a key economic indicator. It measures such factors 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.