Trendsights Newsletter

Business Applications and Ownership Motivators
Recessions tend to discourage new business formations as entrepreneurs face uncertainty and funding challenges. However, 2020 was different as business applications surged in the second half of the year. Entrepreneurs saw opportunities to respond to consumers spending more online — a trend fueled by COVID-19’s impact on the economy and federal income-support programs.
Business Index Remains High
For 13 of the past 14 months, the Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for the nine-state region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas, remained above growth neutral. 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. Missouri’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for June was 67.7, a slight decrease from May, but still well in expansion territory, according to the monthly Mid-America Business Conditions Survey, conducted by Creighton University, Omaha, NE. Click on the link above to learn more about this Business Index.
2021 KIDS COUNT Data Book
The 2021 Annie E. Casey Foundation KIDS COUNT Data Book is now available. This resource provides data for states and the nation about child well-being for key indicators in four domains: Economic Well-Being, Health, Education, and Family and Community. View this book and the interactive portal to discover data about Missouri children and families.
Career Pathways: Education
Career Pathways are groups of occupations within a career field that share common skills, knowledge, and interests. The pathways show examples of how different levels of industry-recognized training or education can help provide opportunities for career advancement. Professionals in the Education Pathway are preparing today's students to be tomorrow's workforce, and high wages and projected growth often make these occupations a good career choice. See the report for details on opportunities in the pathways of Instruction, Support Services, Professional Support Services, and Administrative & Business Support.
Fourth of July Fun Facts
Almost nine in ten Midwestern consumers plan to celebrate Independence Day in 2021. This year’s Fourth of July may be celebrated differently but still include various festivities like fireworks, food, and time with family. The National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics Survey predicts those celebrating the holiday in the Midwest will spend an average of $72.89 on food, as 66 percent plan to have a cookout, BBQ, or picnic.
Occupational Data Dashboard
How much does a registered nurse earn in the Kansas City area? How many electricians are employed in southeast Missouri? These are the kinds of questions that the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) data can answer. OEWS data provides employment and wage estimates for over 800 occupations in Missouri, as well as sub-state areas. This data is produced by conducting a survey of employers across Missouri, to ensure that data is available for many different geographic areas. Explore data for your area in this new interactive dashboard.
Missouri STEM Report 2018 to 2028
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and STEM-Related occupations are some of the most in-demand and highest paying jobs in Missouri. In fact, the need for such employees is projected to grow twice as fast as the average for all occupations. The projected growth rate for STEM and STEM-Related occupations from 2018-2028 is 12 percent, while the statewide average for all occupations is 4.5 percent. By 2028, the total employment for STEM and STEM-Related occupations is expected to be more than 432,000, an increase of over 46,000 jobs. View the full report to learn more about STEM occupations.
Online Job Postings Dashboard
Trends in online job postings can be used as an early indicator of employer interest in hiring and assist individuals seeking job opportunities in currently in-demand occupations. Using data from Burning Glass Technologies, this interactive dashboard shows monthly new online job postings for Missouri and the 10 Workforce Development Areas.
Father's Day Fun Facts
Father's Day is a day to honor and recognize the men and father figures who have made a difference in our lives. Three of every four Midwesterners plan to celebrate Father's Day this year on June 20, 2021. One way to celebrate may be to visit one of the more than 200 golf courses in Missouri. Click on the link above to see fun facts and figures about this holiday.
First Quarter Cost of Living 2021
Missouri had the 9th lowest cost of living in the United States for the first quarter 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. For the past 17 quarters, Missouri has been in the top 10 for lowest cost of living in the nation.
Business Index Continues to Grow
For the twelfth straight month, the Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for the nine-state region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas, advanced above growth neutral since the beginning of the pandemic. Economists consider the index, which measures such factors as new orders, production, supplier delivery times, backlogs, inventories, prices, employment, import orders and exports, a key economic indicator. Typically, a score greater than 50 indicates an expansionary economy while a score below 50 forecasts a sluggish economy. Missouri’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for May was 69.5, decreasing 3.7 points from April, but still well in expansion territory, according to the monthly Mid-America Business Conditions Survey, conducted by Creighton University, Omaha, NE. Click on the link above to learn more about this Business Index.
Occupations with the Most Job Postings for May
Registered Nurses, Retail Salespersons and Software Developers were some of occupations with largest number of online job postings in Missouri and the 10 labor market regions in May 2021. Burning Glass Technologies, Labor/Insight™ collects job posting information from over 35,000 web sources, including job boards, newspapers, large and small employer websites. This easy-to-view Excel file download shows the occupations with the largest number of online job postings in May 2021 for Missouri and each of the regions.
2020 County Average Wages
St. Louis City had the highest average annual wage across all industries in 2020 at $66,761, compared to the state average of $54,001. County average wage figures are derived from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), a cooperative program between the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. Click on the link above to view county average wages for both privately-owned industries and for all industries combined.
Population Trends in Missouri
The pace at which places gain or lose population can reveal much about their overall economic health. Growing populations often mean an expanding economy with more potential customers and workers, while slow growing or declining populations may indicate a struggling economy that leads workers to explore employment opportunities elsewhere. The U.S. Census Bureau released its 2020 population estimates in May 2021 and these estimates allow us to examine the population change that occurred over the past year and the past decade. Click on the link above to see population changes in Missouri and its regions.
Career Pathways: Biosciences
Career Pathways are groups of occupations within a career field. Occupations within a pathway share common skills, knowledge, and interests. The pathways use industry-recognized credentials and are examples of how different levels of training or education can help provide opportunities for career advancement. Bioscience deals with how living things work and interact with each other, and teaches how to ask questions, make observations, and solve problems. Click on the above link to learn more about Biosciences and the skills needed to advance in this career choice.
Jobs by Education and Skills
Missouri has a wide range of occupations that require various levels of education and skill. Generally, occupations requiring less education and experience levels produce the largest number of job opportunities, but occupations requiring higher education and skill levels have faster growth and higher wages. Education and training is very important in terms of median wages, as well as the risk of unemployment. Discover more in this new report using the latest projections for Missouri occupations.
2020 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Data Released
The Occupational Employment Statistics (OEWS) program is a Federal-State cooperative effort that produces employment and wage estimates for about 800 different occupations and one of the most frequently used data sets, both in Missouri and nationally. Detailed occupational employment, and average and percentile wages are available for the state, major metros and by region. Click on the above link to view the EXCEL file with the most recent data.
West Central Region Real Time Labor Market Summary
The West Central Region is comprised of 13 counties, with its largest cities being Sedalia and Warrensburg. Health Care and Social Assistance and Manufacturing are the region’s top industries. The top industries for job postings in the West Central Region were Health Care and Social Assistance and Manufacturing. Click on the link above to learn more about the West Central Region and its labor market.
April 2021 Job Postings by Region
Registered Nurses and Retail Salespersons were the top two occupations for online job postings for five of Missouri's 10 labor market regions in April 2021, based on data from Burning Glass Technologies, Labor/Insight™, which collects job posting information from over 35,000 web sources, including job boards, newspapers, large and small employer websites. This easy-to-view Excel file download shows the occupations with the largest number of openings in the month for Missouri and each of the regions.
Missouri Exports Rise in the First Quarter of 2021
Missouri exports rose by 17.6 percent from the first quarter 2020 to the first quarter 2021. Top industry sector exports came from Chemicals with $900 million in sales followed by Transportation Equipment ($870 million), Food and Kindred Products ($440 million), Machinery except Electrical ($230 million), and Agricultural Products ($220 million). The largest increase came from Petroleum and Coal Products with an increase of over 400 percent, followed by Agricultural Products (155 percent), Waste and Scrap (36 percent), Primary Metal Manufacturing (32 percent) and Plastic and Rubber Products (28 percent). Click on the link above to learn more about the state’s top exports.
Missouri and Regional Real-Time Labor Market Summaries
Missouri employers posted 174,382 job ads from January through March with 75% for full-time positions. Health Care and Social Assistance was the industry with the largest number of job postings, making up 30 percent of the total. Click on the above link to see the summaries for the state and each region.
Mother's Day Spending Rises
According to the National Retail Federation, this year mothers will be showered with flowers, gift cards, an evening out and jewelry. Mother's Day spending is expected to reach $28.1 billion dollars nationwide with the average person spending $220.48. View this infographic for some fast facts and figures about how mothers will be honored on their special day.
First Data from 2020 Census Released
Missouri’s population was 6,154,913 in 2020, according to the first data from the 2020 Census released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The state’s population increased by 165,986, or 2.8 percent, compared to the 2010 Census. Population in the U.S. grew by 7.4 percent during the same period.
Using BLS Data to Match People with Disabilities with Jobs
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has many data products that can be used to help people with disabilities plan their career paths. This Spotlight highlights these products and demonstrates how they can be used to evaluate potential jobs.